5 ms·

I realize this was in hypothetical terms, but do fry machines really cost $50k!?

greedo 5y ago
No. Perhaps the fully automated/robotic type that McDonalds uses do, but any restaurant that is spending $50k per fryer is insane.
- saryant 5y ago
  They really are that expensive, and not just the robotic ones.
  - greedo 5y ago
    Perhaps with the entire hood/exhaust and fire suppression system. But not a simple two basket fryer. When I bought mine (new) in 1995, they were roughly $3K. And this had a built-in filtering system. Actually, to spend $50K on a fryer system is pretty hard: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/63853/deep-fryer-with-oil-filtration-systems.html https://www.webstaurantstore.com/63853/deep-fryer-with-oil-f...
- crooked-v 5y ago
  McDonald's fryers are generally just standard commercial fryers with preset temperatures and timers. The only custom part is the (separate and standalone) machine that measures out standardized portions of fries into baskets, and while I'm sure they'd call it a trade secret it's really just a big plastic hopper and some sort of weight sensor arrangement.
  - greedo 5y ago
    Did McDonalds ever adopt the ones with built-in cleaning systems?
crooked-v 5y ago
A standalone commercial fryer unit meant to be run 24/7 might cost you $1000-$2000 or so if you don't want any special features in it.
ThrowawayR2 5y ago
A casual search shows machines costing from $1k to $42k: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/14389/electric-fryers.html https://www.webstaurantstore.com/14389/electric-fryers.html
- AKSucks 5y ago
  Dang, I can get a countertop fryer for $180? Fried food's on the menu, boys! Quadruple bypass, here I come.
  - dang 5y ago
    We've banned this account for repeatedly breaking the site guidelines. Please don't create accounts to do that with—that's against the site guidelines in its own right. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
bluGill 5y ago
Depends on size. Big ones were that much 20 years ago when I last priced them. Of course there are smaller models and used as well.

No. Perhaps the fully automated/robotic type that McDonalds uses do, but any restaurant that is spending $50k per fryer is insane.

saryant 5y ago
They really are that expensive, and not just the robotic ones.
- greedo 5y ago
  Perhaps with the entire hood/exhaust and fire suppression system. But not a simple two basket fryer. When I bought mine (new) in 1995, they were roughly $3K. And this had a built-in filtering system. Actually, to spend $50K on a fryer system is pretty hard: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/63853/deep-fryer-with-oil-filtration-systems.html https://www.webstaurantstore.com/63853/deep-fryer-with-oil-f...
crooked-v 5y ago
McDonald's fryers are generally just standard commercial fryers with preset temperatures and timers. The only custom part is the (separate and standalone) machine that measures out standardized portions of fries into baskets, and while I'm sure they'd call it a trade secret it's really just a big plastic hopper and some sort of weight sensor arrangement.
- greedo 5y ago
  Did McDonalds ever adopt the ones with built-in cleaning systems?

crooked-v 5y ago

A standalone commercial fryer unit meant to be run 24/7 might cost you $1000-$2000 or so if you don't want any special features in it.

ThrowawayR2 5y ago

A casual search shows machines costing from $1k to $42k: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/14389/electric-fryers.html https://www.webstaurantstore.com/14389/electric-fryers.html

AKSucks 5y ago
Dang, I can get a countertop fryer for $180? Fried food's on the menu, boys! Quadruple bypass, here I come.
- dang 5y ago
  We've banned this account for repeatedly breaking the site guidelines. Please don't create accounts to do that with—that's against the site guidelines in its own right. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

bluGill 5y ago

Depends on size. Big ones were that much 20 years ago when I last priced them. Of course there are smaller models and used as well.