Pizza Prep Table

The Complete Pizza Prep Table Guide

This guide covers everything you need to decide on, set up and keep running a refrigerated pizza prep table. It is built around the six pieces on this page: the Atosa MPF8201GR, MPF8202GR and MPF8203GR pizza prep tables and the MROS-44P, MROS-67P and MROS-93P overshelves that fit them. Dimensions, capacities, amperage, weights and warranty terms come from Atosa's current specification sheet (revision 07/26) and product pages. Operating steps come from Atosa's instruction manual for its prep table line. Where we give an estimate, such as how many pies a table supports per hour or what it costs to run, we show the math so you can rerun it with your own numbers.

In this guide:

• Quick pick: which size fits your pizzeria
• What a pizza prep table is
• Pizza prep table vs. sandwich prep table
• Anatomy of an Atosa MPF table
• Every model side by side
• Model-by-model breakdown
• MROS overshelves
• Sizing by volume and menu
• Topping pans: count, size and layout
• Cabinet storage and dough
• Dimensions, doorways and clearances
• Electrical requirements
• How the refrigeration works
• Temperatures and food safety
• The cutting board and work surface
• Poly, granite, marble and stainless tops
• Make-line layout
• Delivery, setup and first start
• Daily operation and loading
• Cleaning: during service, daily and deep
• Maintenance schedule
• Troubleshooting
• Noises and what they mean
• Parts and repair
• Running cost
• Certifications and warranty
• New vs. used
• Outdoor, event and mobile use
• Comparing Atosa to other brands
• Common mistakes
• Before you order
• Pizza prep table FAQ

Quick Pick: Which Size Fits Your Pizzeria

If you already know your menu and how much wall you have, this table gets you to a model in one step. The rest of the guide explains the reasoning.

If you are torn between two sizes, size for your busiest hour, not your average hour, and read Sizing by volume and menu below. A common mistake is buying one size too small. A table that is too short forces doubled-up pans, a crowded rail and a second person waiting for space at exactly the time you can least afford it.

What a Pizza Prep Table Is

A pizza prep table, also called a pizza make table or pizza prep refrigerator, is a refrigerated cabinet with three working zones stacked on top of each other. At the top, a refrigerated rail holds topping pans at the back of the unit. In front of the rail sits a deep cutting board where dough is stretched, sauced and topped. Below, a refrigerated cabinet behind one, two or three doors stores backup toppings, sauce, cheese and dough trays.

The point of the design is that the pizza maker never has to walk. Dough comes out of the cabinet below, gets built on the board and is topped from the rail, all within one arm's reach. Every step saved on every pie adds up over a dinner rush, and it keeps toppings at a safe temperature right up until they go on the pie.

A pizza prep table is not a reach-in refrigerator with a board on top, and it is not a worktop refrigerator. A worktop has a flat stainless top and no refrigerated rail. A reach-in keeps food cold but puts it behind a door you have to open for every ingredient. The prep table is the only one of the three that holds ingredients cold in the open, at the point of use, for hours of service.

Pizza Prep Table vs. Sandwich Prep Table

Pizza and sandwich prep tables look similar and are often sold side by side, but they are built for different work. The differences matter most in three places.

The board is the deciding factor. A 14" or 16" pie does not fit on a sandwich-table board, so the maker ends up building on a separate counter and reaching back to the rail. That defeats the purpose of the table. If pizza is a real part of your menu, buy a pizza prep table. If your pizza line also builds calzones, flatbreads or salads, the 1/3-size pans on the MPF series hold enough of each ingredient to cover all of them.

Anatomy of an Atosa MPF Table

All three Atosa pizza prep tables share the same construction. Only the width, the number of doors and the pan count change.

• Refrigerated topping rail. A single row of stainless steel 1/3-size pans set into a refrigerated well at the back of the top. Atosa includes the pans: 6 on the 44", 9 on the 67" and 12 on the 93". The pans are 6" deep.
• 19-1/4" cutting board. A full-width removable board in front of the rail. It is the work surface for every pie.
• Refrigerated base cabinet. 9.7, 18.5 or 28.4 cubic feet behind one, two or three doors, with two epoxy-coated shelves per section.
• Doors. Self-closing with a stay-open feature, recessed handles and magnetic gaskets. The recessed handles mean nothing sticks out to snag aprons or hips on a tight line.
• Side-mount compressor. The condensing unit sits at the side of the cabinet rather than at the back or underneath. It uses R290, a natural hydrocarbon refrigerant.
• Electronic temperature controller. A digital controller with a readout of cabinet temperature. Atosa sets it to hold 35°F to 38°F.
• Stainless steel exterior and interior. Inside and out, for cleaning and corrosion resistance.
• 5" casters, pre-installed. So the table can be rolled out for cleaning behind and under it.
• Standard 115V plug. A NEMA 5-15P cord on all three sizes, so no special outlet is needed.

