Restaurant cold storage is a purpose-made refrigerated storage system holding temperatures from 0°C (32°F) to −25°C (−13°F), for storing food ingredients in the F&B sector. It lets a restaurant owner control ingredient quality, cut food losses by 15–20%, and meet the food safety standards currently in force.
Depending on scale and menu, restaurant cold storage falls into three main types: chill room, freezer room, and dual-temperature room. Each has its own temperature, panel and cooling capacity specification. Designing a layout integrated with the kitchen, establishing an installation cost from 80 to 700 million VND depending on volume, and meeting HACCP and food safety standards are what determine the return on the investment.
This article brings together the technical and commercial information a restaurant owner needs to make the investment decision, based on more than 20 years of Tân Long building industrial refrigeration systems.
What is restaurant cold storage, and what part does it play in F&B operations?
Cold storage for restaurants is a permanent insulated structure using insulated panels and a compressor pack to hold temperatures from 0°C (32°F) to −25°C (−13°F). Unlike an industrial freezer or a domestic chiller, restaurant cold storage has a larger volume — commonly 6 to 30 m³ — and steadier cooling capacity thanks to a purpose-made industrial refrigeration system.
So why does a restaurant need its own cold store rather than just freezers? A cold store lets you separate frozen and chilled zones within one space, cutting food losses by 15–20% compared with scattered freezer cabinets. It also meets food safety standards — a condition for keeping the restaurant’s operating licence. Within the kitchen supply chain, the cold store is the hub.
Which type of cold storage suits each restaurant model
Restaurant cold storage falls into three main types by operating temperature: chill room (0°C–5°C / 32°F–41°F), freezer room (−18°C to −25°C / 0°F to −13°F), and dual-temperature room. Which type suits depends on the menu, the size of the restaurant and how often goods come in and out each day. The table below compares the three.
| Warehouse type | Temperature | Suitable food | Capacity | Panel | Restaurant type |
| Cool storage | 0–5°C (32–41°F) | Vegetables, fruit, dairy, drinks | 6–15m³ | 50–75mm | Canteens, buffets |
| Cold storage | −18 to −25°C | Meat, seafood, frozen food | 10–30m³ | 100–150mm | Seafood restaurants, wedding venues |
| Dual-chamber room | 0°C + −18°C | All food groups | 12–20m³ | 75–150mm | Small and medium restaurants |
Chill room (0°C – 5°C / 32°F – 41°F): vegetables, dairy, fresh ingredients
Cool storage holds 0–5°C at 85–95% humidity, suiting the storage of vegetables, fruit, fresh milk, juices and raw ingredients ready for preparation. Insulated panels need only be 50–75 mm thick, keeping the initial cost down. This type suits small canteens, buffet restaurants and industrial kitchens — operations using fresh ingredients daily.
Freezer room (−18°C to −25°C / 0°F to −13°F): meat, seafood, processed food
A freezer room holds −18°C to −25°C, suiting long-term storage of beef, pork, seafood and ready-prepared food. The insulated panels are thicker (100–150 mm) for better insulating performance. A freezer room needs its own condensate drainage and a defrost cycle 4–6 times a day. This type suits seafood restaurants, wedding venues and F&B chains holding stock.
Dual-temperature room: the best solution for small and medium restaurants
A dual-temperature cold room divides one store into two temperature zones with a panel partition: a chilled side at 0–5°C and a frozen side at −18°C. One compressor pack serves both through separate expansion valves. This saves 20–30% against installing two separate stores and saves floor space — which matters in a restaurant kitchen with limited room. A dual-chamber store suits most small and medium restaurants.
Restaurant cold storage specifications: temperature, panels and cooling capacity
Restaurant cold storage has to meet specifications on temperature, panel thickness, refrigeration capacity and stacking clearance. These directly affect storage quality and the monthly electricity bill.
| Parameter | Standard value | Unit | Note |
| Chill room temperature | 0 to 5 | °C | Equivalent to 32–41°F |
| Freezer room temperature | −18 to −25 | °C | Equivalent to 0 to −13°F |
| PU panel – thermal conductivity | 0.022 | W/mK | Density 38–42 kg/m³ |
| Temperature variation between zones | ≤2 | °C | Checked at commissioning |
| Clearance between goods and walls | ≥150 | mm | Equivalent to 6 inches |
| Clearance between goods and ceiling | ≥300 | mm | Equivalent to 12 inches; ensures air circulates |
| Cooling capacity | 20–30% margin | above the calculated heat load | Because the door opens so often during service |
One important technical point: the cooling capacity for restaurant cold storage needs a 20–30% margin above the theoretical heat load. On F&B cold storage projects, the Tân Long team finds that the frequency of door openings at peak service raises the store temperature faster than expected. Without that margin, the compressor runs overloaded continuously — shortening equipment life and raising costs.
