Whether you’re opening a café, dessert parlour, ice cream shop or holiday park, choosing the right soft serve ice cream machine is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Buying a machine that’s too small can lead to long queues and lost sales, while buying one that’s too large could mean spending more than your business needs.
At Longo & Co., we supply commercial soft serve machines, Mr Whippy machines, gravity fed machines and pump fed ice cream machines with production capacities ranging from 30-65 litres per hour. Our machines are suitable for businesses of every size, from independent cafés through to high-volume leisure attractions.
One of the biggest misconceptions when buying a soft serve ice cream machine is how the quoted production capacity actually works. Understanding this before you invest can save you from disappointed customers and help you choose the right machine from the start.
What Does Litres Per Hour Actually Mean?
When a Mr Whippy machine or softie machine is advertised as producing 30 litres per hour, this doesn’t mean it can continuously dispense 30 litres of soft serve ice cream from the moment it is switched on.
Instead, this figure represents the average amount of ice cream the machine can produce over an hour, including the time it needs to freeze fresh mix and recover after dispensing.
For example, a 30 litre per hour soft serve machine will produce approximately 360 standard 80g portions, averaging around 6 portions per minute.
Our range extends all the way up to 65 litres per hour, making them ideal for busy businesses serving hundreds of customers throughout the day.
The important thing to remember is that these figures are averaged over an hour. They are not an indication that the machine can instantly dispense hundreds of portions without needing time to recover.
Your Busiest Five Minutes Matter More Than Your Whole Day
Many people buying their first soft serve ice cream machine focus on how many ice creams they’ll sell in an entire day.
In reality, the question you should be asking is:
How many customers will I need to serve during my busiest few minutes?
Imagine your business sells 300 ice creams in a day. A 30 litre machine is more than capable of producing that volume over the course of the day.
However, what happens when the sun comes out, a coach party arrives, or the local school finishes and suddenly 20-30 customers are standing at your counter within five minutes?
Your soft serve machine needs to continue dispensing while replacing the product being drawn from the freezing cylinder.
If customer demand exceeds the machine’s recovery rate, people will begin waiting while the machine catches up. Long queues often result in lost sales, especially during busy summer periods when customers expect fast service.
This is why we always recommend choosing your Mr Whippy machine based on your busiest trading periods rather than your average daily sales.
Don’t Forget About Milkshakes
If you’re planning to serve soft serve milkshakes, this should also influence the size of machine you choose.
A standard portion of soft serve ice cream is approximately 80 grams.
A milkshake, however, typically uses three to four times more soft serve ice cream than a standard cone or tub.
Although you may only sell one milkshake, your machine is effectively producing the equivalent of several portions of ice cream every time one is made.
If milkshakes are going to form a significant part of your menu, choosing a higher-capacity soft serve ice cream machine will help ensure your business can continue serving customers efficiently during busy periods.
Gravity Fed Machine or Pump Fed Ice Cream Machine?
Another important consideration is whether to choose a gravity fed machine or a pump fed ice cream machine.
A gravity fed soft serve machine allows the mix to naturally flow into the freezing cylinder under its own weight. These machines are simple, reliable and ideal for many cafés, restaurants and smaller businesses.
A pump fed ice cream machine, often used in high-volume Mr Whippy operations, injects air into the mix before freezing. This creates what’s known as overrun, giving the ice cream a lighter, creamier texture while increasing the number of portions produced from the same amount of mix.
Depending on your overrun settings, a pump fed machine can produce 30-40% more servings than an equivalent gravity fed machine.
This means lower ingredient costs per serving, improved profit margins and a higher overall output, making pump fed machines an excellent choice for businesses with high customer demand.
Choosing the Right Soft Serve Machine
At Longo & Co., our range of soft serve ice cream machines includes models producing between 30-65 litres per hour, allowing us to recommend equipment that suits your business rather than simply selling the largest machine available.
When recommending a soft serve machine, we consider your expected peak demand, the number of customers you’re likely to serve during busy periods, whether you’ll be selling cones, tubs, sundaes or milkshakes, the space available in your premises and your plans for future growth.
Whether you’re looking for a Mr Whippy machine, a gravity fed machine, a pump fed ice cream machine or even a gelato maker to expand your dessert offering, choosing equipment with the right capacity will ensure your business continues serving customers quickly and efficiently.
Final Thoughts
The right soft serve ice cream machine isn’t determined by how many ice creams you sell in a day. It’s determined by how many customers you need to serve when your business is at its busiest.
By choosing a machine that can comfortably handle your peak demand, you’ll reduce waiting times, improve customer satisfaction and avoid losing valuable sales during your busiest trading periods.
If you’re unsure which soft serve machine is right for your business, the team at Longo & Co. can help. We’ll calculate the ideal machine based on your expected customer numbers, your menu and your busiest periods, ensuring you invest in equipment that will continue performing as your business grows.
