Commercial Food Processors
Table of Contents
- Commercial Food Processors
- Continuous-Feed Food Processors
- Bowl-Type Food Processors
- Combination Food Processors
- FAQ
Commercial Food Processors
If your commercial restaurant includes any type of slicing, dicing, shredding, mixing, chopping, or pureeing, buying a commercial food processor is vital. Restaurant types that require high-volume food preparation, such as restaurants, catering businesses, cafeterias and institutional kitchens, require food processors to save time, reduce labor costs, ensure consistent food results and boost labor productivity. Keeping these considerations in mind can aid in choosing the appropriate commercial food processor for your kitchen.
Continuous-Feed Food Processors
Continuous-feed food processors efficiently slice, shred, dice, and julienne large volumes of vegetables, fruits, cheese, and other ingredients. Ideal for processing bulk ingredients quickly, these processors feed ingredients continuously into a processing chamber.
Example Continuous-Feed Food Processor
The Robot Coupe CL50 Ultra stands out for unmatched reliability, powerful motor (1.5 HP), robust stainless steel construction, and a wide range of precision cutting discs. It easily handles continuous heavy-duty use in high-volume kitchens.
Common Continuous-Feed Food Processor
The Hobart FP150 is widely adopted due to its affordability, versatility, powerful ½ HP motor, and user-friendly operation. Its efficient performance makes it popular across diverse commercial kitchen environments.
Example Continuous-Feed Processors by Restaurant Types
- Fast Casual/QSR: Robot Coupe CL52, rapid vegetable processing ideal for salads and sandwiches.
- Institutional Cafeterias: Hobart FP250, efficient bulk preparation of vegetables and fruits.
- Catering Businesses: Waring FP2200, versatile and reliable for diverse menu items.
Budget-Based Recommendations for Ghost Kitchens
- High Budget ($2,500–$4,000)1: Hobart FP150, premium build quality and versatility.
- Medium Budget ($1,500–$2,500)2: Robot Coupe CL50 Ultra, excellent balance of performance and affordability.
- Low Budget ($700–$1,500)1: Waring WFP16SCD, entry-level continuous-feed processing with reliable results.
Buying Considerations:
- Evaluate horsepower and processing capacity based on your menu and kitchen volume.
- Verify availability and variety of cutting discs and attachments.
- Ensure the unit has safety features and easy-to-clean components.
Bowl-Type Food Processors
Bowl-type food processors are versatile units designed to chop, puree, emulsify, mix dough, and blend sauces. Ideal for kitchens requiring a broad range of food prep tasks, bowl processors are compact, powerful, and multifunctional.
Example Bowl-Type Food Processor
The Robot Coupe R2N Food Processor earns high marks for its powerful motor, durable polycarbonate bowl, and intuitive operation. It excels in chopping, blending, pureeing, and dough mixing tasks.
Common Bowl-Type Food Processor
The Waring WFP14S is beloved for its affordability, reliable performance, sturdy 3.5-quart bowl, and ease of cleaning and maintenance, making it popular in a variety of kitchen environments.
Example Bowl Processors by Restaurant Types
- Fine Dining: Robot Coupe R301 Ultra, ideal for precise sauces, emulsions, and pâtés.
- Bakery/Pastry Shop: Robot Coupe R2 Dice, versatile for dough mixing, chopping nuts, and pureeing fillings.
- Café/Smoothie Bar: Waring WFP11S, compact yet powerful for smoothies and sauces.
Budget-Based Recommendations for Ghost Kitchens
- High Budget ($2,000–$3,000)3: Robot Coupe R301 Ultra, advanced features and superior versatility.
- Medium Budget ($1,000–$1,500)4: Robot Coupe R2N, balancing quality, durability, and cost.
- Low Budget ($500–$900)1: Waring WFP11S, affordable, compact, and reliable processing.
Maintenance Tip:
Regularly disassemble and clean bowls, blades, and seals to ensure food safety, prevent contamination, and extend equipment lifespan.
Combination Food Processors (Continuous-Feed and Bowl)
Combination food processors integrate bowl-type and continuous-feed functionalities into a single versatile unit. Ideal for kitchens needing comprehensive food prep capabilities, these processors handle slicing, shredding, chopping, pureeing, mixing, and more.
