“What’s for dinner?” It’s the perpetual question facing most households every evening. And it isn’t exclusive to dinner; it could just as easily be, “What’s for breakfast or lunch?” Even with many folks working partially or entirely from home, the hustle and bustle of life is still chock-full of — well, everything. People simply want hassle-free, tasty meals to help ease the daily burden.
Enter: your neighborhood convenience store. Customers expect hot dogs, burgers and pre-wrapped sandwiches. But that’s not all. One in three c-store consumers want more fresh foods. They want ethnic fare, plant-based options, and other innovative menu offerings.
Implementing those types of options will help your c-store gain a competitive edge. So how do you get there? The first move is putting together a creative menu — but to get that plan into action, you’ll need the right equipment for the job.
A small footprint is a critical step toward menu innovation
Commercial kitchen equipment can be massive. Increasing volume or changing your menu offerings may seem like a daunting task, one that requires an entire kitchen remodel or expansion. Thankfully, there’s an alternative.
Purchasing compact equipment that takes up less space in your c-store is one way to invite innovation into your kitchen, without the costly renovation bill. Smaller equipment can be useful on customer service counters. But don’t be fooled; the output of quality, smaller units isn’t affected by their size. And for added menu flexibility, look for countertop equipment that can move from one prep- or customer-service station to the next (or can be easily put away when it's not needed). To help you determine what equipment is right for you, let’s take a look at four of the best in the small footprint, amazing menu innovation business.
1. Countertop induction cooktops
Induction cooktops are a must. For starters, they use a more direct heating process that heats the pan (not the cooktop) and provides more even and steady heat. They’re also fast. A 3600-watt induction unit will boil six cups of water in only three short minutes. For a comparison, an electric cooktop boils six cups of water in six minutes and a gas range in eight. That’s great news for c-stores looking to sauté vegetables, make rice or boil noodles quickly.
Not only are countertop induction cooktops quick, but they’re also small, portable and easy to store out of the way when not in use. Additionally, some models employ smart features such as programmable presets. With a programmable preset feature, multiple recipes can be directly input into the cooktop. In turn, the time and temperature of each recipe remains consistent and your menu items stay the same across every shift, every day.
2. Countertop soup and heated wells
Is there anything better than a cup of hot soup on a cold day? Countertop soup wells can bring the comfort of chicken noodle, chili or spicy coconut peanut soup to your customers (and a smile to their faces). But don’t limit yourself there. Heated countertop wells can accommodate even more options. For example, our CHW series heated well holds food in either a wet or dry mode and can even rethermalize foods from frozen to safe-serving temperatures — without overcooking them. When versatility matters, never overlook the capabilities of a countertop well!
3. Drop-in cold/hot wells
Looking to offer hot breakfast items for the morning commute, and a cold salad bar for the lunch crowd? In addition to countertop soup and heated wells, there are also drop-in cold/hot combination wells. These units are built-in and offer greater food-holding capacity than the countertop models. Additionally, the flexibility in temperature settings creates a vast amount of opportunities for your quick-serve or grab-n-go areas.
Destination station.
Upping your menu innovation is a sure-fire way to make your c-store a customer hotspot and destination for tasty, quality and convenient food. Thinking about other innovative ideas coming into the new year? Get inspired by our blog post, Three Things C-Stores Need to Figure Out in 2022.