Every Model Side by Side

These are Atosa's published numbers from the 07/26 specification sheet. Width × depth × height is the exterior footprint in inches.

Two things stand out. The depth and height are identical across the line, so if a 67" fits your kitchen's depth and your doorway, a 93" will too. Only the width changes. And the electrical load barely climbs: the 93" draws 3.1 amps against 2.3 for the 44", so going bigger rarely changes your electrical plan.

Model-by-Model Breakdown

MPF8201GR: 44" One-Door

The MPF8201GR is the smallest Atosa pizza prep table and the right choice when pizza is one part of a broader menu or space is tight. Six 1/3-size pans cover the core toppings most shops need: pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, peppers and one more. Cheese and sauce typically live on the board or in the cabinet, a practice covered in the pan section. The single door opens to 9.7 cubic feet with two shelves.

It suits bars and breweries adding pizza, cafés with a flatbread program, food halls, ghost kitchens running pizza as one brand, school and workplace cafeterias, and small take-out shops where one person builds every pie. At 44-1/8" wide it fits where a standard 48" work table would go, with a few inches to spare.

It is the wrong choice if your topping menu runs past eight or nine items, or two people need to build at once. In either case, step up to the 67".

MPF8202GR: 67" Two-Door

The MPF8202GR is the size most independent pizzerias land on. Nine pans gives room for a full standard topping list without doubling up, and the 18.5 cubic feet behind two doors holds enough backup product that the line rarely needs a trip to the walk-in mid-rush.

The 67" length also changes how one person works. There is space on the board to have one pie being topped while the next is being sauced, which is how a single experienced maker stays ahead of a rush. With a second person, the table can run as a two-step line, one person stretching and saucing at one end and one topping at the other.

MPF8203GR: 93" Three-Door

The MPF8203GR is built for volume. Twelve pans cover an expanded topping menu, specialty pies and a salad or wing station's cold items. The 28.4 cubic feet behind three doors stores the most dough trays and backup product of any Atosa pizza prep table.

It is the right call for delivery-driven shops, operations with two or more people on the line at peak, high-volume slice shops and any pizzeria running a conveyor or deck oven that can bake faster than one person can build. If the oven outruns the table, the table is the bottleneck, and the 93" is how you fix it.

Plan the space carefully. At 93-1/8" wide and a 527-pound shipping weight, it needs a clear delivery path and enough wall length, plus clearance at the compressor side. See Dimensions, doorways and clearances.

MROS Overshelves

Atosa makes a matching double overshelf for each MPF table. It mounts above the topping rail and gives the line two stainless shelves within reach of the maker. The usual loads are pizza boxes waiting to be folded, shakers, ladles, portion cups, ticket rails and small tools.

Load capacity is from Atosa's specification sheet. The overshelf is not a storage rack for cases of product. Keep heavy items low, spread weight across the shelf, and keep anything that drips, such as sauce bottles, off the top shelf so nothing runs down onto open pans.

When to add one: almost always, if the wall behind the table is not already shelved. Without it, boxes and tools end up on the cutting board, which shrinks the space you build on. The exception is a table under a low cabinet or a pass-through window where the 47-inch height will not clear. Measure from the top of the table rail to anything above it before ordering.

Order the size that matches the table. Each overshelf is sized to one table width. Order the size that matches your table width.

Sizing by Volume and Menu

Choose the size from three numbers: how many toppings you run, how many people build at once and how many pies you make in your busiest hour.

1. Count your toppings

List every cold item that goes on a pie, including cheeses beyond mozzarella, specialty meats, fresh herbs and finishing items. Each one needs a pan on the rail or a dependable spot in the cabinet below.

• Up to 6 rail items: the 44" covers it.
• 7 to 9: the 67".
• 10 to 12, or a long specialty menu: the 93".

If you are one or two pans over a size, you can sometimes split a pan with a divider or move slow movers into the cabinet. If you are three or more over, buy the next size. A topping that lives in the cabinet costs a door opening and a bend every time it is used.

2. Count the people

One person can work any of the three sizes. Two people need room to stand side by side without bumping, and that means the 67" at minimum and the 93" for comfort. Plan around your peak staffing, not a slow Tuesday.

3. Estimate your peak hour

Build time per pie depends on your menu and your crew, so time it yourself. Have your fastest maker build ten typical pies during a normal shift and divide the total time by ten. Then:

Pies per hour one maker can build = 3,600 ÷ seconds per pie

For example, at 90 seconds per pie, one maker tops out at 3,600 ÷ 90 = 40 pies an hour. If your busiest hour needs 60 pies, one maker cannot keep up and you need two people on the line, which means a 67" or 93" table. Compare the result to what your oven can bake in an hour. Whichever is lower is your shop's real limit.

