Summary
Good • Better • Best options with realistic budget ranges for jails, prisons, and detention facilities.
Correctional facilities must balance security, durability, high-volume production, and tight supervision requirements. These equipment packages help administrators quickly identify the right investment level based on population size, security level, and operational needs.
PACKAGE 1 — ESSENTIAL / “GOOD” TIER
Estimated Budget: $150,000 – $400,000
For small jails or limited-scope upgrades where safety and compliance are the priority.
Ideal For:
- County jails under 400 inmates
- Facilities replacing failed equipment
- Sites with limited inmate labor
- Kitchens needing secure, basic, reliable functionality
Included Equipment:
Cookline
- 1–2 correctional-grade convection ovens (reinforced hinges, tamper-resistant controls)
- 1 basic correctional steamer
- Electric range or induction top (safer than open flame)
Dishroom
- Door-type or small conveyor dish machine (tamper-resistant controls)
- Welded, enclosed dishtables
- Basic soiled tray return shelf/station
Storage & Refrigeration
- Reinforced-hinge reach-in refrigerators/freezers
- Basic enclosed dry storage shelving (no hollow tubing)
Meal Delivery
- Non-weaponizable insulated trays
- 1–2 basic correctional meal carts
Security Fixtures
- Anti-ligature handles
- Tamper-resistant fasteners
- Locked control boxes
What You Get in This Tier
A safe, compliant kitchen that prevents common risks:
- Contraband hiding
- Tampering with controls
- Food temperature violations
- Labor workflow disruptions
Perfect for facilities requiring affordability without sacrificing safety.
PACKAGE 2 — OPERATIONAL / “BETTER” TIER
Estimated Budget: $450,000 – $1,200,000
Balanced performance for state prisons and medium-security facilities needing higher throughput and improved workflow.
Ideal For:
- Prisons serving 800–2,500 inmates
- Facilities with consistent inmate labor
- Kitchens upgrading from aging systems
- Agencies that need increased reliability
Included Equipment:
Cookline
- Correctional combi oven (locked programming, reinforced doors)
- Tilt skillet / braising pan (40-gallon)
- Steam kettle (40–60 gallon, enclosed jacket)
Dishroom
- High-capacity conveyor dish machine (correctional package)
- Secure tray return conveyor
- Welded dishtables with sloped tops
Storage & Refrigeration
- Correctional walk-in cooler & freezer (sloped ceilings, reinforced hinges)
- Enclosed dry storage shelving
Meal Delivery
- Locking hot/cold meal delivery carts
- Diet-specific tray segregation system
- Correctional trayline conveyor
Security Fixtures
- Full enclosed-base casework
- Locked chemical access
- Hard-mounted equipment to prevent movement
What You Get in This Tier
A complete, durable, medium-security correctional kitchen system:
- Reduced downtime
- Faster meal throughput
- Safe inmate participation
- Improved sanitation compliance
- More efficient workflows
This is the most common package for modern state prisons.
PACKAGE 3 — FULL CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM / “BEST” TIER
Estimated Budget: $1,500,000 – $4,000,000+
High-security, high-volume, integrated equipment systems for maximum-security and multi-building corrections environments.
Ideal For:
- Maximum-security facilities
- Supermax / restrictive housing
- New construction & major renovations
- Regional production kitchens feeding multiple units
Included Equipment:
Cookline
- Double-stack correctional combi ovens
- 80-gallon enclosed steam kettle
- High-capacity tilt skillet
- Fully enclosed cookline infrastructure
- Induction-based supplemental cooking
Dishroom
- Flight-type dish machine (correctional)
- Covered tray return system (anti-ligature guards)
- Automated scrapping module
Storage & Refrigeration
- Full correctional walk-in suite
- Enclosed compressor housing
- HACCP temp monitoring
- Lockable access
- Welded storage rooms (floor-mountable)
Meal Delivery
- Fleet of locking hot/cold transit carts
- Clamshell trays for segregation units
- Pass-through meal portals
- Pre-mapped delivery routes
Security Fixtures
- Anti-ligature fixtures everywhere
- Welded cabinetry across facility
- Anchored, tamper-resistant systems
- Staff-only control hubs
Optional Enhancements
- Digital production/cost systems
- Analytics dashboards
- Central kitchen feeding smaller satellite facilities
What You Get in This Tier
A fully integrated, corrections-grade foodservice environment that delivers:
- Maximum security
- Seamless distribution to multiple units
- Staff-only control over all critical systems
- Zero downtime expectations
- Long-term durability
This tier is standard for maximum-security and federal institutions, especially new builds.
FAST SCAN SUMMARY TABLE
FACILITY SIZE MULTIPLIERS
For convenience, here’s how budgets scale:
These ranges are consistent with current correctional procurement benchmarks across the U.S. and reflect both equipment and security-cleared installation — the largest cost driver in corrections.
OPTIONAL ADD-ONS & THEIR COST IMPACT
(These can appear in any tier.)
Additional $20,000 – $150,000
- Security camera integration in walk-ins
- Tool control systems
- Digital training/recipe systems
- Waste reduction or composting equipment
Additional $50,000 – $250,000
- Hood/ventilation upgrades (UL 300, tamper-resistant)
- Infrastructure upgrades (plumbing, electrical, steam)
Additional $150,000 – $1,000,000+
- Centralized production facilities
- Satellite kitchen distribution systems
- Multiple building trayline networks
