Sandwich vs Mega Top vs Pizza Prep Table: Pan Layout, Sizing and Which One You Need

Three kinds of refrigerated prep table look almost the same in a catalog photo: a stainless top, a rail of pans, doors underneath. Which one belongs on your line comes down to what goes in the pans and how many of them you need open at once. This guide compares sandwich, mega top and pizza prep tables using the Polarman PLM series, then covers the sizing and power details that decide whether the table actually fits.

The difference is the pan rail

All three tables keep a refrigerated cabinet below and a refrigerated pan rail on top. What changes is the rail:

• Sandwich / salad prep table — a single row of 1/6-size pans along the back of the top. The standard for delis, sandwich shops and salad stations, where each topping is used in small amounts.
• Mega top prep table — the same width, but the rail is two rows deep, so it holds roughly 50% more 1/6 pans. The table is about 4 1/2" deeper to make room. Built for lines with many toppings: burrito bars, poke, build-your-own bowls.
• Pizza prep table — a single row of 1/3-size pans (each holds twice a 1/6 pan) behind a much deeper cutting board, because you are dressing a 16" pie, not a 6" sub. Lower overall height so the board sits at a comfortable stretching level.

How many pans you actually get

Pan count is the number to buy on. Below is every Polarman model with its rail capacity, cabinet storage and footprint.

Cabinet storage is the second number

The doors below hold the backup pans. Rule of thumb: cabinet storage should cover one full service of refills for everything on the rail. Because every table in a width shares the same cabinet — the 48" sandwich and 48" mega top both give 12 cu ft — you are choosing rail layout and depth, not storage, when you pick between them. If you need more cabinet without more rail, a refrigerated chef base under the cook line or an undercounter refrigerator beside the table is cheaper per cubic foot than a longer prep table.

Depth, height and where the compressor sits

Three dimensions that get missed on the drawing:

• Depth. Sandwich tables are 29 15/16" deep and fit a standard 30" line. Mega tops are 34 1/2" — check the aisle behind. Pizza tables are 32 1/4".
• Height. Sandwich and mega top tables are 43 3/16" to the top of the rail; the pizza table is 41 5/16" so the cutting board stays at working height for a 16" pan.
• Compressor. Sandwich and mega top models are rear-mounted, so they can sit tight against a side wall; the pizza tables are side-mounted, which needs a few inches of clearance on the compressor side. All run R290 refrigerant and hold the cabinet at 33–41°F.

Power

Every model plugs into a standard 115V outlet. Running amps: 3 A for the 29" tables, 4.3 A for the 48"–72" sandwich and mega top tables, 5–5.5 A for the pizza tables. Give the table its own circuit — a prep table shares a wall with slicers and microwaves, which are the loads that trip a shared 15 A breaker at lunch.

Keeping the rail cold

The rail is the part health inspectors probe. Pans must hold at or below 41°F, which the refrigeration will do as long as three things are true: pans are filled no higher than the fill line, the lid or cover is closed between rushes, and the table is not sitting directly under a heat lamp or next to a fryer exhaust. Pre-chill product before it goes on the rail; a warm pan of just-cut tomatoes takes far longer to pull down than the rail was designed for. Our temperature guide has the full set of holding limits.

Which one, in one line each

• Sandwich table — up to 18 toppings in small amounts, standard 30" line depth
• Mega top — 12 to 27 toppings, or when you need more pans than wall space allows
• Pizza table — large pans, a deep board, and cabinet space for dough boxes (the 70" model holds 22 cu ft)