4. Check the wall

Finally, measure the wall length available. Add the width of the table and its overshelf and leave room for clearance at the compressor side. If the right size does not fit, look at the layout before dropping down a size. Moving a reach-in or work table often frees the space.

Topping Pans: Count, Size and Layout

Atosa ships each table with stainless steel 1/3-size pans, 6" deep. A 1/3-size pan measures roughly 12-3/4" by 6-7/8" at the rim, which is the industry-standard footprint, so replacement pans and lids from any foodservice supplier will fit.

Arrange pans by build order

Put the items used on the most pies nearest the center of the maker's reach, and arrange the rest in the order they go on the pie. A common pattern is:

• Center: mozzarella or your house blend, if you keep cheese on the rail, and pepperoni.
• Either side of center: sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers.
• Ends: olives, jalapeños, pineapple, specialty meats and lower-volume items.

On a two-person 93" line, mirror the high-volume items at both ends so neither person has to reach across the other.

Keep raw and ready-to-eat items apart

Most pizza toppings go on raw dough and get cooked, but some do not. Fresh basil, arugula, finishing cheeses and items added after the bake are ready-to-eat. Keep them in separate pans with their own utensils, away from raw meats, so drips and utensils do not cross over.

Fill level

Do not mound pans above the rim. Product above the rim sits outside the refrigerated well and warms up. Fill to the rim or slightly below and refill from the cabinet below as needed, rather than overfilling at the start of the shift.

Spare pans

Buy at least one full spare set. Swapping a full pan for an empty one during a rush is faster than refilling in place, and a spare set means the original set can go through the dish machine at close without leaving the rail empty.

Cabinet Storage and Dough

The base cabinet is the line's backup supply. It holds refills for the rail, sauce, cheese and, in many shops, the dough for the shift.

Dough. Many shops keep the shift's dough balls in covered trays on the cabinet shelves so the maker can pull one without leaving the line. Measure your dough trays before you order. Trays vary in size, and whether they fit flat on a shelf depends on the tray you use. If they do not fit, store dough in a reach-in or walk-in and bring it to the line in smaller batches.

Extra shelves. Atosa lists extra shelves as an optional accessory, each with four shelf clips. The part numbers on the spec sheet are W0402572 for the MPF8201GR and the middle section of the MPF8203GR, and W0402573 for the MPF8202GR and the left and right sections of the MPF8203GR. Extra shelves help when you store many shallow containers. For dough trays, fewer shelves with more height between them usually work better.

Drawers. Atosa makes field-retrofittable drawer kits that replace one door section with two full-extension stainless drawers, with no modifications to the table and no factory service. Each drawer is rated for 100 lb and takes 6"-deep pans: two 12" x 20", six 1/3, twelve 1/6 or eighteen 1/9 per drawer. The kits are position-specific:

Drawers let the maker pull a pan of backup product without bending to see past a door, which some lines prefer for cheese and high-volume toppings. Doors hold taller items such as dough trays and sauce containers better.

Do not pack the cabinet. Cold air has to move around the product to keep it cold. Leave space between containers and between product and the cabinet walls, and do not block the air vents inside the cabinet.

Dimensions, Doorways and Clearances

All three tables are 34-1/8" deep and 43-1/8" high. Width is the only dimension that changes: 44-1/8", 67-1/8" or 93-1/8".

Before delivery

• Measure every door, hallway and turn on the path from the truck to the line. The narrowest dimension of the table is its 34-1/8" depth, so the unit must clear every opening at that width plus room for hands and a dolly.
• Check the weight. Shipping weights are 295, 406 and 527 lb. Plan for enough people or equipment to move the unit, and check for stairs, steps or soft flooring on the path.
• Keep it upright. Refrigeration equipment should be moved upright. If it has been tipped well past vertical, standard practice is to let it stand upright for several hours before plugging it in so the compressor oil can settle back. Follow the manual that ships with your unit.

In place

• Airflow at the compressor side. The compressor is side-mounted and draws air through a vented side panel. Atosa's own note on the spec sheet is to leave the unit room to breathe. Do not push the vented side against a wall, another cabinet or, above all, a fryer, oven or range.
• Keep heat away. A pizza oven next to the table is normal, but the vented compressor side should not face it. If the oven has to sit next to the table, put the oven at the end without the compressor, or add a heat shield or a gap.
• Height above the rail. Allow for the 47-1/5" overshelf height if you plan to add one.
• Working aisle. The maker stands in front of the 19-1/4" board. Leave enough aisle that someone can pass behind the maker without contact, and that the doors can open fully.
• Level the unit. An unlevel table can cause doors that do not seal, water leaking from the cabinet and extra noise. Level it once it is in its final spot, then lock the casters.

Electrical Requirements

Every Atosa MPF table runs on 115V/60Hz single-phase power and ships with a NEMA 5-15P plug, the standard three-prong plug used across North America. Rated current is 2.3 A for the 44", 2.8 A for the 67" and 3.1 A for the 93".

