Learn About Foodservice Design

Soda Systems | Function of a Foodservice Janitorial Room | What is Function & Flow in a Foodservice Operation?

Soda Systems

Let us start with the soda system and what we need to consider when we design this area.  First, there are two different systems to consider and they are the pre-mix system and the post-mix system. Both of these systems require CO2 gas, a carbonator and to keep it cold, ice, but we will talk about the ice makers later on. 

· The pre-mix system has the beverage ready to drink in a metal canister. CO2 gas is applied to the canister and the drink is forced out to the beverage dispenser. This system is used for small stores, carnivals or fairs that do not have the luxury of a water line.

· The post-mix system has more equipment because the beverage is in a concentrated formula.   The equipment that we need for this system is shelving for the boxes (keeping in mind that a 5 gallon box is 11-1/2” wide, 15-1/2” deep and 8” high), carbonator, syrup pumps, soda lines and a dispensing unit. 

The post-mix system is  the one that you are probably used to seeing  and is commonly referred to as the  bag in the box system.   Your expected volume of drink sales will determine the size of CO2 tanks, how many carbonators and wire shelving units you will need for your beverage system. 

Now that I have talked about the system lets move on to the actual beverage dispensers.  Listed below are some different things to consider when choosing your beverage dispenser.
· Drop-in dispenser or free standing?
· How many valves do you want?
· Push button or lever?
· Do you want it to dispense ice or have an ice bin?

The last question also depends on what service you want, whether you want the operator to hand the customer their drink or if you want the customer to serve themselves.  It is unsanitary for the customers to be using a scoop to put ice in their cups and you cannot regulate whether or not they are using a clean cup so if you want the customer to serve themselves then you need to have an ice dispenser. 

Function of a Foodservice Janitorial Room

Whether you are designing a small café or a large buffet in a casino you need to know the functions of a foodservice operation.

The first function, and often the one that is in least regard, is the janitorial area.  More often than not this area is more like the size of a closet instead of an actual room.  Let’s consider what goes on in this room and how we can make it functional in a kitchen environment.


One of the major pieces of equipment in a janitorial room is the mop sink.  Stuck in a corner the 24” x 24” mop sink is given little consideration to what goes on inside it.  Mop buckets (a 31qt bucket is about 24”w x 15”d) are filled with water from the utility faucet and then the heavy mop bucket is emptied into the mop sink.

Don’t forget the soap that goes into the water.  Sometimes this is just poured strait from the container into the mop bucket.  Other times a soap service agent has installed a portion control system that has to get hooked up to the faucet.  Either way, you require shelving in the janitorial room for chemicals to keep them separate from the food.
Then there are the mops and the mop hanger that is trying to get the mops out of the way while at the same time allowing them to drip dry over the mop sink.  Now try and think about washing out a trash container in the mop sink and think of what a mess you’ll make.

Other items to consider in the janitorial room are wet floor signs, dust pans and brooms. Sometimes, to wash linens, there will even be a washer and dryer squeezed into this space. Everybody likes a clean kitchen.  So why not design this room to function properly.  On one project RDA designed a mop sink that was 36” wide and 82” inches long with FRP wall covering.  The foodservice employees loved it.   

For a functioning janitorial room in the kitchen area consider some of these issues.

· The size of kitchen area and number of foodservice employees.
· Is the janitorial room going to used just to clean the kitchen?
· How much stock of chemicals are they    going to be storing?
· Are they going to be washing their own linens? Do they need a laundry area?
· Does the kitchen have an outside area to wash the trash containers and floor mats?

 

What is the Function & Flow in a Foodservice Operation?

The functions of a foodservice operation begin with outside receiving and end with ware washing. All of the operations in between determine the flow of  the kitchen.  Commercial kitchens have varying functions, so the same design from one kitchen will not work in another.

RDA Design Group is a hospitality and foodservice design firm. We understand what functions go on in a commercial kitchen and we have over thirty years experience in designing them.

A small kitchen for a church needs the basic functions to perform properly.  A kitchen big enough to feed over forty- five hundred cadets requires more functions for the food to have the same consistency and in the time required. The kitchen is a very important matter.

RDA Design Group is an registered veteran owned small business. We offer a wide range of services that we are able to provide all over the country.

We have worked on many projects throughout the United States and have developed strong communication skills in dealing with owners, architects, and contractors. Our aim is to not only meet the expectations of the client but to exceed them.

Foodservice Functions