At a Glance
- Client: Fulton County Schools (FCS), Atlanta, GA
- Scale: 100 schools | 95 kitchens | ~72,000 meals/day
- Solution: Merco CrispyMax® convected-air holding
- Result: Hotter, crispier food, faster service, happier students
The Challenge
Serving high volumes in short meal windows made it difficult for Fulton County Schools to maintain the quality of crispy items like fries and chicken nuggets. After baking, food was held in traditional hot wells with no air circulation—leading to soggy texture, temperature loss, frequent restocking, and longer student wait times.
“We were struggling significantly, serving products that were getting soggy and not staying hot.”
— Alyssia L. Wright, Ed.S., Executive Director, School Nutrition
The Solution
While attending the 2023 NAFEM Show, FCS discovered Merco CrispyMax, a dry, convected-air holding system that uses hot air—not steam—to preserve crispness and serving temperature.
Although originally designed outside of K–12, Merco partnered with FCS to adapt CrispyMax for school foodservice—making FCS the first K–12 district to implement the solution.
Why CrispyMax
- Convected hot air maintains crisp texture and temperature
- Open-well, perforated design for even airflow
- Plug-and-play (no water or drains)
- Independently programmable lanes for multiple products
Flexible configurations (1–4 lanes) with removable dividers
“It can hold crispy products out of an oven as well as it does out of a fryer.”
— Pam Sharrar, Director of Sales, Merco
Pilot & Proof
FCS piloted CrispyMax in eight schools across varied demographics to validate performance and usability.
Manager feedback highlighted:
- Fast heat-up times
- Simple, intuitive operation
- Easy cleaning with removable, dishwasher-safe components
Larger capacity than standard steam tables
“The two-lane unit has a larger capacity than standard steam tables, reducing the need for frequent restocking during meal service.”
— Alyssia L. Wright
Implementation at Scale
Following the successful pilot, FCS deployed 92 CrispyMax units—one for every middle and high school serving line.
Customized for FCS:
- Electrical compatibility support and specified plugs
- Mobile carts for existing facilities
- Drop-in units for new builds
By school type:
- High schools: Countertop or built-in integration
Middle schools: Mobile carts positioned next to serving lines
Results
- Crispy foods stayed hot and fresh through service
- Faster service with fewer restocks
- Shorter student wait times
- Increased demand for crispy menu items
Greater consistency and staff efficiency
CrispyMax now supports a wide range of items—from fries and nachos to chicken tenders—without compromising quality.
The Takeaway
With Merco CrispyMax, Fulton County Schools transformed how it holds and serves crispy foods—delivering consistent quality at scale, even under the pressures of high-volume K–12 foodservice.
Want to see how CrispyMax can work in your operation?
- Explore configurations, carts, and drop-in options designed for your serving lines here.