Enhancing Restaurant and Commercial Spaces with Mars Air Curtains
Challenge
When the produce-forward, high growth restaurant concept Salad and Go began their efforts to double their footprint year after year, they saw Mars air curtains as the brand of choice for the stream of air protection they can depend on. The national growth trajectory for the nutritious food leader includes drive-through centric installations across multiple U.S. climate zones, from hot humid Houston to the dry Arizona desert. While each climate zone nurtures their own specialized flying pests, every climate zone includes the daily struggle of fighting off flies, mosquitoes, bees, wasps, dragonflies and so much more. With more than 60 locations that sport walk-up windows, a double drive-thru design and an operating schedule that navigates multiple dayparts, operators need proven barrier-free protection from sunup to sundown.
The Solution
Mars customized a solution for the Salad and Go concept that took into account operational considerations, store configuration and climate to protect the pass-thru window, drive-thru windows and employee entrances. The Mars air curtain units were integrated with the window system for seamless installation and wiring, reducing labor costs and simplifying the start-up process during their high expansion phase when every construction day counts. While the Mars brand is widely recognized for its exceptional flying pest protection, Mars air curtains are now accepted in national building codes as an energy saving device with their capability to reduce excessive loads on heating and cooling systems. This ensures a lower annual utility spend and a longer HVAC system lifespan that results in a better operating profit.
STUDIES REVEAL A 6%-9% UPSIDE EFFECT ON WORK PERFORMANCE BASED ON IMPROVED AIR QUALITY AND TEMPERATURE. (WYON 2004)
SPICY HOT EXPANSION DEMANDS TRUSTED VENDORS
Dave’s Hot Chicken, serving Nashville-style fried chicken, is on a spicy-hot growth trajectory and even on track for being the fastest growing concept … ever. Committed to becoming the national leader in hot chicken, franchisees need construction plans that will yield a profitable concept ensured to have sanitary food prep and serving zones. They also need equipment partners that can support their high growth, high quality values and provide quick shipment when construction and roll-out schedules shift or are tight. Reliable products, exceptional customer service and quick technical support when needed are key qualities for vendors of high-performing chains. As their air curtain partner, Mars is working to deliver the protection they need and the energy savings that make a difference to their operating budget.
ENERGY SAVINGS AND SUSTAINABILITY LEAD - EQUIPMENT SOURCING
When a nationally noted chef and multi-restaurant concept developer committed to launch a new sustainable concept, his leading values were to operate profitably while minimizing the impact on the earth. The concept was envisioned to source products and equipment from value-sharing vendors who reduce emissions, minimize environmental impact, and save energy. The unit had two vulnerabilities that required protection: cold storage and the customer front entrance. Because the operator knew the value of UVC for sanitation, he sought out the Mars LoPro units enhanced with a UVC bulb to both extend product shelf life and provide a protective barrier to separate interior temperatures from outside air infiltration that causes temperature fluctuations. Mars LoPro units were installed at the customer front entrance. The operator immediately noticed the low sound profile and a significant drop in the accumulation of dust and exterior debris at the door which had accumulated heavily prior to air curtain installation.
REDUCING OPERATIONAL SPEND IN LARGE INDOOR-OUTDOOR ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX TO PREP FOR GROWTH
Designed for guests flowing in and out of game playing, eating and imbibing drinks, Chicken N Pickle takes inspiration from The American Town Square with activities pivoting from a large, central outdoor courtyard. The indoor structures wrap around the large performance space and host a series of 30-foot openings so that guests flow easily throughout. With plans to open 12 additional units in 2023 alone, the need to control operating costs and manage the flying pests, windborne dust and debris that the design inherently contributes was paramount to future growth. Initially the cost of 30 air curtains per unit appeared daunting but upon analysis, using the Mars ROI calculator, it became evident that the air curtains would pay for themselves within a year with the energy savings they bring about. Lowering the energy spend while managing exterior flying pests and windborne debris creates the brand experience operators need to provide a satisfying guest experience and repeat visits.
NEW COMFORT FOR OLD SPACES + RAMPED UP ENERGY SAVINGS
Navy Pier® is a 3,300-foot-long pier and entertainment site sitting directly adjacent to Lake Michigan in Chicago where lake effect weather increases snowfall in the winter. This body of water also provides the city with a lake breeze as a dominant feature. When Navy Pier undertook a multi-million dollar renovation in 2015, operators knew Mars air curtains had to be a feature to give this important community destination the thermal comfort guests demand. A series of units were installed along the north side windows to provide 24/7/365 barrier-free air stream protection so doors can open and close at will for free-flowing passage of visitors. Hot water heated Phantom units also provide added comfort of heating during the colder, windy, snow-driven months. Controller switches can be set to run after the door shuts to add more heat to the interior. And, in the hotter, humid midwestern summer months, chilled water can be run through the units to cool the air passing through the unit.