What’s your favorite piece of convenience-store foodservice equipment or technology?
That’s the question CSP asked retailers and consultants.
A few ovens made the list, plus a labeling product and a few unexpected items.
Here’s what we found:
Merrychef oven (pictured above)
“My favorite piece of foodservice equipment is the Merrychef oven. It is a high-speed countertop microwave convection oven/microwave convection impingement oven. This is not an inexpensive piece of equipment, but it is an incredibly versatile oven that can support a number of foodservice platforms. Its best attributes are the range of programmable settings, the speed of the cooking (It is fast!), and its size. It is relatively compact, so it will not take up too much counter space. It is a great tool to build out high-quality food platforms ranging from pizza, hot sandwiches, handheld burritos/tacos/bowls, baked goods and other innovation that is served hot or held hot. It is great for a made-to-order platform or a make-and-hold lineup. Combine it with a small, versatile prep table and the options [and speed of service] only improve.”
—Jeff Keune, principal consultant for 4910 Consulting, Boston
Thermometer
“Despite advances in technology and the expansion of available options for c-stores, my favorite piece of equipment is the one that keeps it all going. We’ll never not need a thermometer. Until they find a way to inject a hotdog with a sensor, that is.”
—Steve Morris, president of St. Paul, Minnesota-based Retail Management Inc.
TurboChef Fire Artisan Pizza Oven
“We got a chance to see a TurboChef Fire Artisan Pizza Oven in action recently, and it’s pretty incredible. For one c-store we work with on foodservice marketing, it’s helped them get a made-to-order pizza completely finished in just seven minutes from order and prep to pickup-ready. I was impressed.”
—Kesha Alexander and Kyle Drenon, co-owners of Springfield, Missouri-based ad agency Supper Co.
Blodgett Combi Invoq oven
“My favorite piece of equipment is the Combi Invoq oven by Blodgett. A combi oven is a piece of cooking equipment that combines convection cooking, steam cooking and a mix of both in one unit. It allows you to bake, roast, grill and steam with ease. It is my favorite piece of equipment because of its versatility and efficiency. A combi oven produces consistent results by using programmable recipes that are built in and maintained on a back-end platform, which helps ensure quality and brand standards are maintained. It also cooks food faster than traditional ovens, which is essential in a fast-paced environment where speed and labor matters.
“One combi oven can replace multiple pieces of equipment, saving valuable space in small kitchens. It is also user friendly, requiring very little training for staff, which helps reduce labor challenges. The program function is one of the most impressive features, because no matter who is baking the product, I know the temperature and timing will always be correct. By cooking precisely, it prevents overcooking and helps reduce food waste. Another feature I love is the programmed cleaning cycle. With just a cleaning tablet and the push of a button, the oven cleans itself—making it as simple as standing back and letting the machine do the work.”
Pictured is the Blodgett Invoq miniCombi 10-pan unit.
—Alexis Wood, food service director, Johnny’s Market, owned by Marshall, Michigan-based Walters-Dimmick Petroleum Inc.
BOHA! Labeling device
“The only piece of technology Weigel’s has implemented in its foodservice program is the BOHA! Labeling device from TransAct Technologies, Hamden, Connecticut. BOHA! Labeling ensures FDA-compliant labels and simplifies a labor intensive and error-prone process previously done by hand. It automates our date code and grab-and-go labeling with nutritional information, pricing and barcodes. It’s as easy as selecting the item you are preparing on the iPad that comes with the device, and then it prints out the label of that product with all pertinent information. Depending upon product, the label will show nutritional information, expiration date, times and pricing, and it allows batch printing if several of one item are being made. The printer has two size labels, the larger one for all grab-and-go items and the smaller size for labeling pans when prepping ingredients. It also has features like timers that we can set on the device to let us know when products are expiring. All of these features have saved our team members time from having to hand-write labels, which can lead to illegible and/or inaccurate labeling practices.
—Ryan Blevins, director of food and beverage innovation, Weigel’s, Powell, Tennessee; now senior vice president of sales and operations at Greenville, South Carolina-based Fresh Stop
Rational combi oven
“My favorite foodservice equipment is the Rational combi oven. It’s incredibly versatile, combining steam and convection to cook food faster and more evenly. It saves time, improves consistency and enhances food quality—essential in any busy kitchen.”
—Rachel Saddler, senior manager of foodservice innovation, Tri Star Energy, Nashville, which owns Twice Daily convenience stores and White Bison Coffee
Connected equipment
“My favorite foodservice technology is connected equipment that integrates with recipe and settings management. It allows us to push standardized recipes across locations, ensuring consistency and efficiency. Just as importantly, it provides real-time feedback on cleaning, maintenance and potential equipment issues so we can address problems before they escalate and keep operations running smoothly.”
—Todd Fangman, senior foodservice manager at Dash In, owned by Wills Group, La Plata, Maryland
TurboChef oven
“The TurboChef ovens. I like this piece of equipment because of its incredible speed and consistency. It can cook our Hunt Brothers pizza in just a few minutes, along with other non-proprietary items, which is perfect for fast-paced kitchen environments. The oven combines convection, impingement and microwave technologies, ensuring even cooking with a perfectly crisp crust every time. Its compact design saves valuable kitchen space without compromising performance. I also appreciate its user-friendly interface and programmable settings, which make training staff quick and easy. Overall, it helps increase efficiency and product quality, making it an essential tool in any c-store kitchen.”
Pictured is the TurboChef 1618 model.
—Chad Ellis, retail division manager, Horizon Resources co-op, Williston, North Dakota
Cash register
“The cash register is my favorite. Invented in 1879, the cash register has allowed foodservice and retailers to better service our guests and identify successes as well as opportunities in our business. The cash register has come a long way from when James Ritty invented it to help better account for money coming and going from his saloon. Today, a cash register is a microscope into every transaction, especially when a credit card is involved.”
—Tony DeSerto, director of hot foods, category management, at RaceTrac, Atlanta
UpDog system
“I had a chance to test the UpDog system [which offers an artificial-intelligence program that monitors roller grills with a camera] in our home office store. I think it is really cool and the type of tech that will help stores execute better while minimizing waste. In the dispensed beverage category, we have had several innovations, such as Bunn’s Premia bean-to-cup coffee machines.”
—Kate Weisman, category manager of commissary, EG America, Westborough, Massachusetts
Flexeserve warmer
“The Flexeserve warmer has completely changed the game for us. It keeps food hot, fresh and ready to go for hours—no more soggy buns or dried-out chicken. The secret is its forced-air technology that evenly circulates heat, keeping everything at the perfect temperature. Since adding Flexeserve in our test store, we’ve seen sales jump by 30% while keeping waste impressively low. Even better, we’ve been able to reallocate labor thanks to fewer cook cycles—freeing up time for other key tasks. It’s efficient, it looks great and it delivers consistent, high-quality food every time. The Flexeserve isn’t just a warmer—it’s a smart investment that’s paying off in every way.
Pictured is the Flexeserve Zone 4 Tier.
—Sherryn Diamond, food service director, High’s of Baltimore
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