Are open-front multidecks still the best option for grab-and-go?

‘Cheese and ham on granary – just what I’ve been looking for!’

By definition, when a customer is using a ‘grab-and-go’ fridge, they’re in a hurry, usually with a thousand other things on their mind. They want to quickly access what they’re after and then get onto with their day as swiftly as possible. Multideck fridges are the recognised go to when you’re looking for a unit made for busy frantic footfall, but which multideck to go for and are they still the best? This blog explains what to look for.

What are your priorities?

Multideck fridges are an important purchase to make as they should help you move your high turnover stock as quickly as possible, which can have a fundamental effect on your bottom line. It’s therefore key that you identify the elements you need over those you’d like before looking at your options.

Firstly, you need to review the site that you’ve picked to place the unit within, and any restrictions that might pose on the unit. Would the unit be in direct sunlight for a large portion of the day, or is it very near the door? These are important points to notice. It would also help to look at potential energy consumption of the unit on sunny days, and if the unit is powerful enough to chill food and drinks in an increasingly heatwave-prone country.

If this is the case, or one of your most important features is ongoing energy consumption, there are great options. If you want to prioritise running costs that are as efficient as possible then looking at units with doors would be a good choice, while ensuring that the multideck’s internal lighting is bright and the doors are clear with minimal handles, so you can still entice your customers to purchase. Also, keeping the area near the unit clear so that people can crowd toward it to look for their sandwich or drink option before opening the door would help to minimise the loss from impulse purchase through the addition of the doors.

Blow the doors off

If you’ve identified that you’re looking for a unit that has no doors, you also need to consider how people will use this unit within your shop or café. If it’s part of a row of other multideck units then you might be better looking at units that are slightly higher than the ones you currently have to differentiate between your stock, placing drinks in the taller and sandwiches in the smaller, etc. Or, if you’re planning to extend your stock range and this is for the additional options then something as close as possible to your existing multidecks would be best, as your customers would just notice the expanded range rather than the fridge getting the glory.

As mentioned earlier, the plan of the area around the unit is also key in allowing people to crowd around the stock, make a quick assessment and grab-and-go with their purchases. If there’s no space to the right or left of the unit then you definitely need to look at taller fridges to give the illusion of space and allow people to see from behind others, so minimising the amount of time they have to waste before they can see what’s available and make their choices.

All customers using a grab-and-go fridge are time poor, so the more you can do to decrease the time wasted before they’re able to make their choice will help them feel less rushed and happier with their options. It will also increase the possibility of them looking for another purchase, such as a chocolate bar or cake to go with their sandwich as they still have a few minutes to spare.

Night night

Another consideration when looking at multideck fridges is whether they are equipped with night blinds. These can make multideck fridges without doors more energy efficient as they help maintain temperature stability when in use.

Once you’re closed to customers, you simply pull the blind over the unit and rather than the fridge relying on a curtain of cold air to keep the products cool, the blind acts as a physical barrier to keep the chilled air inside the cabinet and prevent warm air from reaching the products. This makes the unit much more energy efficient, as the blind is essentially acting like a door and trapping the air inside. It also reduces the overnight workload on the mechanics of the fridge, which can help increase its life span, as the components aren’t working as much, so last longer.

Grab-and-go a multideck

Once you’ve assessed the various options and decided on what type of system you’re after then we can help show you the products available. We have a dedicated multidecks section on the Fridgesmart website where you can set the features that you’re looking for, as well as set a budget range and the options within that set will be shown. You can set the features you’re looking for in the click boxes on the left of the page and then from the options presented, you can click through for more information and photographs to ensure you’re getting what you want.