The evolution of Griddling with Garland

As a manufacturer working closely with operators across QSR, fast casual and high-volume venues, we are seeing grilling technology evolve faster than many other parts of the kitchen.

What stands out most today is not just the emergence of new equipment, but how quickly operators are moving away from traditional open chargrills toward safer, more efficient, more automated systems.

Today, the operators we are speaking to are telling us the same thing: the old gas chargrill is becoming harder to justify. It pulls a huge amount of energy, throws heat into the kitchen, demands constant attention, and carries risk, especially when you are dealing with high fat proteins. By contrast, modern enclosed electric grills allow teams to cook faster and more safely, with less heat transfer, fewer flare ups, and significantly lower running costs.

In terms of automation one of the biggest shifts we’re seeing is the demand for intelligent assistance. Nobody is asking for robots, but they are asking for equipment that reduces manual intervention. In high volume QSR, where labour is tight and staff turnover is high, operators want technology that removes the need for someone to stand over a grill flipping burgers or turning chicken fillets. They want a system where they place the product, press a button and walk away until the grill alerts them.

Clam shell grills are becoming central to that movement. In our own portfolio, the Garland Xpress Grill is a good example of where the industry is heading. It is fully automatic, programmable and designed for speed, but what the real value operators highlight is consistency. If you are running multiple sites, you want a burger or chicken fillet to look and taste the same whether it is coming out of store one or store 100. A centralised controller and pictorial interface make that possible, and because the control system is shared across Welbilt brands, teams tell us it creates familiarity across the entire kitchen.

Energy efficiency is another major driver. Modern electric platen technology only heats the surface that touches the food, and units drop into standby to save power during quieter periods. When operators compare that to the constant draw of a full chrome griddle or gas charbroiler, the business case becomes clear. Add in simplified cleaning, often as easy as applying a high temperature cleaner and wiping down, and the operational savings become significant.

What is interesting is that this shift is no longer limited to global QSR chains. Independents are now a growing part of the picture. Many chefs and business owners have used these grills earlier in their careers in branded environments and now want the same speed and reliability in their own concepts. Although these units sit at a higher investment level than a basic grill, we hear consistently that long term savings in labour, energy and product consistency outweigh that initial cost.

Looking ahead, I would say the industry is still catching up with the technology, not the other way around. The fundamentals of good grilling, even heat distribution, speed and repeatability have not changed, but the control systems, compression technology for trends like smash burgers, and energy saving features continue to improve. Innovation will often be driven by the needs of large global operators, and those advancements then filter down to the wider market.

What is clear is that grilling technology is becoming smarter, safer and more efficient. Operators want equipment that frees up staff, delivers consistent results and keeps energy costs under control, and the latest generation of grills is designed to meet exactly those needs.

For more information: https://www.garland-group.com/Products/Griddles-Grills