• Use a properly grounded outlet that matches the data plate. Atosa's manual calls for a supply that matches the unit's label, protected by a circuit breaker, with an effective ground.
• Do not use extension cords or adapters. They can starve the compressor of voltage at startup and are a common cause of hard starts and nuisance trips.
• Think about what else is on the circuit. The table itself draws little, but sharing a circuit with a microwave, mixer or warmer can trip a breaker during the rush. A dedicated circuit is the safe choice.
• Keep the cord clear. Route it so it is not pinched when the table is pushed back or rolled out for cleaning.

How the Refrigeration Works

The MPF series uses a side-mounted condensing unit charged with R290 refrigerant. R290 is propane-based hydrocarbon refrigerant with very low global warming potential, which is why it is now widely used in self-contained commercial refrigeration. The system cools both the base cabinet and the topping rail.

The cabinet and the rail behave differently. The base cabinet is closed and holds temperature tightly. The topping rail is open to kitchen air and gets heat from the oven, the people on the line and the warm dough on the board. That is why the rail can read warmer than the cabinet in a hot kitchen and why rail management matters (see Temperatures and food safety).

Controller. The electronic controller displays the cabinet temperature and controls the compressor and defrost. Per Atosa's instruction manual, holding the defrost key for more than 2 seconds starts a manual defrost, and holding SET and the down arrow for 3 seconds enters programming mode. Change parameters only if you know what each one does. A wrong setting can hold food unsafely warm or freeze product.

Defrost. The unit runs defrost cycles automatically. During and right after defrost, the cabinet reads a little warmer; that is normal. If the evaporator ices over and temperatures climb, a manual defrost is the first step, and the manual says to call a technician if that does not fix it.

The condenser coil is the part that needs your attention. It sheds the heat the system pulls out of the food. When it clogs with dust and grease, the compressor runs longer, temperatures drift up and the compressor wears faster. Atosa's spec sheet tells owners to clean it frequently. In a pizza kitchen, with flour in the air, that means monthly at minimum.

Temperatures and Food Safety

The FDA Food Code requires cold-held time/temperature control for safety (TCS) foods, which include cheese, cooked and raw meats and cut vegetables, to be kept at 41°F (5°C) or below. Atosa sets the MPF series to hold 35°F to 38°F and recommends that range for food preservation. That leaves a few degrees of margin under 41°F, which matters on a busy line where doors open constantly and the rail is exposed.

Rail management

• Pre-chill everything. Only put product on the rail that is already cold. The rail is designed to hold cold food cold, not to cool down warm food.
• Check rail temperatures, not just the display. The controller shows cabinet temperature. Use a probe thermometer in the product itself in a few pans, a few times a shift, and log it if your health department requires logs.
• Cover pans during slow periods and overnight. Covered pans hold temperature far better than open ones and keep flour and debris out.
• Do not overfill. Product mounded above the rim sits above the cold zone.
• Keep the oven heat in mind. Radiant heat from an oven nearby warms the end of the rail closest to it. Put slow-moving items at the far end.

Cabinet management

• Keep doors closed. The self-closing doors help, but propping a door open during prep will push temperatures up fast.
• Do not load hot or warm food. Cool cooked items such as sausage or chicken in a blast chiller or by an approved cooling method first. Atosa's manual lists loading hot food as a cause of a cabinet that cannot reach temperature.
• Label and date everything, rotate first in, first out and follow your local health code for how long each prepared item can be held.

If the cabinet or the rail reads above 41°F, see Troubleshooting, and follow your local health code on what to do with product that has been held above that temperature.

The Cutting Board and Work Surface

Every Atosa MPF table comes with a 19-1/4" deep cutting board that runs the width of the table. That depth is what makes it a pizza table, with enough front-to-back room to stretch and top a full pie with space between the pie and the pans.

• Use it for building, not cutting. Slicing cooked pies on the build board brings cooked crumbs and grease back into the make area. Most shops cut on a separate surface near the oven.
• Clean and sanitize it on schedule. Follow your health code's schedule for food-contact surfaces and at any change from raw to ready-to-eat work.
• Remove it for deep cleaning. The board lifts out, which lets you clean the board and the area beneath it.
• Replace it when it is scored. Deep knife grooves hold food and moisture and cannot be sanitized reliably. Order a replacement board by the table's model number so the size matches.

Poly, Granite, Marble and Stainless Tops

Pizza makers argue about the best surface to stretch dough on, and all of them have a place.

The cold-stone argument is about keeping dough cool while it is worked, so it does not get slack and sticky. On a refrigerated pizza prep table, the board sits on top of a refrigerated cabinet rather than a warm counter base, and the dough comes straight out of cold storage. For most shops, the standard poly board, kept clean and replaced when scored, is the most practical surface. Shops that want stone can place a sealed stone slab on the board, as long as it is cleaned and sanitized like any other food-contact surface and does not block the topping pans.

