Turning Up the Heat

Pineapple Hospitality's Electric Chafing Dish Heater

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. October 14, 2008

JUNE 19, 2007. Pineapple Hospitality has added the Buffet BurnerTM Electric Chafing Dish Heater to its lineup of innovative and profit-enhancing products. Created and patented by Intracoastal Innovations, the Buffet Burner provides a safe, environmentally responsible alternative to costly, open-flame canned fuels used to maintain food temperature in hospitality kitchens, buffets, serving lines and banquets.

Food and Beverage Managers will never have to worry about running out of canned fuel, or have to deal with the waste that comes from throwing out used fuel containers with the Buffet Burner. With this added convenience comes big savings, as the Buffet Burner is cheaper to run - at an average cost of only 4 cents an hour. One Buffet Burner equals an estimated 5,000 cans of fuel!

Less Trash, More Profits

'Being in the hospitality business for 15 years, we've seen the kind of waste that comes from banquets,' says Intracoastal Innovations' Robert Feagley. 'There's tons of trash, and you add to it with all of these empty or half-used cans of fuel. It's a never-ending cycle of ordering open-flamed fuel cans, using them and throwing them away, and then repeating the process over and over again.

'Instead of waste, the Buffet Burner leaves you with extra profits at the end of a banquet,' Feagley adds. 'It's cheaper and easier to run, and provides a safer serving station by eliminating open-flame hazards.'

'The Buffet Burner fits perfectly into Pineapple Hospitality's mission to provide products and services that deliver higher levels of guest satisfaction and profitability, while balancing environmental and social responsibility,' adds Ray Burger, president of St. Charles, Mo.-based Pineapple Hospitality. 'Not only is the Buffet Burner better for your bottom line, but it also protects the ozone layer by eliminating emissions from burning canned fuel and helps hotels avoid putting more empty cans into landfills.'

The Buffet Burner also eliminates emissions stemming from transporting the full fuel cans across the country, and cuts down on the amount of wrappings and packaging that end up in the trash.

'Since ethanol is the main ingredient in canned fuels, as demand for ethanol increases to power our cars and trucks, it puts upward pressure on the price of the canned fuel,' Feagley adds. 'It already has increased at least 40 percent in the past two years. But the rising demand and price of ethanol won't be a problem with the Buffet Burner.'

You're In Control

Unlike serving with open flame, the Buffet Burner allows you to take control of the temperature, the duration and the cost of your buffet heat. The Buffet Burner never runs out, never blows out and never leaves food sitting cold in chafing dishes.

The Buffet Burner's patented magnetic system securely attaches to virtually any full-size chafing dish, from standard economy chafers to high-end roll tops. Only one Buffet Burner is needed per chafing dish. Up to four Buffet Burners can be run together safely on one 20-amp outlet.

The Buffet Burner's unique controller allows you to heat your chafing dishes HOTTER or COOLER than open-flame canned fuel. Buffet Burners heat your chafing dishes faster than sternos, and the heat intensity is not affected by wind, room temperature or other conditions. An internal high-limit temperature switch cycles the system off if temperatures get too hot.

The Buffet Burner is made out of heavy-gauge, polished stainless steel. It's built to outlast your chafing dishes. The Buffet Burner is less hazardous to operate and store, as you don't have to put it away in a special fire-proof room, as you may with open-flame canned fuels.

'Users just love the versatility the Buffet Burner provides,' Feagley says. 'You don't have to wait for a certain time to light the fuel, and you don't have to worry about an event running long and running out of fuel. It just keeps going whenever and wherever it is needed.'

On Fire: Buffet Burner Testimonials

Executive Chef Christoph Setin from the San Jose Country Club in Florida has found success and savings with the Buffet Burner. He uses the Buffet Burner to serve lunch buffets at the country club, stressing how, especially for one-sided buffet set-ups, the Buffet Burner keeps the operation running smoothly.

'It's just a really good product. It saves a lot of money on fuel and is virtually maintenance free,' Chef Christoph says. 'It pays for itself in almost no time. And there are no more burned tablecloths or boxes of used fuel sitting around our serving areas. It really cleans things up.'

Phillip Price from the ClubHouse Inns & Suites in Savannah, Ga., was so impressed with the performance of the first Buffet Burner that he purchased for the hotel's daily breakfast buffet that he went out and quickly bought several more.

'The Buffet Burner does exactly what it is supposed to do,' Price says. 'It keeps the chafing dishes hot and the food fresh. It's not complicated - just plug it in and it goes, and keeps going. It's easy to store, easy to maintain, and keeps the guests happy. We're very pleased with the way it's working for us.'