Refrigerated Display Cases

Q: What temperature should a refrigerated display case hold?

41F or below for any perishable product, which is the limit in the FDA Food Code. Verify with a thermometer placed in the product itself rather than reading the case display, since that is what a health inspector will probe.

Q: Curved glass or square glass display case?

Only looks and glare differ. Curved glass is the traditional deli and patisserie front and reflects less overhead light; square glass looks more modern and gives slightly more usable height at the top. Both hold the same temperatures.

Q: Countertop or floor-standing display case?

Countertop cases suit a cafe counter, a register or a sushi bar where staff work directly out of the case. Floor-standing cases hold far more and merchandise from a customer queue, but take floor space and need clearance at the back.

(81 products)

Chumart's commercial refrigerated display cases put chilled food front and center — countertop 4-sided glass cases from 17" to 22", curved and square glass bakery display cases from 28" countertop models up to 72" floor units, plus refrigerated deli and sushi cases. Polarman and Dukers models with LED lighting, in stainless, white, and black finishes. Competitively priced with free nationwide shipping.

Refrigerated Display Case Buying Guide

A refrigerated display case has two jobs at once: hold product at or below 41°F, and make people want it. Which case you buy is decided almost entirely by what goes inside — sliced meats and cheeses, cakes and pastries, sushi and cold rolls, or packaged grab-and-go. Those four menus need different glass, different depth and different service sides, so start there rather than with width.

Match the case to what you are selling

Deli cases — full-height curved glass over a deep, straight-sided deck, built for pans of sliced meat, cheese, salads and prepared food, with sliding doors on the staff side. Chumart CMT-DC cases run 36" to 82".
Bakery display cases — multiple shelves rather than one deck, so cakes, pastries and desserts are visible from the front at every level. Floor-standing models 36"–72" wide, countertop models 28"–60".
Sushi cases — a shallow countertop case sized in pans, not cubic feet, so the chef works directly out of it. Sliding-door models from 44" to 71" and four-sided glass models to 79".
Countertop four-sided glass cases — small 17"–22" cubes for a register counter: drinks, desserts, single servings, impulse items seen from every angle.

Curved glass or square glass

This is a merchandising choice, not a performance one. Curved glass is the traditional deli and patisserie look and throws back less overhead glare, so product reads cleanly from a few feet away. Square glass gives a flat, modern front and a little more usable height at the top shelf. Both hold the same temperatures and take the same shelving.

Getting the temperature to hold

41°F or below for anything perishable — that is the FDA Food Code limit, and it is what the inspector probes. Read the product, not the display.
Do not load above the fill line. Product stacked into the airflow starves everything behind it.
Pre-chill before it goes in. A display case holds cold; it is not built to pull warm product down.
Keep it out of drafts and direct sun, and leave the clearance the spec sheet asks for around the compressor.
Never merchandise an empty case. A half-filled case reads as closed, and an empty one runs colder than it needs to. Holding temperatures by product →

Display case families

Family	Format	Widths	Built for
Chumart CMT-DC	Floor, curved glass, black	36¼", 47¼", 64¼", 82"	Deli — sliced meats, cheeses, salads, prepared food
Polarman curved-glass bakery	Floor, curved glass, shelved	36", 48", 60", 72"	Cakes, pastries, desserts
Polarman square-glass bakery	Floor, square glass, shelved	36", 48", 60", 72"	Cakes, pastries, desserts — modern front
Polarman countertop bakery	Countertop, shelved	28", 35", 48", 60"	Café counters, patisserie, grab-and-go desserts
Polarman sushi, sliding door	Countertop, rear sliding doors	44½" – 71"	Sushi and cold prep, sized in 1/3 and 1/2 pans
Polarman sushi, 4-side glass	Countertop, glass all round	47⅓" – 78⅗"	Island and pass-through sushi counters
Polarman countertop cube	Countertop, 4-sided glass	17" – 22"	Register-side drinks, desserts, single servings

All models: LED lighting, digital temperature control, free shipping in the continental US. Exact capacities, pan counts, amp draw and plug type are on each product page. Read the full refrigerated display case guide →

Bakery display cases → · how to choose one
Air curtain merchandisers → — open grab-and-go, no doors
Glass door merchandisers → — upright coolers for packaged drinks

Refrigerated display case FAQ

What temperature should a refrigerated display case hold?

41°F or below for any perishable product, which is the limit in the FDA Food Code. Verify with a thermometer placed in the product itself rather than reading the case display, since that is what a health inspector will probe.

What is the difference between a deli case and a bakery case?

A deli case has one deep deck for pans of sliced meats, cheeses and prepared food, with sliding doors for staff on the back. A bakery case has multiple shelves so cakes and pastries are visible at every level. Deli cases run colder and deeper; bakery cases merchandise vertically.

Curved glass or square glass — does it matter?

Only for looks and glare. Curved glass is the traditional deli and patisserie front and reflects less overhead light; square glass looks more modern and gives slightly more usable height at the top. Both hold the same temperatures.

How do I size a sushi display case?

Sushi cases are sized in pans, not cubic feet. Count the 1/3 and 1/2 size pans you need open at once during service and pick the case that holds them; widths here run from 44 1/2 inches for four 1/3 pans up to 78 7/10 inches for nine.

Why is my display case not holding temperature?

Most often it is loading above the fill line, warm product put straight in, a draft or direct sunlight on the glass, or blocked clearance around the compressor. Check those four before assuming a refrigeration fault.

Countertop or floor-standing?

Countertop cases suit a café counter, a register or a sushi bar where the staff works directly out of the case. Floor-standing cases hold far more and merchandise from a customer queue, but take the floor space and need clearance at the back.