Make-Line Layout

The prep table is the center of the make line. The goal is a straight path: dough out of storage, built on the board, into the oven, out to the cut station and boxed, without anyone crossing paths.

The basic line

1. Dough storage in the prep table cabinet, or a reach-in or dough cabinet at the start of the line.
2. Prep table: stretch, sauce and top on the 19-1/4" board.
3. Oven directly at the end of the table, or across a narrow aisle, so a built pie moves in one step.
4. Cut and box station on the far side of the oven, with boxes stored above or beside it.
5. Pass or pickup past the cut station.

Layout patterns

• Straight line. Table, oven and cut station in a row along one wall. Simple and common in small shops. Needs the most wall length.
• L-shape. Table along one wall, oven on the adjacent wall. Keeps the oven a pivot away from the maker and saves wall length.
• Facing lines. Table on one side of an aisle, ovens on the other. The maker turns around to load the oven. Works well for deck ovens and two-person lines.
• Display line. The table faces the customer so they can watch their pie being built. Popular in fast-casual build-your-own concepts. Check your local code on sneeze guards for any customer-facing open food.

Sneeze guards on customer-facing lines

If customers can reach or lean over the topping rail, as on a display or build-your-own line, most health codes require a food shield between the customer and the open pans. The MROS overshelf is a storage shelf, not a sneeze guard. Plan a separate food shield sized for your counter, and check your local code for the required height and coverage before you build the counter.

Layout rules that save steps

• Keep the dough on the same side of the maker as the start of the board.
• Put sauce and cheese where the hand naturally goes next after the dough is stretched.
• Store boxes at the cut station, not on the prep table.
• Keep handwashing sinks within a few steps of the line, as your local code requires.
• Never put the compressor's vented side against the oven.

For regional pizza styles and how each changes the setup, see our guide to regional pizza styles and prep table setups.

Delivery, Setup and First Start

At delivery

• Inspect the crate and the unit before signing. Note any damage on the delivery receipt, take photos and report freight damage right away. Damage that is not noted at delivery is much harder to claim later.
• Check that all the parts are there: pans, cutting board, shelves and shelf clips.
• Move the unit upright and handle it by the cabinet, not by the rail or the board.

Setup

1. Remove all packaging, including protective film on stainless surfaces. Film left on can bake on near heat sources and is hard to remove later.
2. Wash the pans, board, shelves and cabinet interior with mild soap and warm water, rinse and dry. Atosa's manual also advises opening and airing out a new unit before use.
3. Install the shelves with the clips at the heights you need. Plan dough-tray height first.
4. Roll the table into place, keeping the compressor's vented side clear, level it and lock the casters.
5. If the unit traveled on its side or was tipped well past vertical, let it stand upright before plugging it in, as described in the manual shipped with your unit.

First start

1. Plug into a grounded outlet that matches the data plate. No extension cords.
2. Turn the unit on at the controller. The compressor will start.
3. Let the cabinet pull down to temperature empty, then check it with a thermometer before loading any food. Give it a full cycle; a new unit's first pull-down takes longer than later ones.
4. Load the cabinet first with pre-chilled product, then set the pans in the rail and fill them with pre-chilled toppings.
5. Check product temperatures in the rail and cabinet several times over the first full day of service.

Daily Operation and Loading

Opening

• Check the cabinet reading on the controller and probe a few items.
• Uncover the pans, check that each is at temperature and top them up from cold product.
• Pull the shift's dough to the cabinet in the order it will be used.

During service

• Keep doors closed between pulls.
• Refill pans from the cabinet below rather than from the walk-in, so the refill product is already cold.
• Wipe the board between pies and keep flour off the pans.
• Cover pans during any lull.

Closing

• Cover all pans, or move product into covered containers in the cabinet or walk-in, per your health code.
• Empty pans that need washing and replace them with clean spares.
• Clean and sanitize the board.
• Wipe the rail, gaskets and door faces.
• Keep the unit running overnight. Turning it off and on daily is hard on the compressor and on food safety.

Cleaning: During Service, Daily and Deep

Flour, cheese, sauce and grease are the four things that wreck a pizza prep table over time. Flour clogs the condenser. Sauce and grease break down gaskets and stain stainless. Cheese and debris in the rail block airflow. A short routine prevents all of them.

Before you clean

• Use a mild detergent and warm water for stainless and plastic parts, then your approved sanitizer on food-contact surfaces.
• Use soft cloths or non-scratch pads. Do not use steel wool, wire brushes or abrasive powders on stainless; they scratch the finish and leave iron particles that can rust.
• Do not use chlorine bleach or chloride cleaners on stainless steel. Chlorides cause pitting and rust spots.
• Do not hose down the unit or spray water at the controller, the electrical components or the compressor.
• Unplug the unit before cleaning the condenser or any electrical area.

