1,000 guests per day. 224 classic French dishes. 110 types of cheese. 50 varieties of handmade pastries and cakes. 7 tiers of lobster. 5 kinds of foie gras. 1 chocolate fountain.
These mind-bending statistics are from the most popular restaurant in France: an all-you-can-eat buffet called Les Grands Buffets. For the meager price of about $60 per person, guests enjoy as much gastronomy as they wish, and Les Grands Buffets enjoys more revenue than any other restaurant in France.
That’s right, buffets are back. Or maybe they never really went away. In a post-pandemic world, diners seek out the comforting dining experiences of buffets because they have menus that people know and trust.
The buffet has a way of looking back in time. But, while the baked potato bar or moules marinières spark nostalgia, buffet equipment is hurling itself into the future.
Hatco’s dry well technology allows operators to have the look and flexibility of a wet well, without the added expense of plumbing or descaling maintenance. Dry wells of today offer heating consistency and compatibility with any kind of operation.
Let’s take a look at how Hatco’s dry wells are a value-add for customers seeking high efficiency and flexibility.
No water, no problems
Everybody knows you don’t fill up on bread at a buffet. Not everybody knows, however, that certain wells do not need to be filled with water. Dry wells, as their name implies, do not require the use of water like a wet well would. Rather, they utilize gentle fan-powered convection, impressive induction technology or (in a less-ideal scenario) conduction or radiant heat.
Dry wells eliminate the need for plumbing on a buffet, which can be an expensive endeavor. Operators can accommodate well placement almost anywhere if they don’t have to account for floor drains or water supplies. It’s very liberating when you don’t need an architect nor a plumber to change a buffet configuration.
Dry wells also offer daily labor savings compared to wet wells. Employees don’t have to spend time descaling the buffet pans since there are no longer mineral deposits left behind by the heated water.
Dry well users are discovering how much easier it is to dial up power. There’s no more heating water, endlessly fidgeting and calibrating to find that perfect food holding temperature. Of note, Hatco’s Drop-In Induction Dry Well uses either 120 or 208 volts, both with a power output of 720 watts. Their self-regulating voltage feature allows for flexibility, meaning buyers can easily change the plug if they accidentally choose the incorrect voltage requirement. But, induction or other, all Hatco dry wells have the power to keep food at a safe serving temperature and at optimal just-cooked freshness. The warming power can be increased even more when top heat is introduced to a buffet. Heat lamps and strip heaters can safely supplement the powerful heating of the wells.
But with power must come a reliable and even heat. Dry wells using convection or induction technology allow for an efficient and even heat transfer — that’s right, no “hot spots.” Convection technology uses a fan and hot air in place of steam to provide an even, gentle heat. Induction technology has similar results, but it instead conducts heat directly from pan to food.
The secret to controlling power in Hatco dry wells is thermostatic controls. The built-in precision allows well operators to provide or pull back on the heat supply to maintain accurate temperatures, which means optimal quality, taste and food safety.
Stand by your pan
Induction and convection technologies have led to tremendous gains in efficiency and ease of use for operators. Specifically, Hatco’s Drop-In Induction Dry Well has become the be-all, end-all in dry well technology.
A key advantage of Hatco’s induction dry well solution is that there’s no need to purchase “induction-compatible” pans. Many operators will even use pans from their wet well. These induction wells also have the ability to flex between 2.5-inch (64 mm) pans and 4-inch (102 mm) deep pans during busier times of the day. This means users can cut down on food waste and better manage inventory.
Versatility doesn’t end there. The drop-in induction dry well contains two heat zones with two temperature sensors per zone. These units are easy to use, with temperature arrow keys for adjusting the unit’s temperature in Fahrenheit, Celsius or by five preset temperature levels between 150°F and 210°F (66°C and 99°C).
Ganged(nam) style
Buffets and variety go hand-in-hand. To step up the number of food offerings, Hatco’s Drop-In Modular/Ganged Dry Heated Wells provide customers with a complete heated food offering within one piece of equipment for a clean, integrated look. An insulated, full-sized well can be grouped together in a modular fashion, as the dry heated well is available in 1- to 6-ganged units to keep hot foods at consistent holding temperatures for extended periods of time. The compact individual thermostatic controls allow for temperature regulation of each individual well. This means each individual dish can be maintained at its own optimal temperature. Pasta, chicken, broccoli and salmon can be compartmentalized and temperature-controlled for their own safe, just-made dish integrity.
A whole new well.
Dry wells are the future of a timeless business model: the buffet.
In recent years, operators have accelerated their use of advanced technologies to enhance the user experience. Improvements in frictionless payments, smart kitchen tools, to-go lockers and pods and versatile cooking equipment underscore how customers are willing to invest a premium for increased revenue, long-term product reliability and increased guest satisfaction.
The price of dry wells offsets the challenges, costs and inefficiencies of wet wells. Operators will continue to seek out innovative equipment if it will provide a competitive advantage down the road.
