Commercial Griddles and Flat Top Grills: Gas vs Electric Solutions for Restaurants, Cafés and Food Trucks
From breakfast eggs and pancakes to burgers, steaks and street‑style sandwiches, the commercial griddle or flat top grill is often the busiest cooking surface in any professional kitchen. The right griddle helps you cook fast, keep food quality consistent and make full use of your line cooks’ time and skills.
In this complete guide, you will see how to choose between gas griddles and electric griddles, which plate style (smooth, grooved or half‑grooved) fits your menu, and how to match countertop flat top grills and floor‑standing griddles to restaurants, cafés and food trucks.
Restaurants, cafés, diners, burger outlets, hotel kitchens, food trucks and street food concepts that rely on a commercial griddle or flat top grill for daily service.
Who Needs a Commercial Griddle or Flat Top Grill and What Are Their Needs?
Not every food service business uses a commercial griddle in the same way. Some need a heavy‑duty flat top running all day, while others use a small electric griddle for breakfast and a few signature dishes. Understanding your concept helps you choose the right gas or electric flat top grill.
| Business Type | Typical Menu & Challenges | Recommended Griddle Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast restaurants & diners | Eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, French toast and hash browns cooked continuously during breakfast rush, often on one main surface. | Heavy‑duty gas griddle or large electric griddle with a smooth flat top for even heat and fast production. |
| Burger and fast casual concepts | Burgers, cheesesteaks, quesadillas, grilled sandwiches and vegetables, often cooked to order with higher peak loads at lunch and dinner. | Medium to large flat top grill, smooth or half‑grooved plate, powered by gas or electric depending on your utilities. |
| Cafés, coffee shops & bistros | Panini, breakfast sandwiches, small plates and brunch dishes, often in a compact kitchen with limited extraction. | Countertop electric griddle or compact flat top grill with simple controls and easy cleaning. |
| Food trucks & street food carts | Limited space and utilities, but need fast cooking for burgers, wraps, tacos and street‑style snacks directly in front of customers. | Narrow gas griddle or portable electric flat top grill, sized carefully to the truck layout and power supply. |
| Hotel and catering kitchens | Large volumes for banquets and buffets, plus à la carte service, with a need for reliable equipment and flexible cooking zones. | Floor‑standing gas griddles or large electric griddles integrated into the cooking line, sometimes with half‑grooved plates. |
What Types of Commercial Griddles and Flat Top Grills Can You Choose From?
Commercial griddles differ by energy source (gas or electric), installation type (countertop or floor‑standing) and plate style (smooth, grooved or half‑grooved). Understanding these options makes it easier to choose the right flat top grill for your kitchen.
| Griddle Type | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Gas griddle / gas flat top grill | Uses burners under the plate to heat the surface. Often heats up quickly and can handle heavy‑duty, all‑day cooking. | Busy restaurants, diners and food trucks with a reliable gas supply and strong extraction. |
| Electric griddle / electric flat top grill | Uses electric elements built into or below the plate. Offers precise temperature control and is common in countertop designs. | Cafés, small restaurants and indoor kitchens where electric power is easier to install than gas. |
| Countertop griddle | Compact unit that sits on a worktop or refrigerated base. Common in narrow kitchens and front‑of‑house cooking stations. | Food trucks, cafés, bars and small bistros with limited space but a need for flat top cooking. |
| Floor‑standing griddle with cabinet or base | Larger unit on legs or cabinet base, sometimes combined with fryer or other equipment, designed for high‑volume work. | Full‑service restaurants, hotel kitchens and high‑capacity cooking lines. |
What Is the Difference Between Smooth, Grooved and Half‑Grooved Griddle Plates?
The plate style on your commercial griddle affects both how food cooks and how it looks on the plate. Smooth plates are versatile, while grooved and half‑grooved plates add grill marks and help manage fat.
| Plate Style | Characteristics | Typical Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth flat plate | Completely flat surface, perfect for even contact with food. Easy to clean, very versatile for different menu items. | Eggs, pancakes, burgers, tortillas, vegetables, sandwiches and many breakfast items. |
| Grooved / ribbed plate | Raised ridges create grill marks and channels for fat runoff, giving more of a char‑grilled appearance. | Steaks, chicken fillets, burger patties, vegetables and panini where grill marks improve presentation. |
| Half‑grooved, half‑smooth plate | Combines a smooth zone and a grooved zone on a single flat top grill, giving maximum flexibility in limited space. | Mixed menus where you cook breakfast items and grilled proteins on the same commercial griddle. |
Gas vs Electric Griddles: Which Solution Fits Your Restaurant, Café or Food Truck?
