TIL air fryer baskets at a diner near me get used for everything

I went to a small diner in Dayton last weekend and noticed the cook was using an air fryer for almost every order. He had three baskets going at once, doing fries, chicken tenders, and even a burger patty. The owner told me they switched from a deep fryer about 6 months ago to save on oil costs, which dropped by around $200 a month. I asked if they ever had issues with overcrowding, and he said they just run smaller batches now. Has anyone else seen restaurants go all-in on air fryers like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

wyatt1351mo ago

Man, air fryers are actually a pain to keep clean when you're running them nonstop like that. You gotta scrub the baskets after every other batch or the grease buildup will start smoking. I'd suggest getting a few extra baskets so you can swap them out and let one soak while the others go.

drew_jones311mo ago

Yeah man, you're dead right. I've had to stop mid-cook and scrub the basket with a paper towel just to keep the smoke alarm quiet. Extra baskets sound like a lifesaver, I'm gonna grab a couple next time I'm at the store.

troy_price1mo ago

Drew, @wyatt135 nailed it - extra baskets are the move for sure.