Sandwich & Pizza Prep Tables
A refrigerated prep table pairs a chilled top rail of food pans with a refrigerated base cabinet. A sandwich/salad unit has a single row of pans; a pizza unit has a wider cutting rail sized for dough and toppings; a glycol unit circulates chilled glycol to hold the rail colder in hot kitchens. The pan rail is a TCS zone (FDA Food Code 3-501.16), so buy a unit rated to keep the top pans cold and keep lids on during slow periods.
Deciding? Compare who really makes each prep-table brand, its refrigerant, and the model-number decoder.
Refrigerated prep tables — sandwich, pizza, and glycol — with a chilled rail of pans up top and cold storage below. Compare across every brand by type, width, and cabinet capacity, then compare on build, not marketing. This is an inspection-critical piece: the pan rail is a TCS zone, so size it to keep the top pans cold in a warm kitchen.
Which one should you buy?
Shortlists filtered to a real buying need — not paid placements or reviews. Each links to full specs.
Sandwich
Biggest-capacity sandwich models firstPizza
Biggest-capacity pizza models firstGlycol
Biggest-capacity glycol models firstMost capacity
Maximum cubic feet for high-volume storageCompact footprint
Narrowest units for tight lines and bars
Priced online
Models with a real published dealer price
Sandwich & Pizza Prep Tables: buying guide
A refrigerated prep table is chosen by type (sandwich, pizza, or glycol), length (pan count), and how reliably it holds the top rail cold. The pan rail is a TCS zone that inspectors probe directly. Here is how to read the 241 models above.
Sandwich vs pizza vs glycol
Sandwich/salad tables run a single pan row for build lines; pizza tables add a wider cutting rail for dough and toppings; glycol tables circulate chilled glycol to hold the rail colder in hot kitchens. Pick the rail that keeps your top pans below code temperature all service.
Length, pan count, and capacity
Size by length and pan count to your build list, and by the cabinet capacity you need for backup product. Confirm the unit fits the wall run and clears doorways.
Holding temperature
The rail is the risk zone — every pan must hold at code temperature (commonly ≤41°F). Buy a unit with a published cold-rail rating, keep lids on during slow periods, and never fill pans above the load line.
| Choice | Best use | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Sandwich / salad | Single pan row build line | Standard rail |
| Pizza | Dough & toppings | Wider cutting rail |
| Glycol | Hot kitchens / heavy rails | Colder, more even rail |
| Mega-top variant | Salad-heavy / build-your-own | Taller, deeper pan rail |
How the brands compare
Types, width range, capacity range, and street-price range for the brands with the most prep tables here — a starting point, not a substitute for checking the specific model’s spec sheet.
| Brand | Models | Types | Width range | Capacity | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traulsen | 43 | Glycol / Pizza / Sandwich | 27–91″ W | — | — |
| Delfield | 35 | Sandwich | 27.1–72.1″ W | — | — |
| Atosa | 27 | Sandwich | 17.4–94.2″ W | 3.7–28.4 cu ft | $1,498–$4,336 |
| Beverage-Air | 25 | Sandwich | 27–119″ W | 6.8–42.2 cu ft | $3,223–$14,449 |
| Continental Refrigerator | 22 | Pizza / Sandwich | 72–93″ W | 20.6–32 cu ft | — |
| Victory | 20 | Sandwich | 27–118.9″ W | — | — |
| True | 20 | Pizza / Sandwich | 35–93″ W | — | $4,759–$13,270 |
| Migali | 19 | Pizza / Sandwich | 27.5–93″ W | 6.5–26 cu ft | — |
| Hoshizaki | 16 | Pizza / Sandwich | 27–93″ W | — | — |
| Turbo Air | 14 | Sandwich | 27–72″ W | 7–23 cu ft | $10,710 |
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a sandwich and a pizza prep table?
A sandwich/salad prep table has a single row of pans and a modest cutting board; a pizza prep table has a wider cutting rail and a pan layout sized for dough and toppings. Both keep the base cabinet cold for backup product.
What is a glycol prep table?
A glycol unit circulates chilled glycol through the rail to hold the top pans colder and more evenly, which helps in hot kitchens or high-traffic build lines. It's the choice when a standard forced-air rail struggles to hold ≤41°F at the top.
Do the top pans really stay below 41°F?
Only if the unit is rated for it and the kitchen isn't too hot. Look for a model that specifies a cold-rail rating, keep pan lids on when not building, and don't overfill pans above the load line — that's the #1 reason a prep table fails a temperature check.
How is a prep table sized?
By length (roughly door count) and pan count — a 48″ unit holds about 6–8 pans, a 60″ about 12, a 72″ about 15–18. Match to your build list and rail traffic, and confirm it fits the line and clears doorways.
Is it NSF listed?
Commercial prep tables are generally NSF/ANSI-7 listed for the cabinet and food-contact surfaces, commonly required on plan review. Confirm the specific model's listing with the manufacturer and your local health authority.
About this data
Last verified: August 2026. Specs are compiled from manufacturer spec sheets and authorized dealer listings; where a value isn't published we leave it blank rather than guess.
Methodology: every sandwich-prep-table model is compared on the same set of specifications, and dimensions are checked (for sinks, overall width must exceed the combined bowl widths) — figures that fail validation are corrected from the manufacturer model number or omitted. “Street price” is the lowest legitimate published price we've found and can change.
Sourcing: product specs come from the manufacturer; regulatory statements link to the source (e.g. the FDA Food Code and NSF). Code requirements vary by jurisdiction — confirm with the authority reviewing your plans.
Disclosure: FoodServiceNerd is vendor-neutral and free to use. Some “where to buy” links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you, and it never changes what we list or how we rank it. We don't sell equipment ourselves.
Editorial: compiled and reviewed by the FoodServiceNerd equipment desk (about us). Spot an error? Tell us and we'll correct it.