Summary
Quick Reference Table for Jails, Prisons & Detention Centers
Assumes 3 meals/day.
For facilities serving 2 meals/day, reduce cookline equipment by ~20%.
For menus heavy in scratch cooking, increase kettle/steamer capacity by ~20–30%.
EQUIPMENT CAPACITY BY POPULATION
| Facility Population |
Ovens (Combi or Convection) |
Steamers |
Kettles / Tilt Skillets |
Dish Machine |
Walk-In Cooler |
Walk-In Freezer |
Meal Delivery Carts |
Notes |
| 50–150 inmates |
1 combi or 2 convection |
1 small 3–5 pan |
20–40 qt kettle or small tilt skillet |
Door-type high-temp |
80–120 sq ft |
40–80 sq ft |
3–5 carts |
Small jails; batch cooking is acceptable |
| 150–250 inmates |
1–2 combis |
1–2 5-pan units |
40–60 qt kettle |
Door-type or small conveyor |
120–200 sq ft |
80–120 sq ft |
5–7 carts |
Typical county jail; consider 2nd oven for menu flexibility |
| 250–500 inmates |
2 combis |
2 5–6 pan units |
40–60 gal kettle |
Small conveyor (130–180 racks/hr) |
200–300 sq ft |
100–150 sq ft |
7–10 carts |
Larger jails or small prisons |
| 500–1,000 inmates |
2–3 combis |
2–3 6-pan units |
60 gal kettles (1–2 units) |
Medium conveyor (180–250 racks/hr) |
300–400 sq ft |
150–200 sq ft |
10–20 carts |
Standard prison unit size |
| 1,000–2,000 inmates |
3–4 combis |
2–3 6–10 pan units |
60–80 gal kettles (2 units) |
Large conveyor (200–300 racks/hr) |
400–600 sq ft |
200–300 sq ft |
20–35 carts |
Multi-housing unit correctional facility |
| 2,000–3,000 inmates |
4–5 combis or roll-in ovens |
3 high-capacity steamers |
80 gal kettles (2–3 units) |
Large conveyor or small flight machine |
600–800 sq ft |
300–400 sq ft |
35–50 carts |
State prison hubs; tight meal windows |
| 3,000–5,000 inmates |
5–6 combis or rack ovens |
3–4 high-capacity |
80–100 gal kettles (3 units) |
Flight dish machine |
800–1,000 sq ft |
400–500 sq ft |
50–85 carts |
High-volume kitchens; redundancy essential |
| 5,000+ inmates |
Multiple rack ovens + combis |
4–6 steam banks |
100+ gal kettles (3–4 units) |
High-speed flight machine |
1,000+ sq ft |
500+ sq ft |
85–120 carts |
Mega-facilities; industrial-level production required |
ADJUSTMENT FACTORS
These help tailor sizing to your exact operation.
Menu Complexity Adjustment
| Menu Type |
Adjustment |
| Mostly reheated bulk food |
↓ Reduce equipment by ~15% |
| Mixed scratch + reheating |
Baseline |
| Heavy scratch cooking |
↑ Increase cookline by ~20–30% |
Delivery Schedule Adjustment
| Delivery Frequency |
Cooler / Freezer Adjustment |
| Daily |
Baseline |
| 2–3 times/week |
↑ Increase cooler size by 20% |
| Weekly delivery |
↑ Increase cooler size by 30–40% |
Labor Model Adjustment
If inmate labor availability is inconsistent:
- Prefer combi ovens over convection for simplicity
- Increase capacity to reduce the number of batches
- Choose programmable units with vandal-proof controls
View the interactive size my correctional kitchen equipment tool