Designing and installing cold storage integrated with a restaurant kitchen
Cold storage design for a restaurant has four stages: site survey, material selection, installation, and commissioning and handover. Where the store sits in the kitchen and how goods move in and out determine day-to-day efficiency. A store in the wrong place lengthens the journey for ingredients and creates a bottleneck at peak times.
Site survey and positioning the store within the kitchen
The first stage is measuring the kitchen and deciding where the store goes. The cold store needs to be near goods receipt and near preparation to optimise the workflow: goods in → cold store → preparation → hot kitchen. The contractor calculates the heat load from three factors: covers served per day, the menu, and the volume of food held. For a restaurant serving 200–300 covers a day, the Tân Long team typically recommends a 12–18 m³ store.
Choosing materials: insulated panels, doors and the refrigeration system
Restaurant cold storage materials fall into three main groups. PU (polyurethane) insulated panels have a density of 38–42 kg/m³ and a thermal conductivity of 0.022 W/mK — insulating 35–40% better than EPS (expanded polystyrene) panels of the same thickness. Cold room doors come in two common types: hinged for stores under 15 m³ and sliding for larger ones. The refrigeration system uses Copeland or Bitzer compressors with R404A refrigerant.
Installation: from floor preparation to connecting the refrigeration system
Installing restaurant cold storage starts with the floor. For a freezer room, the floor needs ventilation ducts (300 mm / 12 inches wide, 200 mm / 8 inches high) to prevent condensation and frost heave from the temperature difference. Panels go in the order floor → walls → ceiling, locked together with cam-locks and a joint gap of ≤1 mm. Refrigeration installation covers mounting the compressor on anti-vibration feet, brazing the pipework and charging the refrigerant.
Restaurant cold storage is usually installed outside trading hours so service is unaffected. The Tân Long team commits to completing installation in 5–7 days for a store under 20 m³, including technical commissioning.
Commissioning and operational handover
Commissioning checks four main criteria. The store reaches setpoint within 4–6 hours of continuous running. The temperature difference between zones does not exceed 2°C. Compressor current is steady and does not exceed 105% of design capacity. The contractor hands over a complete file: as-built drawings, warranty booklet, operating instructions and a scheduled maintenance plan.
Restaurant cold storage quotation: cost by scale and type
The cost of installing restaurant cold storage depends on four factors: the size of the store, the type (frozen or chilled), the compressor and the panel thickness. The table below gives indicative prices by restaurant model.
| Restaurant model | Warehouse size | Warehouse type | Price (VND) | Note |
| Small canteen (50–100 covers) | 6–10m³ | Cool storage | 80–150 million | Panel 50–75mm |
| Medium restaurant (100–200 covers) | 12–18m³ | Dual-temperature | 180–280 million | The best solution |
| Large restaurant / wedding venue (200–500 covers) | 20–30m³ | Freezer + chill rooms | 280–450 million | Panel 100–150mm |
| F&B chain / central kitchen | 30–60m³ | Freezer + chill rooms | 400–700 million | Multi-compressor system |
| Hotel (200+ rooms) | 40–80m³ | Multi-chamber | 600 million – 1.2 billion | PLC/SCADA control panel |
These prices are indicative and cover panels, doors, the refrigeration system and installation labour. They exclude floor preparation and the incoming power supply. Things that push the cost up: genuine imported compressors (Bitzer, Copeland) add 15–25% over domestic units, automatic doors add 15–20 million per door, and double-sided stainless steel panels to HACCP requirements add 20–30% to the panel cost.
Food safety standards for restaurant cold storage
Restaurant cold storage has to comply with food safety requirements under Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, HACCP and ISO 22000. These set out temperature, hygiene, monitoring and food traceability requirements for the store.
| Standard | Specific requirement | Frequency | Applies to |
| Temperature monitoring | Record the store temperature (manually or automatically) | Twice a day | All scales |
| Cleaning the store | Clean and disinfect the surfaces | Weekly / monthly | All scales |
| FIFO principle | First in, first out | Continuously | All scales |
| Storage zoning | Meat, seafood and vegetables separated; raw and cooked never together | Continuously | All scales |
| HACCP | Hazard analysis and critical control point system | Continuously | Mandatory for large restaurants and F&B chains |
On zoning: raw meat goes on the bottom so nothing drips onto other food, with vegetables and cooked food above. Raw and cooked food are never stored in the same chamber. Following these standards strictly protects consumers and is also the condition for the restaurant keeping its food safety certificate.