During service

• Scrape and wipe the board between pies.
• Clean spills in the rail and on gaskets as they happen; dried sauce is much harder to remove.

Daily

• Remove, wash, rinse and sanitize pans, or swap in a clean set.
• Remove and clean the cutting board.
• Wipe the rail and pan well.
• Wipe door gaskets with warm soapy water, rinse and dry. Do not use solvents on gaskets.
• Wipe stainless exteriors with the grain.

Weekly

• Empty and wipe down the cabinet shelves and interior.
• Check the floor under the unit and roll the table out to clean behind it.
• Check that the condensate drain and drain pan are clear.

Monthly

• Unplug the unit and clean the condenser coil with a soft brush or vacuum, brushing with the fins, not across them. In a kitchen with a lot of flour in the air, do this more often.
• Remove shelves and clips and clean the cabinet fully.
• Inspect gaskets for tears, gaps and hardening.

Removing rust spots from stainless

Light surface rust on stainless steel is usually from iron particles left by steel wool or contact with carbon-steel tools, or from chloride cleaners. Clean it with a non-abrasive stainless cleaner or a paste of baking soda and water, rubbing with the grain using a soft cloth, then rinse and dry. Then stop the source: no steel wool, no bleach, and do not leave carbon-steel pans or tools sitting on the stainless.

Maintenance Schedule

Troubleshooting

These checks follow Atosa's instruction manual for its prep tables. Work down the list before calling for service. If the problem continues, call a technician and have the model and serial number from the data plate ready.

Unit does not run

• Check that the plug is fully in the outlet.
• Check the cord for damage.
• Check for a tripped breaker.
• Check that the unit is switched on at the controller.

Not reaching or holding temperature

• Check that the controller is set correctly.
• Check whether the unit is in or just out of a defrost cycle. Readings climb briefly during defrost.
• Check the evaporator for heavy frost. If it is iced, run a manual defrost. If it ices again, call service.
• Clean the condenser coil. This is the most common fix.
• Make sure the unit is not next to a heat source and the compressor side has open airflow.
• Make sure food or containers are not stopping the doors from closing.
• Check for overloading, warm food loaded in, or product blocking airflow inside.
• Check gaskets for gaps by closing a door on a strip of paper. If it slides out easily, the seal is weak at that spot.

Rail warm, cabinet fine

• Check for product mounded above the pan rims.
• Check whether warm product was loaded onto the rail.
• Look for radiant heat from a nearby oven on that end of the rail.
• Cover pans during slow periods.
• Check that nothing is blocking the airflow under the pans in the rail.

Water leaking

• Check the condensate drain and drain pan for blockage or damage.
• Check that the unit is level.

Ice on product or in the cabinet

• Check the set point; it may be set too low.
• Check for product touching the evaporator or blocking the air outlet.

Doors do not close on their own

• Check level. A unit leaning forward will fight the self-closing hinges.
• Check for product on shelves stopping the door.
• Check the hinges and gaskets for damage.

Noises and What They Mean

All refrigeration makes some noise. The compressor hums when it runs, fans whir, and you will hear clicks as the controller switches the compressor on and off. Some sounds point to a problem.

Parts and Repair

Parts you will replace over the table's life

• Door gaskets. They wear from daily use and cleaning. A torn or flattened gasket lets warm air in and makes the compressor work harder.
• Cutting board. Replace when deep scoring makes it hard to sanitize.
• Pans and lids. Standard 1/3-size, so easy to replace.
• Shelves and clips. Atosa part numbers W0402572 and W0402573, per the spec sheet.
• Casters. 5" casters can be damaged by rough floors or rolling over cords.
• Temperature controller and probes. The digital controller and its sensors can fail. A controller reading that does not match a thermometer is a sign.
• Fan motors. Condenser and evaporator fans run constantly and are a common service item on any refrigerator.

Ordering parts

Every part is matched to the model and serial number on the data plate inside the cabinet. Have both when you order. Gaskets especially must match the door size and the model.

DIY or call a technician

Owners can safely replace gaskets, boards, pans, shelves, casters and clean the condenser. Anything involving the sealed refrigeration system, refrigerant or the compressor should go to a qualified technician. R290 is flammable, and service on the sealed system requires training and the right tools. Opening the sealed system yourself also puts the warranty at risk.

Repair or replace

If the unit is still under warranty, call for warranty service before anything else. Outside warranty, a gasket, fan or controller is almost always worth repairing. A failed compressor on an older unit is where replacement starts to make sense. Compare the repair quote to the price of a new unit, and factor in that a new Atosa comes with a fresh 3-year parts and labor and 5-year compressor warranty.