Example Combination Food Processor
The Robot Coupe R301 Ultra Combination Processor excels with its powerful motor, interchangeable bowl and continuous-feed attachment, and wide range of cutting discs. Ideal for busy kitchens needing versatile food prep capabilities.
Common Combination Food Processor
The Hobart FP250 Combination Processor is widely adopted for its affordability, versatility, reliability, and robust construction, providing consistent results in diverse kitchen environments.
Example Combination Processors by Restaurant Types
- Catering Operations: Robot Coupe R402 combination unit, ideal for multi-tasking environments.
- Institutional Cafeterias: Hobart FP350, capable of handling large-scale processing efficiently.
- Casual Dining: Waring WFP16SCD, reliable and versatile for daily preparation tasks.
Budget-Based Recommendations for Ghost Kitchens
- High Budget ($4,250–$7,000)5: Hobart FP250, premium versatility and performance.
- Medium Budget ($3,000–$5,500)3: Robot Coupe R402, durable and cost-effective combination solution.
- Low Budget ($800–$1,500)1: Waring WFP14SCD, affordable combination option for smaller kitchens.
Operational Tip:
Choose combination units with easy-to-switch attachments and intuitive controls to streamline kitchen workflow and reduce training time.
FAQs About Commercial Food Processors
What size food processor should I buy?
- Choose size based on your daily volume and menu requirements. Smaller kitchens may benefit from 2–4-quart units, while high-volume operations require larger capacities or continuous-feed models.
- For small-to-medium volumes, start with a 20 qt RoboCoupe since it is efficient and fast.
- A user from an online discussion form reports “I use a 20Q robo coup for pesto. Don’t worry about getting a machine that will do your entire recipe.”
- For large-scale/industrial output, go heavy-duty: continuous-feed RoboCoupe or VCM, but expect higher costs and logistical needs.
- Another person adds to the discussion, stating “VCM = Vertical Chopping Machine… Cuisinart is top of the line.”
Are commercial food processors dishwasher safe?
Many parts (bowls and blades) are dishwasher safe, but always verify manufacturer recommendations. Motors and electronic components must be cleaned carefully by hand.
[1]KaTom Restaurant Equipment
[2] Webstaurant Store
[3] Restaurant and more
[4] Culinary Depot
[5] Eleven36
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Questions? We're here to help.
What is a ghost kitchen?
Ghost kitchens, also known as dark kitchens or virtual kitchens, are commercial kitchens built for food delivery. They’re located within the delivery radius of a high volume of online customers, rather than high foot traffic areas. With ghost kitchens, there’s no physical storefront or dining area, so you only need a few back-of-house staff members to fulfill online orders.
How does a ghost kitchen work?
In a ghost kitchen, your restaurant is focused on delivery rather than dine-in. When eaters order your food online, you’ll prepare it from your ghost kitchen, and hand it off to a fulfillment team to get the order over to the right delivery driver. This gives restaurateurs a low cost, high efficiency model to get the most out of delivery.
Are ghost kitchens profitable?
Yes. Ghost kitchens allow restaurateurs to increase profitability by maintaining the essential elements of a restaurant while cutting costs on labor, overhead, and wasted food while reaching a higher volume of customers ordering online. Plus, you can run multiple virtual brands out of a single ghost kitchen to increase revenue without the extra overhead.
Why are ghost kitchens so popular?
Ghost kitchens are rising in popularity because they’re a lower cost alternative to operating a traditional restaurant. They’re also focused on delivery, which has grown 300% faster than dine-in since 2014. That means restaurateurs are using ghost kitchens to future-proof their business and accelerate growth.
How does a ghost kitchen help your restaurant grow?
Ghost kitchens help restaurateurs grow their business by doing delivery right. The way we dine has changed, and ghost kitchens allow restaurant operators to capture food delivery demand without sacrificing their bottom line. They’re also a great way to expand to new markets without spending time and money on a traditional restaurant buildout. You can easily expand your restaurant brand to different cities across the country such as Los Angeles or New York.
How much do ghost kitchens cost?
The cost of ghost kitchens varies by market, space, and services. Compared to a traditional restaurant, they’re a much lower cost alternative on both upfront capital and ongoing operating costs. You can get started in a ghost kitchen with as little as $30K, instead of $1M+ for brick and mortar buildout.
