# HELP! Displaying Food & Drink In My Cafe



## David Joiner (Oct 31, 2019)

Hello all,

It is now coming up to the first year anniversary of running my cafe. We are located in a small urban town in the West Midlands so we don't tend to get a lot of customers, but we definitely have a lot of regulars. I've already read some great advice on here and even bought my new coffee machine thanks to the advice. So I'd like some help in terms of retail display.

I would like to see your opinion on display baskets and stands. I'm aiming to do a nice furniture and display refurbishment in time for December.

I am very undecided on ways to display my food. I really like the idea of using Wicker baskets to store crisps and chocolate on the counter-tops and maybe a big wicker stand to store fresh made sandwiches and baked goods.

Here is an example of what I am considering:

https://www.prestigewicker.co.uk/products/wicker-three-tier-display-stand-countertop?_pos=1&_sid=0f156152f&_ss=r

https://www.prestigewicker.co.uk/collections/display-catering/products/wicker-baskets-display-floor-stand

What are your opinions on these display baskets? Does anybody have experience using similar items and if so would this be a good choice?

We have a fairly sized cafe so space is not an issue and I can't imagine it would take up a lot of room.

Look forward to hearing your advice,

David


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

If it were fresh made sandwiches I would want them in a refrigerated stand, I can't believe the Food Hygiene inspectors people would think any different..If baked goods were wrapped I think it's fine, but not if it's done the way some supermarkets do it with unwrapped goods at cough height and a pair of tongs that are not used or cleaned.

The other problem with Wicker is it's difficult to keep clean...., so you have to be quite thoughtful about what does and doesn't go in it.


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## David Joiner (Oct 31, 2019)

DavecUK said:


> If it were fresh made sandwiches I would want them in a refrigerated stand, I can't believe the Food Hygiene inspectors people would think any different..If baked goods were wrapped I think it's fine, but not if it's done the way some supermarkets do it with unwrapped goods at cough height and a pair of tongs that are not used or cleaned.
> 
> The other problem with Wicker is it's difficult to keep clean...., so you have to be quite thoughtful about what does and doesn't go in it.


 Hi Dave,

Cheers for the response

The small counter top stand I think would be best for crisps and chocolates, maybe a couple of those stands on the side. If the goods are sealed then I hope this would mean the baskets wouldn't dirty and would only need a wipe down and dust every couple of days?

I have a tall refrigerated wall cabinet for the fresh sandwiches and I was thinking a stand like that would fit in nicely and it means not having to buy a brand new one for the refurbishment.

What other stuff could I use to store in the baskets? Or even better, are there similar products you would recommend?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I personally wouldn't put a wicker stand in a refrigerated cabinet. I think they are great for wrapped goods like crisps, chocolates, sweets, small cakes etc... If you have a chilled wall cabinet then get the right type of fittings for it to hold the sandwiches....e.g. plastic/glass. In this way the system can be cleaned (as chillers/fridges must be on a regular basis). There are all types of stand available including inclined etc.. If the chiller is quite old it might be worth considering replacement with everything you need for display. Some Multideck display chillers can be very attractive, support branding and allow storage of a wide range of goods. As can counter top display chillers, if you have room?

For £465, this type of thing for a counter top can be effective.

https://www.catering-appliance.com/polar-cd230-refrigerated-food-display-showcase?gclid=Cj0KCQjwr-_tBRCMARIsAN413WTK9n5zV6jxy8AP4bB-37YaHP06KvnjquWPTTV_4lzM-XAeYpbi_qkaAgiFEALw_wcB

or

https://www.catering-appliance.com/polar-cb509-refrigerator

or push the boat out a bit and get

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/polar-multideck-display-fridge/cd239

P.S. My Misspent your running a catering van for a while at events.


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