How to Choose Display Fridges and Merchandiser Coolers for Food and Beverage Sales
Bakeries & Dessert Shops
Restaurants & Quick‑Service
Bars & Beverage Counters
Convenience & Grab‑and‑Go
Hotels & Food Halls
Display fridges and merchandiser coolers do more than keep products cold. When they are chosen and positioned well, they act as silent salespeople for your drinks, desserts and grab‑and‑go food. The right commercial display refrigerator can increase impulse purchases, highlight premium items and support a smoother service flow.
In this guide, you will learn how to choose the best display fridge or merchandiser cooler for your concept, where to place it, and which features to look for so you can present chilled food and beverages attractively while protecting product quality.
What types of display fridges and merchandiser coolers can you choose from?
“Display fridge” is a broad term. For food and beverage sales, you will typically choose between upright glass door merchandiser coolers, countertop fridges, multideck display fridges and undercounter display units. Each style suits different spaces and product mixes.
| Type | Typical Products & Locations | Best For |
|---|---|---|
|
Upright Glass Door Merchandiser Cooler
display fridge |
Bottled and canned drinks, packaged sandwiches, salads and dairy products near entrances, order counters or grab‑and‑go walls in cafés, bakeries and quick‑service restaurants. | High‑visibility beverage and snack sales where guests can open the door and serve themselves before paying at the counter. |
|
Countertop Display Fridge
countertop display fridge |
Desserts, cakes by the slice, bottled drinks and impulse items positioned directly on the service counter or bar where guests order and pay. | Smaller sites, cafés and bars that want an eye‑level display of high‑margin chilled items without dedicating floor space to a full‑size cabinet. |
|
Multideck Display Fridge
multideck display fridge |
Grab‑and‑go meals, salads, sandwiches, dairy and drinks in self‑service areas where customers need fast access to chilled products without opening doors. | Busy convenience‑style zones in foodservice or retail where high turnover and quick selection are more important than maximum insulation. |
|
Undercounter Display Refrigerator
undercounter display fridge |
Bottled beverages, mixers and ready‑to‑serve desserts under the bar or service counter where staff can see labels through glass doors and grab items quickly. | Bars, lounges, cafés and restaurants that want visible drinks storage without filling wall space with tall cabinets. |
|
Serve‑Over Display Fridge
curved glass display fridge |
Cakes, pastries, deli items and prepared salads displayed behind a glass screen, with staff serving items from the rear. | Bakeries, dessert shops, hotel patisseries and deli counters focusing on visual appeal and controlled service rather than self‑service. |
How do you decide which display fridge style fits your concept and space?
The ideal merchandiser cooler for a small coffee bar is not the same as the best display fridge for a busy food hall. Before you select models, define your concept, available floor space and how guests move through your venue.
| Food & Beverage Concept | Recommended Display Fridge Setup | Key Planning Questions |
|---|---|---|
|
Café & Coffee Shop
|
One upright glass door display fridge for bottled drinks and grab‑and‑go snacks, plus a small countertop display fridge for cakes, desserts and premium chilled items near the till. | Where do guests queue and pay? Which items do you most want them to notice and add at the last moment? |
|
Bakery & Dessert Shop
|
Serve‑over curved glass display fridges for cakes and pastries, supported by one or more upright merchandiser coolers for chilled drinks and pre‑packed items along the guest flow route. | Do you rely more on staff‑served displays or self‑service? How much linear display length do you need for your full range of pastries and desserts? |
|
Quick‑Service & Fast‑Casual Restaurant
|
Multideck display fridges for salads, cold meals and beverages along the queue, plus upright display fridges near the counter for impulse beverage purchases and limited‑time offers. | How do guests enter, order and exit? Can you place chilled products where guests naturally pause and decide what to buy? |
|
Bar, Lounge or Hotel Lobby
|
Undercounter display fridges and back bar coolers for bottled drinks, plus a small upright display fridge or multideck unit for snacks and packaged beverages in the lobby or bar area. | Do staff or guests take products from the cooler? What mix of alcoholic and non‑alcoholic drinks do you need to showcase? |
|
Food Hall, Convenience Corner or Grab‑and‑Go Wall
|
A bank of upright glass door merchandiser coolers or multideck display fridges arranged along a wall, organized by product category for fast self‑selection and clear visibility from a distance. | How many product categories do you need to separate? Can guests easily see all offers from the main entrance or from the central seating area? |
Which features make a display fridge sell more food and drinks?
