GN Sizes as a Workflow Tool: How to Make Menu Changes Easier
Most GN guides answer the first question: what does GN 1/1, 1/2 or 1/6 mean? This article answers the question operators feel during service: how do those sizes make tomorrow’s menu change easier? Gastronorm is not just a pan standard. Used well, it is a workflow system that lets a café change toppings, a care home batch and hold portions, a pub prep a Sunday carvery line, or a restaurant move food from prep to chill to service without decanting everything into different containers.
- GN 1/1 is the base footprint: 530 x 325mm, with fractional pans designed to combine into that module.
- Common depths include 20, 40, 65, 100, 150 and 200mm: depth affects capacity, reach-in effort and chilled holding behaviour.
- Fractions create menu flexibility: smaller pans suit high-variety, lower-volume ingredients; larger pans suit fast-moving staples.
- GN compatibility reduces decanting: the same pan family can move through prep counters, chillers, bain maries, combi ovens and wash-up.
- This complements Craven’s GN size guides: use those for exact dimensions, and this blog for how to apply the system to service flow.
Craven Cooling already has detailed GN sizing guides, so this post deliberately takes a different angle. Instead of repeating the chart, it looks at how GN choices affect labour, waste, allergen separation, topping changes, prep rhythm and the number of awkward tubs a kitchen collects over time.
For operators buying across multiple brands, that matters. GN is the common language that lets Polar, Foster, Williams and other equipment families work together in one kitchen. Brand neutrality is an advantage here: the goal is not one manufacturer’s pan, but a system your team can use without thinking.
Table of Contents
Think in Service Jobs, Not Fractions
Start with the job each ingredient does. Fast-moving chips, roast potatoes, pasta or curry sauce may justify a larger, deeper pan. Garnishes, pizza toppings, sandwich fillings and allergens often work better in smaller fractions because the team can lift, replace and label them quickly.
High-volume staples
Bigger footprint, sensible depth- Reduce refill frequency
- Suit batch cooking and holding
- Need careful temperature control when deep
High-variety toppings
Smaller fractions- Better for pizza, salad and sandwich prep
- Less waste at changeover
- Easier allergen separation
Specials and trials
Flexible spare pans- Test a new line without rebuilding the station
- Keep low-volume prep visible
- Swap quickly between dayparts
Use Depth to Control Behaviour
Depth is not just capacity. A very deep pan can be slower to work from, harder to rotate and easier to leave half-full at the end of service. A shallow pan may need more frequent refilling, but can keep the line fresher and make portion control easier.
| Depth choice | Useful for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 20-40mm | Low-volume garnish, tasting portions, small prep components | Frequent refilling |
| 65-100mm | Common prep counter and service-line work | Needs good labelling and rotation |
| 150-200mm | Bulk prep and high-volume storage | Can be awkward on a fast line if overused |
Build a Daypart Kit
A café might run breakfast yoghurt toppings, then lunch sandwich fillings, then afternoon cake garnishes. A pub might move from prep to carvery to evening bar snacks. Rather than treating GN pans as loose containers, build daypart kits: the fractions, lids and labels needed for each service.
- Breakfast kit: smaller pans for toppings, fruit and allergens that need clear separation.
- Lunch kit: 1/3 or 1/6 pans for sandwich and salad assembly where choice matters.
- Hot-hold kit: deeper pans only where the dish genuinely moves fast enough to justify them.
Avoid the Two Common GN Mistakes
The first mistake is buying only for today’s menu. The second is buying only for the equipment aperture. You need both: pans that physically fit and a mix that lets the menu change without a new round of containers.
If you are replacing a prep counter, saladette, bain marie or upright GN fridge, list the dishes that move through it during a full week. Craven Cooling can then help match equipment and pan mix across brands, rather than forcing your workflow around a single range.
Craven Cooling view: GN only earns its keep when the same pan can move between prep, storage, cooking, chilled service and display without repacking. That is the operational advantage to design around.
GN sizing is more than a dimensions chart. The right mix of footprints and depths lets operators change menus, separate allergens, reduce decanting and keep service lines flexible across prep, chill, cook, hold and wash-up.
