According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the average American enjoys more than 23 pounds of ice cream every year. The statistics prove the trend. Americans appreciate these frozen treats in almost every different form: soft serve cones, dishes of ice creams, shakes, ice cream sandwiches, and the always well-liked ice cream sundae.
The popularity of ice cream makes it an obvious addition to any business dessert menu. Ice cream is a great fit for restaurants, campgrounds, ice cream parlors, amusement parks, swimming pools, cafeterias and any business looking for a popular dessert draw.
There are a lot of commercial soft serve ice cream machines on the market that can make this menu offering a reality. Choosing the best commercial soft service ice cream machine for a business should be based on a number of factors. To break down options for an ice cream machine further, discuss options with a food equipment professional.
Controls
Outdoor and kitchen temperatures can sky rocket, making refrigeration a key deciding factor in choosing the best commercial soft serve ice cream machine. The right commercial soft serve machine has electronic controls that manage refrigeration and viscosity, ensuring a quality and consistent product.
Quality soft serve ice cream machines also offer a stand-by feature for those less-busy periods. Stand-by features can maintain the right temperature that ensures a safe and quality frozen treat.
Space
Commercial soft serve ice cream machines come in floor and counter top models. The right machine fits in the allotted space and can serve business needs. Higher-capacity models are often only available in floor models. These workhorse soft serve ice cream machines often have industrial features that allow for more servings per hour.
Products
The right soft serve ice cream machine delivers the desired product that fits with a business menu. Businesses can offer frozen yogurt, shakes, cones, sundaes, and other ice cream products. Deciding on the right product is important for two reasons.
The two types of soft serve ice cream machines typically fit into two categories: pressurized or air pump. Air pump machines product a product that is creamier, making it ideal for cones and sundaes. If shakes are on the menu, there are soft serve ice cream machines that blend soft serve with candy pieces for an efficient shake production. These machines bring efficiency to the process and are capable of high shake production during busy serving times.
Flavors
According to the IDFA, vanilla is American’s favorite ice cream flavor. The right flavor offering is different for every business. For some businesses, the basic flavors fit their target audience. Other businesses, especially those who serve a younger demographic, would prefer a machine that can produce multiple flavors that follow popular dessert trends.
The right soft serve machine produces flavors in line with customer tastes. Some ice cream machine models serve basic flavors (and possibly a twist of both), while other machines produce multiple flavors. The latter machine often come with the capability of producing more creative flavors that are popular with younger guests.
Servings per hour
Before choosing a soft serve ice cream machine, businesses should decide on the size of ice cream menu items. Lower capacity machines are available for businesses that offer smaller serving sizes. Higher capacity machines deliver more product efficiently for businesses with higher servings per hour.
Purchasing the wrong capacity machine can delay customer service times and produce a lower-quality product. For business management, the right soft serve ice cream machine doesn’t waste money or require extra maintenance and staff time. For the latter, research commercial ice cream machines that come with indicator lights that alert staff to required maintenance.