Running Cost

Atosa's instruction manual lists input power of 260 W for the MPF8201GR, 320 W for the MPF8202GR and 360 W for the MPF8203GR. That is the draw while the compressor is running. A refrigerator cycles on and off, so actual energy use depends on how much of the day the compressor runs. That in turn depends on kitchen temperature, door openings and coil cleanliness.

Estimated daily cost = watts ÷ 1,000 × 24 hours × share of time running × price per kWh

As an example only, assuming the compressor runs half the time and power costs $0.15 per kWh:

Replace the run share and power price with your own numbers. A hot kitchen or a dirty coil raises the run share, which is the strongest argument for monthly coil cleaning.

Certifications and Warranty

Certifications. Atosa's spec sheet shows the MPF series is ETL listed, conforming to UL Standard 471 and certified to CSA Standard C22.2 No. 120, the U.S. and Canadian safety standards for commercial refrigerators. The MROS overshelves are NSF approved. Check with your local health department and inspector for any requirements specific to your area.

Warranty. Atosa covers the MPF series with a 3-year parts and labor warranty and a 5-year compressor warranty. The compressor coverage is the original three years plus two additional years on the sealed compressor, from the date of original installation, against defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and maintenance. Keep your invoice and installation date on file. Warranties generally require that the unit be installed and maintained as the manual describes, so condenser cleaning and proper clearances protect your coverage as well as your equipment.

New vs. Used

Used pizza prep tables are easy to find through restaurant closings, auctions and resellers, and the asking price can be well below new. Whether a used table saves money depends almost entirely on the condition of the refrigeration system, which is the one thing you cannot see in a listing photo.

What you give up with used

• Warranty. A new Atosa MPF table carries 3 years parts and labor and 5 years on the compressor. A used unit usually carries nothing, so the first compressor or controller failure is yours to pay for.
• Known history. You do not know whether the condenser was cleaned, whether the unit ran next to a fryer for years, or whether it sat unplugged in storage.
• Refrigerant. Older tables may run on refrigerants that are being phased down, which can make sealed-system repairs more expensive.

If you buy used, inspect it running

1. See it plugged in and running, ideally for several hours, and check the cabinet and rail with your own thermometer.
2. Look at the condenser coil. Heavy, matted dirt points to poor maintenance.
3. Check every gasket for tears, gaps and hardening.
4. Open and close each door. They should self-close and seal.
5. Look for rust, especially around the rail, the interior floor and the door bottoms.
6. Check that the controller reads close to your thermometer.
7. Confirm all pans, the board and shelves are included.
8. Find the data plate, write down the model and serial number, and check the refrigerant type.
9. Check the casters and frame for damage from moving.

Run the numbers

Add the cost of the parts the used table needs (gaskets, board, pans), transport and a service call to check it over. Then compare that total to the price of a new unit, and consider what a single compressor replacement outside warranty would cost. If the gap is small, new usually wins.

Outdoor, Event and Mobile Use

Pizza prep tables are increasingly used outside the traditional kitchen: patios, beer gardens, catering, festival booths and food trucks.

• Know the rating. Atosa rates and certifies the MPF series as commercial indoor refrigeration. Direct sun, rain and outdoor heat put far more load on the compressor than a kitchen does, and Atosa's manual advises keeping the unit away from heat sources. If you use a table outdoors, keep it under a roof, in the shade and out of the rain, and check temperatures often.
• Power. The table needs a stable 115V supply. Generators that sag or surge under load can damage the compressor. Do not run the unit on an extension cord.
• Moving it. Move the table upright and give it time to settle and pull down to temperature before loading food at the new site.
• Food trucks and trailers. Check the table's 34-1/8" depth, 43-1/8" height and weight against the vehicle layout, and plan airflow at the compressor side in what is usually a tight, hot space. The 44" MPF8201GR is the usual fit.
• Health codes. Temporary events and mobile units have their own health permits and rules. Check with the local health department before the event.

Backyard and home builds. Plenty of home pizza makers build an outdoor station from a work table, a cooler and a pizza oven. A commercial prep table can be part of a high-end home setup, but it is a 238 to 527 pound commercial appliance built for indoor kitchens. It needs shelter from weather, a proper grounded outlet and the same coil cleaning as in a restaurant.

Comparing Atosa to Other Brands

When you compare pizza prep tables across brands, compare the same things on every spec sheet:

• Width, depth and height
• Number and size of topping pans included
• Cutting board depth
• Cabinet capacity, doors and shelves
• Holding temperature range
• Refrigerant
• Electrical requirements and plug
• Warranty, especially compressor coverage
• Certifications

The Atosa MPF series covers each of these on a single published spec sheet: 6, 9 or 12 included 1/3-size pans, a 19-1/4" board, R290 refrigeration, a standard 115V plug, ETL listing and a 3-year parts and labor and 5-year compressor warranty. For a model-by-model comparison of Atosa against True, see the Atosa vs. True comparison.

