How to Build an Essential Pizza Shop Equipment Checklist for New Openings and Remodels
Opening or remodeling a pizza shop is easier when you have a clear plan for ovens, pizza prep tables, refrigeration, dough handling and dishwashing equipment. Instead of buying items one by one, a structured checklist helps you match equipment to your menu, space and budget.
This guide walks through the core categories of commercial pizza equipment, explains what each item does, and shows how to compare options using practical questions rather than guesswork. Use it when planning a new pizza restaurant, delivery kitchen, food‑court outlet or a major back‑of‑house upgrade.
Who can use this pizza shop equipment checklist?
The ideas in this article are designed for people planning or upgrading pizza‑focused food operations, including:
- New independent pizza restaurants and slice shops preparing to open their first location.
- Delivery and takeout pizza kitchens, ghost kitchens and cloud kitchens that need compact but productive equipment lines.
- Existing pizza shops planning a remodel of the cook line, pizza make line or dough preparation area.
- Food‑court counters, convenience stores and bars adding a pizza menu and building a small pizza station.
- Central production kitchens that support several pizza outlets with dough, sauces and toppings.
If you are asking what equipment is truly essential for a pizza shop and how to organize it into a practical layout, this checklist gives you a structured starting point.
What core equipment categories belong on every pizza shop checklist?
A balanced pizza equipment plan usually includes pizza ovens, pizza prep tables, refrigeration, dough preparation equipment, smallwares and cleaning solutions. Typical search terms and equipment types you may compare include:
- commercial pizza oven
- pizza prep table
- refrigerated prep counter
- pizza dough mixer
- dough divider rounder
- undercounter refrigerator
- upright reach‑in fridge
- pizza prep sink
- dishwasher for pizza shop
- pizza pans and screens
Which type of pizza oven should you choose for a new shop or remodel?
The oven is the heart of every pizza restaurant. Your choice influences product style, bake time, energy use and layout. There is no single right answer; the best oven is the one that matches your menu, production volume and available space.
| Pizza oven type (card) | Typical role in a pizza shop | Best suited for | Checklist before buying |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Deck pizza oven Stone or ceramic deck for traditional pizza baking. |
Produces classic pizzas with crisp bases and even browning. Often placed behind a visible pizza make line in dine‑in restaurants and slice shops. | Pizzerias focused on dine‑in or carry‑out slices where consistent bake quality is more important than very high throughput. | Check interior deck size for your pizza diameter, number of decks, clearance for loading tools, hood requirements and the available gas or electrical supply. |
|
Conveyor pizza oven Belt‑driven oven that moves pizzas through a heated chamber. |
Supports continuous baking with predictable bake times and minimal loading skill. Fits straight into a line‑style pizza production system for delivery and takeout. | Busy delivery kitchens, quick‑service pizza outlets and ghost kitchens targeting steady, repeatable output over long shifts. | Consider belt width, overall length, planned oven stack height, ventilation, and how the conveyor will line up with your pizza prep table and cut table. |
|
Countertop pizza oven Compact electric oven for smaller or add‑on pizza menus. |
Allows a bar, cafe or small takeaway to offer pizzas without dedicating large floor space to a traditional deck or conveyor system. | Food‑court outlets, convenience stores, bars and bistros where pizza is an additional menu item rather than the only focus. | Check size limits for pans or screens, electrical load, clearance requirements above and behind the unit, and how the oven will sit relative to your countertop pizza prep area. |
When finalizing your pizza oven choice, sketch the flow from dough preparation to the pizza prep table, into the oven, and onto the cutting or boxing station. The oven should sit naturally in this path without creating bottlenecks.
How do pizza prep tables and refrigeration support a smooth make line?