How should restaurant cold storage be operated and maintained?
Operating restaurant cold storage requires scheduled maintenance to hold performance and equipment life. The usual cycle: clean the evaporator and defrost monthly, check the door gasket every 3 months, measure compressor current and check refrigerant every 6 months, and check the whole system annually. A failing door gasket is the most common reason a store cannot hold temperature and the compressor runs overloaded.
Choosing a contractor that offers scheduled maintenance reduces the risk of a breakdown in the middle of the busy season. Below is a contractor assessment checklist and the questions asked most often about restaurant cold storage.
Choosing a restaurant cold storage contractor: a seven-criteria checklist
Choosing a restaurant cold storage contractor means assessing seven criteria: F&B industry experience, equipment manufacturing capability, restaurant and hotel reference projects, warranty terms, scheduled maintenance, a 24/7 emergency hotline, and technical certification (ISO 9001, HACCP).
| Criteria | Questions to ask the contractor | Importance |
| F&B experience | How many restaurant and hotel projects have they built? How many years in the industry? | Very high |
| Manufacturing capability | Do they have their own equipment factory, or do they only assemble or import? | High |
| Reference projects | Are there specific restaurant or F&B case studies? | High |
| Warranty | How long is the refrigeration system warranty? | High |
| Regular maintenance | Is there a 3–6 month maintenance package? | High |
| Emergency hotline | What is the response time when something goes wrong? Is there a 24/7 hotline? | Moderate to high |
| Certification | Do they hold ISO 9001 and HACCP? Have they been audited? | Medium |
Tân Long, for example, meets most of these criteria: more than 20 years of experience, an equipment factory in Tây Ninh (formerly Long An), HACCP certification, and more than 100 reference projects including Lotte F&G, C.P. Vietnam and Kyokuyo Vina Foods. Restaurant owners can review the list of flagship cold storage projects to assess what the company can actually do.
Restaurants and display outlets usually choose a cold storage with glass doors so customers can see the goods without the door being opened constantly.
Frequently asked questions about restaurant cold storage
How much does restaurant cold storage cost?
The cost depends on size, type and equipment. A 6 m³ chill room for a small canteen: from 80–120 million VND. A 12–18 m³ dual-temperature room for a medium restaurant: 180–280 million VND. A large restaurant at 20–30 m³: 280–450 million VND. The price covers panels, doors, the refrigeration system and installation labour.
Does a small restaurant need cold storage?
Yes. A restaurant serving 50 covers a day or more should invest in cold storage to hold ingredients at the right temperature, cut food losses by 15–20%, and meet food safety standards. A 6 m³ chill room is the common choice in this segment.
Single or dual chamber: which suits a restaurant better?
A dual-temperature room suits most restaurants, because it both keeps fresh vegetables chilled and holds frozen meat and seafood in the same space. A single-chamber store only suits a restaurant storing one food group.
Is a permit needed to install cold storage in a restaurant?
Cold storage installed within a restaurant’s premises usually needs no separate building permit, because it does not alter the structure. The restaurant does, however, need a food safety certificate, and the electrical installation has to meet local safety requirements.
Invest in cold storage deliberately — and reduce operating risk for the restaurant
Investing properly in restaurant cold storage starts with choosing the type that suits the menu and the scale of the business. A layout integrated with the kitchen optimises the flow of goods in and out — which directly affects service speed and food quality. Choosing a contractor with F&B experience, its own factory and a long-term maintenance offering is the most effective way to reduce operating risk.
Contact the Tan Long team for design advice and a quotation for restaurant cold storage suited to the scale and budget of your business.
See also:
- Pharmaceutical Cold Storage Installation | GSP Medical Standard & Quotation
- Cold storage for ice cubes: Structure and application of cold storage
- Sausage cold storage: temperature standards and design solutions
Related pages
- Cold store classification: 5 technical criteria and how to choose the right type
- Storing dried squid in bulk in a cold store: temperature and humidity standards
- Cold store repair: how to identify faults and the expert troubleshooting process
- How to store beef jerky in bulk: temperature standards and industrial cold storage systems
- Tan Long industrial cold storage
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