Not all display fridges and merchandiser coolers present products equally well. Details like lighting, shelf design, door type and overall visibility can significantly influence how often guests choose your chilled items.
| Feature | Impact on Sales & Operations | Questions to Ask Before Buying |
|---|---|---|
|
Glass Area & Visibility
|
Large, clear glass panels make products more visible from a distance and from various angles, encouraging impulse purchases and reducing decision time for guests. | From where will guests first see the display fridge? Are key products visible at eye level from the main approach path? |
|
Lighting & Color Rendering
|
Good interior lighting makes drinks and food look fresh and appealing, especially desserts, salads and premium beverages that rely on color and texture to stand out. | Does the lighting evenly cover all shelves? Do any dark corners hide products you want to promote? |
|
Shelf Adjustability & Product Facing
|
Adjustable shelves let you create neat product facings and group items by category or size, making it easier for customers to find what they want quickly. | Can shelves be tilted or moved to suit your bottle heights and food packaging? Is there enough space to keep labels fully visible? |
|
Door Type: Swing, Sliding or Open Front
|
Swing doors can limit access in narrow spaces; sliding doors and open front displays make it easier for multiple guests to browse and pick items at the same time. | How wide is your aisle or queue area? Could swinging doors block staff or guests at busy times? |
|
Temperature Stability & Air Distribution
|
Stable temperatures help maintain product quality and shelf life, especially for dairy‑based drinks, salads and desserts that must stay consistently chilled. | Does the cooler maintain a consistent temperature across all shelves, including near the door, during frequent openings? |
|
Footprint, Height & Clearance
|
The physical size of the fridge must match your space, but also leave enough room for people to pass, queue and browse comfortably without congestion. | Have you measured the intended location, including walkways and any nearby furniture? Is there sufficient clearance for ventilation and cleaning access? |
Where should you place display fridges and merchandiser coolers to maximize sales?
The same display fridge can perform very differently depending on location. Strategic placement helps you guide guests past chilled offers at exactly the right moment in their visit, without slowing down service or blocking staff routes.
| Placement Zone | Display Fridge Role | Practical Tips |
|---|---|---|
|
Entrance & Front‑of‑House
|
Creates a first impression, showcasing your most popular cold beverages and grab‑and‑go items as soon as guests arrive or pass by the storefront. | Keep sight lines clear from outside if possible. Place high‑margin items at eye level and use simple shelf labeling to speed up choices. |
|
Order Queue & Waiting Area
|
Gives guests time to browse chilled options while they wait to order, increasing the chance they will add a drink or dessert to their main purchase. | Avoid narrow bottlenecks: ensure people can stand and choose products without blocking others in the queue or staff delivering food. |
|
Service Counter & Bar Top
|
Encourages last‑second add‑ons such as chilled desserts, premium drinks and ready‑to‑eat snacks right where payment happens. | Use smaller countertop display fridges to highlight special items. Make sure the case height does not block eye contact between staff and guests. |
|
Self‑Service Grab‑and‑Go Wall
|
Creates a dedicated area where guests can quickly choose complete chilled meals, snacks and drinks without interacting with staff until checkout. | Group similar products together and place everyday items in the center, with new or seasonal items on the ends to catch attention. |
|
Near Seating & Waiting Zones
|
Offers extra chances for guests to pick up another drink, dessert or snack while they wait, especially in hotels or casual dining spaces. | Avoid noise or airflow that could disturb seated guests. Use signage to remind diners they can choose additional chilled items at any time. |
How can you keep display fridges attractive, organized and easy to shop?
A well‑designed merchandiser cooler still needs daily care to stay attractive and easy to shop. Organization, product rotation and simple visual rules help your team keep chilled displays looking fresh all day.
| Merchandising Focus | Why It Matters | Practical Actions for Your Team |
|---|---|---|
|
Clear Product Grouping
|
Grouping similar products together, such as still drinks, sparkling drinks, dairy and snacks, helps guests quickly find what they want and notice alternatives. | Assign fixed shelf areas for categories and label the edges. Avoid mixing too many unrelated items on the same shelf. |
|
Front‑Facing Labels & Full Rows
|
Neatly aligned labels and front‑faced products make the display look well‑managed and stocked, which increases trust and perceived freshness. | Train staff to “face up” shelves regularly: bring items to the front, straighten labels and fill any visible gaps where possible. |
|
Rotation & Date Checks
|
Proper rotation supports product quality and helps reduce waste, especially for fresh meals, salads and dairy‑based drinks with shorter shelf lives. | Implement a simple first‑in, first‑out routine and assign regular date checks. Move items with shorter remaining life to more prominent eye‑level positions when appropriate. |
|
Clean Glass & Interior Surfaces
|
Clean glass and well‑kept interiors make everything inside more appealing. Fingerprints, spills and frost can hide products and reduce perceived quality. | Schedule quick front‑of‑glass wipes several times per day, plus regular deeper cleans for shelves and interior panels during quieter periods. |
Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only. Always follow local regulations, safety guidance and manufacturer instructions when selecting, installing and operating display fridges and merchandiser coolers in food and beverage operations.
