What size fryer do I need?
Size a fryer by how much fried food you push at your busiest hour, not by covers alone. A common planning rule is that a fry pot produces roughly 1.5 times its oil weight in fries per hour — so a 50 lb fryer makes on the order of 75 lb of fries/hour under good conditions. Estimate your peak fried orders per hour and portion size, and pick oil capacity (and number of pots) to cover it with headroom. This tool does that estimate; confirm against the model's rated output.
How much can a commercial fryer cook per hour?
Roughly 1.5–2x the fryer's oil capacity in pounds of fries per hour when the oil recovers fast and you don't overload the basket. Overfilling drops the oil temperature and cuts output sharply, so rated numbers assume proper batch sizes and good recovery. Heavier or frozen product recovers slower and lowers real throughput.
One big fryer or two smaller ones?
Two smaller fry pots usually beat one large one: you can dedicate one to fries and one to protein (no flavor transfer), run only one in slow periods to save oil and energy, and keep frying if one goes down. A single large pot is simpler and cheaper up front. Match total oil capacity to your peak either way.
Gas or electric fryer?
Gas fryers deliver high BTU and fast recovery where a gas line exists and usually cost less to run; electric fryers put the element in the oil for very even, efficient recovery and install without gas. Both need a Type I hood. Recovery speed under load matters more than fuel for keeping output up at rush.
Is this an exact size?
No — it's a planning rule of thumb. Real output depends on the product, batch discipline, oil recovery, and the model's rated capacity. Use it to budget and shortlist, then confirm with the fryer's spec sheet and your menu.