A well‑organized pizza make line combines pizza prep tables with chilled rails, undercounter storage and upright refrigerators for backup ingredients. The goal is to keep toppings within easy reach while maintaining food quality and kitchen hygiene.
| Prep & refrigeration item (card) | Role in pizza production | Ideal for | Selection checklist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerated pizza prep table | Holds sauce, cheese and toppings in pans along a chilled rail, with a sturdy worktop for assembling pizzas and undercounter storage for refills and dough trays. | Most pizza restaurants, delivery kitchens and ghost kitchens that build each pizza to order along a dedicated pizza make line. | Compare length, depth and pan layout with your pizza size and topping range. Check door or drawer style, cleaning access and how the unit fits into your straight, L‑shaped or island layout. |
| Undercounter refrigerator | Provides hidden cold storage for dough boxes, sauce containers and cheese blocks directly below the work surface, avoiding trips to remote fridges during service. | Compact pizza stations, bars with pizza menus and shared kitchens where wall space is limited but counter space is valuable. | Check internal dimensions for your preferred containers, door swing clearance, and ventilation requirements. Place the unit where doors will not block staff movement along the make line. |
| Upright reach‑in refrigerator | Stores backup toppings, sauces, prepared vegetables and other chilled items away from the main make line while still remaining close enough for efficient restocking. | Pizza restaurants with regular deliveries and central kitchens that prepare toppings in advance for multiple outlets. | Confirm shelving layout for standard containers, door configuration, space for opening doors fully, and how the fridge fits into your overall cold‑storage plan. |
When planning your pizza prep and refrigeration equipment, imagine your busiest hour of the day. Staff should be able to assemble pizzas without leaving the prep table or reaching across each other to access toppings and dough.
What dough preparation equipment belongs on a pizza shop checklist?
Consistent dough is the base of every pizza menu. Even if you start with simple tools, planning space for dough preparation equipment helps your shop grow without major layout changes later.
| Dough equipment item (card) | Main function | Suitable for | Planning questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza dough mixer | Mixes flour, water, yeast and other ingredients into consistent pizza dough batches ready for resting and portioning. | Any pizza shop making dough in‑house, from small independent stores to central kitchens supplying several locations. | Consider typical batch size, dough hydration, available floor space and power connection. Plan a clear path for moving full dough bowls to the preparation or dividing area. |
| Dough divider or dough divider rounder | Portions bulk dough into individual dough balls, sometimes also rounding them into a consistent shape for proofing and storage in dough boxes. | Busier pizza shops, delivery kitchens and central kitchens where manual dividing becomes time‑consuming and inconsistent. | Check dough weight range, compatibility with your recipes, ease of cleaning and how the machine will fit between the mixer and proofing or refrigeration area. |
| Dough sheeter or pizza press | Helps flatten dough balls into pizza bases with consistent thickness and diameter, reducing the manual effort of hand stretching during busy times. | Pizza restaurants with high order volumes or teams that want a more standardized pizza base across shifts and locations. | Plan counter depth, power supply and workflow so that sheeting or pressing happens near the pizza prep table without blocking the main make line. |
For a new pizzeria, it can be practical to start with a mixer and manual dough handling while reserving space for future dough automation such as divider rounders or sheeters as your business grows.
Which smallwares and holding items are essential for daily pizza service?
Besides large equipment, every pizza shop relies on a range of smallwares and holding solutions that keep the make line organized and the finished product ready to serve.
- Pizza pans, screens and stones to match your oven type and pizza style.
- Pizza peels and loading tools sized for your oven openings.
- Cutting boards, rocker knives and wheels for portioning pizzas consistently.
- Dough boxes and racks for proofing and storing dough balls before service.
- Heat‑safe holding cabinets or display cases when pizzas are kept ready for slices.
| Item (card) | Use in the pizza shop | Key buying questions |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza pans and screens | Support baking and handling of pizzas in deck, conveyor or countertop ovens, shaping crust style and bake characteristics. | Match diameter and material to your oven and pizza style. Plan enough pieces for your busiest time of day plus backup for cleaning cycles. |
| Pizza peels and cutting tools | Used to load and remove pizzas from ovens and cut them into consistent slices at the cut table. | Select handle lengths that suit your oven depth and staff height. Provide separate peels for raw and cooked pizzas for clean handling. |
| Dough boxes and racks | Hold dough balls during proofing and store them in refrigeration until it is time to stretch and top the pizzas. | Check that box size fits your refrigerator shelves and racks, and that racks move easily from proofing areas to the make line. |
How should cleaning and dishwashing equipment fit into your pizza shop plan?
