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Ever wondered what ovens the popular UK restaurant chains use? and how they are able to cook delicious food so quickly and flawlessly every time? Perhaps you are looking to open up your own restaurant and are doing a little market research to find the best machine to invest in.
We have looked at a number of leading UK chains and the ovens they use, from Pizza Hut to Nandos. We will walk you through the main features of each oven without getting overly technical, giving a bit of background on each appliance and why they were carefully selected by each chain
What ovens do Starbucks use?
The world-leading coffee chain Starbucks also serves a range of food and desserts, with each store fitted with the TurboChef Sota high-speed oven, well regarded for its energy efficiency and rapid cooking speeds.
This electric oven generally retails at over £8,000, and its small, unobtrusive design makes it perfect for a coffee shop setting. It is a speedy, front-of-house oven that can be preset with 256 menu items, making it very easy to use for even the newest of employees.
TurboChef was founded in 1991, and the Sota model was released in 2010, selling 2,500 units in the first year.
What ovens do Costa Coffee use?
Costa Coffee cooks a range of great food using the Merrychef e2 high-speed oven, which can heat food up to 12 times faster than a conventional oven. This is a combi-oven that has both a convection oven and a grill, microwave functionality, and a smart airflow system.
Costa decided to improve its hot food offerings back in 2017 and opted for the Sheffield-based, Merrychef oven for its speed and consistency. Since then, their menu has grown significantly, and the chain has evolved into much more than a coffee shop.
What ovens do Greggs use?
Greggs used the Mono convection oven in its 2000+ stores, a leading brand that is used by a range of UK eateries.
Mono recently upgraded their classic oven to a more eco-friendly alternative, cooking pasties and sausage rolls at impressive speeds, while also using less energy. These ovens range from 4 trays to 10 trays, and are a great choice for a store such as Greggs, which usually has queues out of the door and is known for its ‘grab & go’ service.
Related: How to reheat Greggs sausage rolls or steak bakes
What ovens do Subway use?
Subway uses the TurboChef Tornado 2 High-Speed Countertop Convection Oven to quickly toast its sandwiches in a matter of seconds (30-35 seconds to be specific). The US-chain has also expanded its food options in recent years, to include items such as nachos and fries.
Its very small design means it can work seamlessly with Subway’s efficient, conveyor-belt type service, delivering the high speeds that Subway customers have come to expect. Not only does the TurboChef Tornado 2 deliver speed, but it also uses very little energy compared to similar alternatives.
What ovens do Nandos use?
Nandos uses Rational ovens, which are well-known for their precision cooking. Not only does the Rational oven cook perfect chicken every time, but the ConnectedCooking technology allows an entire fleet of ovens to be controlled remotely, helping to reduce downtime and manage things like energy consumption.
Rational Ovens use patented technology that ensures optimal temperatures at all times, significantly reducing food waste and only using the exact amount of energy that is required to cook chicken perfectly.
What ovens do Dominos Pizza use?
In 2009, Domino’s Pizza installed XLT 3885 Conveyor Belt Ovens, often referred to as the world’s best conveyor belt oven. XLT have been making ovens for over 60 years, and Domino’s started investing in the technology 13 years ago, before making this oven the standard for its stores.
The speedy cooking time of this oven helped increase the capacity of its stores, making it one of the most loved pizza chains in the world.
Related: How to reheat takeaway pizza
What ovens do Pizza Express use?
Pizza Express uses three-deck, electric ovens that are made by Swedish brand, Sveba-Dahlen, which are supplied in the UK by catering firm, Jestic.
These ovens help the chain meet its high demand for great pizza, while their sleek looks are in keeping with the store’s more upmarket appeal compared to other well-known pizza restaurants.
In 2018, Pizza Express revealed it cooked 21 million pizzas a year, equating to 57,000 being pumped out of Sveba-Dahlen ovens per day.
What ovens do Pizza Hut use?
80% of Pizza Hut stores in the UK use Lincoln 1600 Low-profile Impinger ovens, chosen for its wide shelves, quick-cooking speeds and durability. Pizza Hut went on record to claim that Lincoln technology was ‘second to none’.
Not only does this oven cook delicious pizza, but it can also heat chicken strips, wedges, pasta, cookie dough, and more without any adjustment to the settings.
What ovens do Papa John’s use?
Papa Johns has exclusive rights to the Middleby Marshall 770 WOW! Oven, claiming that this model slashed pizza baking times by up to 30% – this means the chain can cook a pizza in as little as four and a half minutes.
Papa John’s claimed exclusivity for the technology back in 2006, committing to faster delivery times and improved energy efficiency. The Middleby Marshall ovens are also linked to the chain’s network, meaning settings can be adjusted accordingly to monitor the speed of orders, energy output, and more.
