Strip Heaters and Bar Warmers

When chefs create a dish, their intention is for it to be served fresh and warm. Unfortunately, plates can get left in a transitional stage while other dishes are being plated or while servers are gathering items and tending to customers. The reality of this wait demands that the bar between back-of-house and front-of-house be designed to keep items warm and ready for guests. Strip heaters, also known as bar warmers, help to maintain prepared foods at a warm temperature, ready to be served!

Take a step back and observe the typical ongoings during rush hour, and you’ll find that prepared dishes get left on the counter for minutes at a time, waiting for sides to be finished, meals to be plated, or servers to attend them. These minutes mean that what was a fresh-off-the-grill steak is now lukewarm, the countertop beneath leaching precious warmth from the plate. Depending on how busy the night is, meals may be left for unsafe periods of time!

Bar warmers, strip heaters, and rod lamps can be fixed above the counter as an overhead heating element. This helps to maintain a safe temperature of the food items while keeping meals at a delicious warm temperature as well. The key is to dedicate a section of the transitional bar between back and front of house to warm items, as you don’t want to place cold deserts under a heating lamp!

Measure the space that you’ll want to keep heated, and find the appropriate length of lamp to fully heat that area. A rod-style lamp is great for covering wide swaths of area while single bulb units can look modern, sleek, and pinpoint small areas. Either way, you’ll ensure that the food that was so painstakingly made is delivered to the customer fresh and warm, just the way it came off the grill!

The next step is to measure vertically between the countertop and the lamp. Depending on wattage, your single strip warmer will need to follow restrictions on how far it should be above the countertop for safe use.

If you’re unsure of the type of lamp you need for your transitional area, I’d love to help! Give me a call today, and we can find the perfect lamp for your restaurant.


Sales Consultant

E Friedman Associates Inc

T: 516-882-1955

D: 712-389-6805

F: 605-782-9015

Contact Us
1 (800) 555-0666