Choosing between a gas griddle and an electric griddle depends on your local utilities, kitchen layout and cooking style. Both can produce excellent results when sized and installed correctly.
| Aspect | Gas Griddle / Flat Top Grill | Electric Griddle / Flat Top Grill |
|---|---|---|
| Energy source | Uses natural gas or LPG. Requires proper gas piping, ventilation and safety measures according to local rules. | Uses electric power. Requires adequate electrical capacity and correctly rated outlets. |
| Heat behaviour | Typically strong, responsive heat, suitable for heavy‑duty cooking and fast recovery after loading the plate with food. | Precise, stable temperature control with even distribution, suitable for delicate items and consistent batches. |
| Installation | Best planned early in the kitchen design with gas connections and extraction in mind. | Often easier to place or move, especially in the case of countertop electric griddles. |
| Typical applications | High‑output restaurant lines, diners and food trucks that cook on the griddle for long periods each day. | Cafés, indoor kiosks, small restaurants and locations where gas is limited or unavailable. |
Some kitchens combine both, using a gas flat top grill for heavy‑duty cooking and an electric griddle for lighter tasks or front‑of‑house cooking stations.
What Questions Should You Ask Before Buying a Commercial Griddle or Flat Top Grill?
Before deciding on a commercial griddle, answer a few key questions with your team. This helps you define the size, plate style and energy source you really need.
How much cooking surface do you need at your busiest times?
Think about peak orders:
- How many burgers, steaks or breakfast items do you cook at the same time?
- Do you run separate sections for different menu categories or cook everything on one griddle?
- Do you plan to grow your menu or volume in the near future?
For heavy use, a wider gas flat top grill or large electric griddle with multiple heat zones is often more efficient than several small units.
Which menu items are most important to your concept?
If your brand is built on breakfast and brunch, a smooth flat plate griddle is a priority. If grilled proteins and sandwiches are the star, consider a grooved or half‑grooved commercial griddle that adds attractive grill marks.
What are your space and ventilation limitations?
Measure your available space and check:
- Width and depth of the cooking line or food truck kitchen.
- Position and size of extraction hoods or vents above the griddle.
- Safe clearance around the flat top for operators and cleaning.
Smaller spaces usually benefit from countertop electric griddles or narrow gas griddles, while full‑service restaurants can install floor‑standing flat top grills with cabinets and storage underneath.
What utilities are available and stable in your location?
Check your existing services:
- Is there a reliable gas supply and space to route gas lines to the griddle position?
- Do you have enough electrical capacity for one or more electric flat top grills?
- Are there any restrictions on gas or electrical installations in your building?
How Can You Combine Griddles and Flat Top Grills in One Cooking Line?
Many kitchens use more than one commercial griddle or combine a flat top grill with other equipment, such as fryers or chargrills. Here are common setups that work well in restaurants, cafés and food trucks.
| Setup | Description | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Single countertop electric griddle | One compact electric griddle on a bench or refrigerated base covers breakfast, panini and a few hot dishes in a small kitchen. | Cafés, coffee shops, bars and food trucks where flat top cooking is important but space is limited. |
| Gas griddle with half‑grooved plate | A medium or large gas flat top grill with half smooth and half grooved surface handles both breakfast and grilled meats without needing separate equipment. | Diners, burger restaurants and mixed‑menu venues where one griddle must cover many cooking styles. |
| Flat top grill plus deep fryer station | A commercial griddle side by side with a fryer creates a complete station for burgers, fries and fried snacks in one compact area. | Fast casual concepts, food trucks and quick service restaurants focusing on burgers and fried sides. |
| Multiple griddles with different plates | Two commercial griddles, one smooth and one grooved, allow you to separate breakfast foods from grilled meats and protect flavours and appearances. | High‑volume restaurants and hotel kitchens with broad menus and multiple chefs on a shared cooking line. |
What Practical Steps Help You Implement a New Commercial Griddle Safely and Efficiently?
A commercial griddle is simple to use but still needs careful planning for installation, workflow and staff training. Good preparation reduces downtime and keeps your cooking line running smoothly.
How should you position the griddle in your cooking line?
When planning your layout:
- Place the griddle near prep tables where raw ingredients and buns are assembled.
- Keep it within reach of refrigeration or holding units for meat, vegetables and dairy.
- Ensure it sits fully under an extraction hood or vent suitable for your local regulations.
- Leave enough space for cooks to flip, season and plate food safely without crowding.
For food trucks, test the layout with staff before final installation to make sure the flat top grill can be used comfortably in tight spaces.
What training is essential for staff using gas and electric griddles?
To keep food quality consistent and protect staff, cover these topics in training:
- Preheating procedures and how to check when the plate is ready to cook.
- Setting and monitoring temperature zones for different menu items.
- Safe handling of spatulas, scrapers and cleaning tools on a hot surface.
- Correct shutdown steps for gas griddles and electric griddles at the end of service.
- Daily cleaning routines to remove grease and food residue without damaging the plate.
How can you plan for future expansion of your cooking line?
If your menu and customer base grow, you may need more flat top capacity. When installing your first commercial griddle, leave space and utilities to add a second unit or upgrade to a wider gas or electric flat top grill later.
Why the Right Commercial Griddle and Flat Top Grill Are Long‑Term Investments
A carefully chosen commercial griddle or flat top grill—whether gas or electric, smooth or grooved—can transform your cooking line. It helps you cook faster, control food quality and use your limited kitchen space more effectively, especially in restaurants, cafés and food trucks where every square inch matters.
By understanding your menu, volume, layout and utilities, you can choose a gas griddle, electric griddle or a combination of both that fits your business today and leaves room to grow tomorrow.