A reliable cleanup area keeps pizza pans, dough containers and utensils ready for the next shift. Planning it early helps prevent congestion and supports a more comfortable working environment.
| Cleaning equipment (card) | Main purpose | Planning questions |
|---|---|---|
| Three‑compartment sink or prep sink area | Used for washing, rinsing and, where required, sanitizing pans, utensils and dough containers according to your local guidelines. | Check space for racks and drainboards, convenient access from the cook line and a workflow that separates dirty and clean items. |
| Commercial dishwasher suited to pizza shops | Automates cleaning of plates, cutlery and suitable pans, reducing manual scrubbing and freeing staff for other tasks. | Plan power, water and drainage connections, as well as hood or ventilation needs where applicable. Ensure adequate space for dirty and clean dish racks. |
Placing the dishwashing and prep sink area away from the main pizza make line but close enough for efficient clearing helps keep the production side focused and reduces clutter around the pizza prep tables.
How can you turn this information into a practical pizza shop equipment checklist?
Once you understand the major categories of pizza shop equipment, you can create a simple checklist that connects each item to your menu and workflow. The table below offers a starting point you can adapt to your own concept.
| Checklist category (card) | Examples of equipment | Key questions for new openings | Key questions for remodels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking line | Deck ovens, conveyor ovens, countertop pizza ovens, finishing equipment as needed. | Which oven style matches our pizza concept and expected order volume? How will it fit into our hood and gas or electrical plan? | Can our existing hood and connections support a different oven type? Do we need to change the position of the cut table or pizza boxes? |
| Pizza make line | Refrigerated pizza prep tables, standard prep tables, ingredient rails and shelving. | How many pizzas do we expect to assemble at once? Do we need a straight line, L‑shape or island pizza station to match our space? | Where are staff currently slowing down or crossing paths? Would a longer prep counter or additional undercounter refrigerator reduce backtracking? |
| Cold storage | Undercounter fridges, upright reach‑in refrigerators, freezers, refrigerated ingredient holding units. | Where will we keep bulk toppings and dough, and how often will deliveries arrive? Do we have enough refrigeration volume for peak service? | Are staff walking too far to restock the prep table? Could relocating a fridge or adding an undercounter unit reduce travel during peak periods? |
| Dough preparation | Dough mixers, dough divider rounders, dough sheeters or presses, dough boxes and proofing racks. | Will we make dough in‑house or receive it from a central kitchen? How many dough balls do we need ready for our busiest service? | Is manual dividing slowing our team, and is there room to add a dough machine without interrupting existing workflow? |
| Cleaning & dish area | Prep sinks, three‑compartment sinks, dishwashers, drying racks and storage shelving. | Where will dirty pans and plates go during peak times, and how will they return to the cook line once clean? | Can we adjust the layout so that dirty items do not pass through the pizza make line? Would a different dishwasher position simplify our closing routine? |
With this kind of checklist, you can walk through your floor plan step by step and confirm how each piece of pizza shop equipment supports the route from dough to finished pizza to clean storage for the next shift.
Ready to finalize your pizza shop equipment list?
A clear equipment checklist helps you move from floor‑plan sketches to a working pizza kitchen that supports your menu, your staff and your opening date. By matching ovens, prep tables, refrigeration, dough equipment and cleaning stations to your workflow, you can open with confidence and plan future upgrades in advance.
If you are comparing options for a new pizza restaurant or planning a remodel, you can discuss layout ideas, dimensions and compatible equipment combinations with a specialist and turn your checklist into a practical equipment package.
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