Fit Check: Sizing Up Custom Fabrication Options

Whether supporting operational efficiencies or contouring to a finicky floor plan, custom fabrication can solve for operators’ exacting equipment needs in the bustling back-of-house.

“With custom, you can fully utilize the space—maximize storage, eliminate wasted gaps and design around how the operation actually functions,” one fabricator says. “That means better workflow, fewer unnecessary steps and a setup that works with the staff instead of against them.”

In Action

Fabricators recognize that today’s operators are up against several uphill battles, among them compliance mandates, labor woes, as well as high construction and food costs, but custom fabrication, if specified correctly, can pay off in the long run.

When vetting fabricators, ask about their recent projects and available materials. Courtesy of Wasserstrom.

Last year, one national chain turned to a custom fabricator to reduce physical steps for its drive-thru crew, which at the time relied on a one-sided express counter. The custom solution was a double-sided service pass-thru with refrigeration units on each side and product landing areas at the ends. The new counter maintained the 96-inch-width of the prior unit but gained 18 inches in depth. A double-sided flow, meanwhile, increases the chain’s speed of service by up to two minutes per customer and enables flexibility amid peak drive-thru hours.

Another fabricator worked with an older-construction firehouse on laying out a small kitchen in need of plentiful prep space, but with a puzzle of pipes and columns to work around.

“We designed custom tables and wall shelving to fully utilize every inch of the space by notching the equipment around those existing obstructions,” the fabricator says. “That allowed us to maximize their workspace without compromising functionality. It was a great example of how custom fabrication can turn a difficult layout into something highly efficient.”

One emerging need, notes another fabricator, is designing stations to meet increased beverage demand. “As menus become more complex and customizable, operators are designing dedicated beverage workstations, similar to sandwich or pizza builds—all to support speed, accuracy and throughput,” they say. “Overall, the focus is shifting toward modular, purpose-built stations that enable global consistency while supporting local flexibility and evolving menus.”

A Custom Roadmap

While select fabricators work with wood, glass, aluminum and other materials, this piece and the product gallery that follows will focus on stainless, back-of-house applications like those described above.

If you’re in the market for a custom solution such as this, read on for fabricators’ best advice to get a well-suited and long-lasting solution. Ask yourself:

What experience does the fabricator have? While vetting potential partners, ask about their experience as it relates to your segment. For a truly custom, problem-solving solution, you also may want to evaluate if the fabricator proactively challenges assumptions and refines your concepts vs. simply executing on drawings. Ask about how they manage quality concerns, and if they use widely acknowledged methodologies like 8D or DFMEA, suggests one fabricator. Going with an inexperienced fabricator can cause problems down the road, they add, from store opening delays, to having fasteners in areas where they could unscrew and fall in food, to equipment instability.

You’ll also want to think through shipping and installation logistics for a smooth process. Courtesy of Advance Tabco.

What’s your fabricator’s ideal location(s) and capacity? Sizing up a fabricator’s facilities as they relate to your growth areas marks a smart early step, suggests one fabricator. “If the customer is expanding on the West Coast and the fabricator is based in Georgia, they’re going to be paying a ton of freight,” they say. Whether you ultimately choose one down the street or several states over, talk through logistics. For example, how the custom piece will arrive; will it be in one piece, or several? What shipping costs can you expect? Who will assemble on-site? Longer-term, can the fabricator adequately support your growth? “You need a partner with the capacity and infrastructure to grow with your needs,” one fabricator summarizes.

What operational issue(s) are you solving for? Whether an operator is seeking out new custom fabrication to solve for equipment quality issues, too-high costs of prior fabrication, space restrictions, speed of service, food quality or something else, an open mind can go a long way. “What’s happening with each customer is different,” says one fabricator. “My job is to figure out, with all of our tools and capabilities, how do I hear what they say and apply the right combination of tools to solve their problem?” A cost reduction, for example, may come from a change to the gauge, design or assembly of a product, but the fabricator also says it’s important that customers understand possible consequences that result from those changes, and to consider the range of options and advice of their trusted fabricator.

“U.S.-sourced steel not only helps insulate you from supply chain and tariff disruptions, but it’s also held to stricter quality standards, which leads to a more consistent product.”

Which materials work best? Even within stainless solutions, variations exist. One fabricator urges operators to find out where the material is being sourced from. “U.S.-sourced steel not only helps insulate you from supply chain and tariff disruptions, but it’s also held to stricter quality standards, which leads to a more consistent product,” they say. At least one fabricator uses 304 stainless across the full breadth of its custom products, including support channels and legs. The products also carry a lifetime warranty against rust and corrosion. “Many fabricators are now racing to the bottom by using galvanized products or imported 400-series products to get that initial sale, but that customer won’t return after the product fails quickly in the field,” they say. The higher upfront spend may save on long-term maintenance costs, equipment removals and replacements in the field, as the life expectancy on a 304 product is 20 years, the fabricator notes. To that end, they also recommend asking fabricators about warranties—something they say specifiers can overlook.

Consider materials used for the legs and more, as well as the warranty for a long-lasting fit. Courtesy of Winholt.

Do you require refrigeration and/or mechanical elements? Select refrigeration manufacturers offer in-house custom fabrication of items like chef’s counters with built-ins, while other fabricators can build modular units that accommodate an operator’s preferred refrigerated model(s). The latter, paired with roll-ins, may prove more economical, say fabricators, as well as easier to maintain down the road. “If a unit needs service or replacement, it’s much easier to swap out a roll-in versus dealing with something fully built-in,” they point out. At least one fabricator also can make recommendations and provide quotes for different built-in refrigeration options. Not all fabricators offer custom equipment with mechanical elements, but at least one that does also has its own Department of Energy testing facility that can replicate a given kitchen’s conditions. If, say, individual cold pans need to hold certain ingredients at different precise temperatures, they can trial that prior to putting the custom prep table in the field.

What else is necessary? From the simple and scalable to a grandiose one-off, fabrication offers a range of possibilities, but at least one fabricator says over-specifying is a mistake some make. “Things like full spray-on sound deadening, rear turn-ups on undershelves or extra structural support can all improve the product in theory, but aren’t always necessary for the application,” they note. Similarly, if the budget is running high, they say something like a 2-inch deduction on the width of a wall shelf could save money without sacrificing much functionality. Find a balance by having open and thorough conversations with your fabricator.

Speaking Of …

Communication with and trust in your fabricator is critical, say several sources. From the initial stakeholder meet-and-greet to mid-production to delivery, you’ll want to be on the same page. Each company’s respective engineers getting along goes a long way in supporting a mutually beneficial process, says one fabricator. “The engineers talking is really where the magic happens, so you need to make sure they have a good relationship,” they say. Clarify lead time needs/expectations, product warranties and dimensions, plus any questions or concerns to ensure a harmonious partnership and custom product of which both parties can be proud.

Playing for Keeps

In a field of differentiation, a sampling of custom fabricators spell out what sets them apart.