Plate Caddies, Dish Caddies & Tray Carts

Best Plate Caddies, Dish Caddies & Tray Carts for Hospitality Operations

Large‐scale food service depends on speed and presentation. When you need 200 dinner plates at the buffet or a stack of room-service trays on a different floor, the right plate caddy, dish caddy, or tray cart lets one staff member move everything safely in a single trip. By keeping stacks upright and protected, these carts prevent costly rim chips, reduce breakage and free your team to focus on guests instead of lugging stacks of china.

GoFoodservice offers a wide range of capacities, from 180-plate dollies ideal for restaurants to enclosed towers that hold 360 banquet plates. Choose open towers for quick access or enclosed polymer tubs when you need extra protection on the loading dock. Whatever your traffic pattern, our lineup helps staff move clean ware quickly while maintaining a polished, professional dining experience.

Benefits of a Plate Caddy

Investing in dedicated plate and tray carts brings immediate operational wins.

• Labor efficiency, one cart replaces dozens of hand carries, cutting setup and cleanup time.
• China protection, molded towers or adjustable pegs hold plates apart, preventing edge-to-edge contact.
• Quiet mobility, wrapped bumpers and non-marking casters roll smoothly through carpeted ballrooms and tile kitchens.
• Space savings, vertical stacking fits hundreds of plates into a footprint smaller than 24x30 inches.
• Food-safe sanitation, NSF-listed polymers withstand 180°F rinse water and daily chemical cleaning without rust.

What to Look for in Plate Caddies, Dish Caddies & Tray Carts

Not every operation handles china the same way. Keep these criteria in mind while you compare models:

• Capacity: Select towers that match your largest event, from 180 to 360 plates per cart.
• Compartment count: Four-column caddies organize entrée plates, eight-column models split salad, dessert and entrée sizes.
• Material: High-impact polymer resists chemicals and dents, while stainless frames add strength for heavy stoneware.
• Plate diameter: Adjustable towers handle 7- to 13-inch plates without shims or tools.
• Spring-loaded bases: Lift stacks toward waist height, minimizing bending and back strain.
• Covers & lids: Vinyl or rigid poly lids keep plates dust-free during off-site catering runs.

If you are reworking your dish room, pair a new caddy with storage and transport racks or upgrade your dish cleanup carts for a fully streamlined flow.

Popular Options & Configurations

Plate and tray carts come in several sub-types to meet specific service styles.

• Open-tower dish dollies: Fast access for banquets where plates move from kitchen pass to chafers in minutes.
• Enclosed polymer caddies: Solid walls shield china from bumps on trucks and back docks during off-site catering.
• Tray carts with horizontal slides: Cafeterias and hospitals transport meal trays while maintaining airflow.
• Spring-elevating column carts: Hotels preset buffets at ergonomic height and collapse the spring when storing.

Trusted names like American Metalcraft, Cambro and Lakeside provide durable polymers, smooth welds and casters that glide shift after shift.

Need Help Picking the Right Plate Caddy?

Unsure about column width, cover style or caster diameter? Our specialists can match cart capacity to your plate size, aisle width and storage space so you avoid costly mismatches and keep service flowing.

Shop Our Plate Caddies, Dish Caddies & Tray Carts Today

Protect delicate china, reduce setup time and move food service into high gear. Explore the full lineup, compare capacities and materials, and place your order with confidence. After outfitting your dish room, consider our selection of commercial utility carts to streamline every part of your operation.