Getting the temperature right matters in any commercial kitchen. From keeping chilled food safely refrigerated to serving wine and ice cream at their best, different products need different conditions.

Here’s a quick guide to typical storage, holding and serving temperatures for some of the most common food and drink found in cafés, restaurants, pubs, takeaways and other hospitality businesses.

Quick Temperature Guide

Category	Recommended Temperature
Refrigerated Food Storage	5°C or below*
Chilled Meat Storage	0°C to +2°C
Chilled Fish Storage	-1°C to +1°C
Commercial Frozen Food Storage	-18°C or colder
Pre-Packed & Wrapped Ice Cream	Around -18°C or below
Scoop Ice Cream – Serving	-12°C to -18°C*
Cooked Food for Hot Holding	63°C or above
Chilled Soft Drinks	+1°C to +10°C
White Wine Service	+6°C to +13°C*
Red Wine Service	+15°C to +18°C*

*Chilled food requiring temperature control must be kept at 8°C or below. Ice cream and wine temperatures can vary according to the product, style and serving preference. Always follow manufacturer storage instructions where applicable.

Why Temperature Matters

For food businesses, temperature isn’t simply about keeping something cold or hot. Correct storage and holding temperatures can help protect food safety, maintain quality and reduce unnecessary waste.

UK food safety guidance requires businesses to keep chilled food that needs temperature control at 8°C or below. The Food Standards Agency recommends setting refrigeration at 5°C or below to allow for temperature fluctuations. Businesses should also keep hot food at 63°C or above during hot holding.

For further information, see the Food Standards Agency’s guidance on chilling food correctly in your business.

Different Foods Need Different Refrigeration

A standard commercial refrigerator isn’t necessarily the best choice for everything.

Fresh meat and particularly fresh fish can benefit from equipment designed to operate at lower temperatures than a conventional refrigerator. Frozen food and ice cream have different requirements again, while bottle coolers and wine coolers are designed around serving temperature as much as storage.

That’s why commercial refrigeration is available for very different jobs – from meat and fish fridges to freezers, ice cream freezers, bottle coolers and wine coolers.

Choosing the Right Equipment

Whatever you’re storing or serving, check the operating temperature range of the equipment before buying. A refrigerator capable of operating between +2°C and +8°C, for example, isn’t the right choice if you specifically need to maintain a product around 0°C.

At Anglia Catering Equipment, we stock commercial refrigeration, freezers, hot holding equipment, bottle coolers, wine coolers and specialist refrigeration from leading catering equipment manufacturers, with new, graded and reconditioned options available.

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Temperatures shown are intended as a general guide. Always follow current food-safety requirements and the storage or serving instructions provided for the particular food or drink product.