Common Mistakes

1. Buying too small. Size for your busiest hour and your full topping list.
2. Blocking the compressor side. Against a wall or next to the oven, the compressor overheats and wears out early.
3. Skipping coil cleaning. In a pizza kitchen, flour clogs the coil quickly. Clean it monthly at minimum.
4. Loading warm food. The table holds cold food cold. It is not designed to cool food down.
5. Overfilling pans. Product above the rim is above the cold zone.
6. Leaving pans uncovered overnight. Cover or move product at close.
7. Using bleach or steel wool on stainless. Both cause rust spots and pitting.
8. Extension cords. They cause hard starts and nuisance trips.
9. Not measuring the delivery path. Measure every door at the 34-1/8" depth before the truck arrives.
10. Not noting freight damage. Inspect before signing.
11. Trusting only the display. Probe the product on the rail.
12. Forgetting the overshelf. Without one, boxes and tools end up on the cutting board.

Before You Order

• Count your rail toppings and pick the size: 6 (44"), 9 (67") or 12 (93").
• Time your build and compare your peak hour against one or two makers.
• Measure the wall, including space for clearance at the compressor side.
• Measure every door and turn on the delivery path against the 34-1/8" depth.
• Confirm a grounded 115V outlet with a NEMA 5-15 receptacle at the spot, ideally on a dedicated circuit.
• Decide on the matching MROS overshelf and check the height above the rail.
• Measure your dough trays against the cabinet.
• Plan where the oven goes relative to the compressor side.
• Order spare pans and lids.
• Plan who will inspect the delivery before signing.

Pizza Prep Table FAQ

What size pizza prep table do I need?

Match the pan count to your topping list and the length to your staffing. Six toppings and one maker: the 44" MPF8201GR. Up to nine toppings: the 67" MPF8202GR. Ten or more toppings or two makers at peak: the 93" MPF8203GR.

How many pans come with each Atosa pizza prep table?

Six 1/3-size stainless steel pans on the MPF8201GR, nine on the MPF8202GR and twelve on the MPF8203GR. The pans are 6" deep.

What temperature does an Atosa pizza prep table hold?

35°F to 38°F, per Atosa. The FDA Food Code calls for cold-held TCS foods to be at 41°F or below.

Do I need a special outlet?

No. All three models use 115V single-phase power with a standard NEMA 5-15P plug. Use a properly grounded outlet, ideally on a dedicated circuit, and no extension cord.

How deep is the cutting board?

19-1/4" on all three models, deep enough to stretch and top a full pie.

How deep and tall are the tables?

All three are 34-1/8" deep and 43-1/8" high. Widths are 44-1/8", 67-1/8" and 93-1/8".

What is the difference between a pizza prep table and a sandwich prep table?

A pizza prep table has a much deeper cutting board (19-1/4" on the Atosa MPF) and larger 1/3-size topping pans. A sandwich table has a shallower board and usually smaller 1/6-size pans. See the comparison above.

Which overshelf fits my table?

Each overshelf matches one table width: MROS-44P for the 44", MROS-67P for the 67" and MROS-93P for the 93".

How much weight can the overshelf hold?

Atosa rates the MROS-44P at 180 lb, the MROS-67P at 200 lb and the MROS-93P at 220 lb.

What refrigerant does it use?

R290, a natural hydrocarbon refrigerant, with a side-mounted compressor.

What is the warranty?

3 years parts and labor and 5 years on the compressor.

How often should I clean the condenser coil?

At least monthly, and more often in a kitchen with a lot of flour in the air. Unplug the unit first.

Why is the rail warmer than the cabinet?

The rail is open to kitchen air and heat from the oven and the line. Pre-chill product, do not overfill pans above the rim, cover pans during slow periods and keep slow movers away from the oven end.

Can I keep dough in the cabinet?

Yes, if your dough trays fit the shelves. Measure your trays against the cabinet before ordering, and keep dough covered.

Can I add more shelves?

Yes. Atosa sells extra shelves with four clips each: part W0402572 for the MPF8201GR and the middle section of the MPF8203GR, and W0402573 for the MPF8202GR and the outer sections of the MPF8203GR.

Can I use a pizza prep table outdoors?

It is built as indoor commercial refrigeration. If you use it outside, keep it under cover, in the shade and out of the rain, on stable 115V power, and check temperatures often.

Should I turn it off at night?

No. Keep it running, and cover or move the rail product at close. Daily on-off cycling is hard on the compressor and makes temperatures harder to manage.

Why does my pizza prep table leak water?

The usual causes are a blocked condensate drain, a damaged drain pan or an unlevel unit. Atosa's manual lists all three.

Why is my pizza prep table noisy?

Most often loose screws or an unlevel cabinet, both listed in Atosa's manual. See Noises and what they mean.

Is a used pizza prep table worth it?

Only if you can see it running, check temperatures and inspect the coil and gaskets. A used unit usually has no warranty. See New vs. used.