Restaurants & Emergency Refrigeration
Walk-in coolers or freezers are essential to restaurants for preserving foods at peak flavor and keeping them are safe temperatures. When one fails, or if you’re remodeling, hosting outdoor events, or in need of extra seasonal space, emergency freezer rental or temporary refrigeration rental can be a lifesaver.
Polar Leasing is the perfect choice for your emergency refrigeration or temporary freezer storage needs. Our easy-to-use, temporary refrigeration rental units can be conveniently placed on-site, offering safe and convenient product storage.
These rental options are flexible and scalable, allowing you to meet fluctuating customer demands while minimizing disruptions to your operations.
Our temporary refrigeration rental and emergency freezer rental units are ideal for:
- Additional storage for peak seasons
- Emergency refrigeration
- Remodels & new construction
- Testing expanded menus
- Catering and private events
- Bulk food purchases & overstock
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Temporary refrigeration rental and emergency freezer rental units set directly on the ground, providing a safe work environment and easy access to your products. Plus, the compact footprint of our temporary refrigeration rental units can fit within the boundaries of a single parking space and operate off a simple electrical connection. With emergency refrigeration from Polar Leasing, you can get the cold storage you need without loud generators or diesel fumes.
- Exceed health department & OSHA standards
- Can be placed on any surface
- Have a clean professional appearance
- Operate quietly & efficiently
- Have bright interior lighting
- Are equipped with interior safety release handle
If you’re looking to purchase a walk-in cooler or a walk-in freezer unit please visit our affiliate Polar King.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can an emergency refrigeration unit be delivered and operational after a restaurant cooler or freezer fails?
In many service areas, Polar King can deliver an emergency refrigeration unit within 24 to 48 hours of the initial call, and in some cases same-day delivery may be available depending on fleet inventory and proximity to the nearest depot. Units arrive fully assembled and pre-wired, requiring only a standard electrical connection to begin operating, which means there is no waiting on a technician or installation crew. The faster the call is placed after a failure, the more options are typically available in terms of unit size and delivery timing.
What is the minimum rental term for temporary refrigeration units needed for a short-term restaurant emergency or equipment repair window?
Polar King temporary refrigeration units are available with rental terms starting at one week, which covers most emergency equipment failure and short-term repair situations. For restaurants that need coverage while a failed unit is being diagnosed, ordered, and replaced, a weekly rental provides a low-commitment option that can be extended if the repair timeline stretches longer than expected. Month-to-month and longer-term agreements are also available for operations with extended remodels or ongoing supplemental storage needs.
How does a walk in cooler rental differ operationally from a reefer truck used for the same purpose?
Walk in coolers are ground-level, electric-powered units that plug into a standard electrical connection and operate without diesel fuel, exhaust fumes, or generator noise. Reefer trucks require a running diesel engine to power the refrigeration system, which creates noise and air quality issues that are problematic in restaurant environments, particularly near dining areas or in urban locations with idling restrictions. Ground-level access also eliminates the ramp required to reach a trailer deck, which reduces handling time and physical risk for kitchen staff moving product in and out during a busy service period.
Can refrigerated storage be placed in a restaurant parking lot or alley without a level concrete pad?
Polar King refrigerated storage units are designed to be placed on a variety of outdoor surfaces including asphalt, gravel, and compacted ground, but the surface must be reasonably level for the unit to operate properly. An alley, side lot, or parking area is typically suitable as long as the placement surface is stable and level. Delivery crews position the unit in the location of the operator’s choice and confirm the setup before leaving the site.
What electrical requirements does an emergency freezer or cooler rental need to operate, and can it run on a standard restaurant circuit?
Polar King emergency cooler and freezer rentals both operate on a 30 amp service 208 to 230 volt single-phase electrical connection, which is commonly available in commercial restaurant kitchens. If you’re unsure about your facility or have any questions, Polar King’s team is happy to advise during the reservation process.
Does emergency cold storage from Polar King meet the health department and food safety compliance standards inspectors require?
Yes, Polar King walk in units are NSF-approved for food service use and constructed with a seamless fiberglass interior finished with an antimicrobial gel coat, which meets the sanitation requirements health department inspectors apply to temporary food storage in commercial kitchen environments. Units are equipped with interior lighting and maintain consistent temperature control across the full rental period, supporting the food safety documentation practices that HACCP-based operations require. Because the units are ground-level and self-contained, they do not introduce the compliance complications associated with reefer trucks, which are not always NSF-approved for direct food storage use.
At what point does it make more financial sense to rent emergency refrigeration storage long-term rather than replace a failed permanent unit outright?
Renting tends to make more financial sense than replacing when the cost and lead time of a new permanent unit are uncertain, when the facility’s refrigeration needs may change in the near term, or when capital is constrained and a large equipment purchase is not feasible in the current budget cycle. For operations evaluating whether to repair, replace, or relocate their cold storage setup, a rental provides time to make that decision without pressure while keeping the operation running.