Commercial Griddles and Flat Top Grills in Canada: Gas vs Electric, Sizing and Clamshell Options

A commercial griddle is a flat, heated metal plate used to cook burgers, eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, and vegetables in volume, and it is the same piece of equipment many Canadian operators call a flat top grill or a flat grill. Choosing one comes down to five decisions: gas or electric, width and heat input for your busiest hour, single-sided flat top or two-sided clamshell, manual or thermostatic controls, and how your crew will clean it every night. This guide works through each decision using manufacturer specifications from Taylor, whose L800 series two-sided grills TFI supplies and services across Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

The stakes are real. Canadian food services and drinking places sold $101.4 billion in 2025, up 5.6% from 2024, and burgers and fries remain the most-ordered menu category, while the chicken sandwich posted 26% more servings than in 2020. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, and breakfast sandwiches are griddle products, so the plate you choose sets the pace of your line. If you already know you want two-sided cooking, browse the Taylor commercial grills TFI carries.

Commercial Griddle, Flat Top Grill, or Flat Grill: What Is the Difference?

In commercial kitchens, a griddle, a flat top grill, a flat grill, and a flat top griddle are the same thing: a thick metal plate heated from below by gas burners or electric elements. The names reflect regional and brand habits, not different equipment. A charbroiler is the one that differs, because it cooks over open grates and leaves grill marks.

The split that matters is single-sided versus two-sided cooking. A single-sided griddle heats only the plate, so the cook flips product by hand. A two-sided grill, usually called a clamshell grill, adds one or more heated upper platens that lower onto the food and cook the top at the same time. Taylor's operator manual describes its L800 series grills as providing "all the features of a flat grill as well as the advantages of two-sided cooking".

Gas vs Electric Commercial Griddles

Gas or electric is mainly a question of what your building can supply. A gas griddle needs a gas line, a licensed gas fitter, and venting clearances. An electric flat top grill needs a large dedicated electrical circuit. Both cook well, and both normally sit under a grease-rated exhaust hood, so confirm hood and fire suppression requirements with your local building and fire officials before you order.

One detail catches buyers out: Taylor's gas two-sided grills are hybrids. The L811, L813, L819, and L821 heat the lower plate with gas and the upper platens with electricity, so they need both utilities. The L810, L812, L820, L822, and L828 are fully electric. The comparison below uses figures from Taylor's spec sheets and ENERGY STAR.

In Ontario, gas appliances must be installed by a TSSA-certified gas technician, and electrical work needs an ESA notification filed by a licensed electrical contractor. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador each license gas fitters and electricians under their own provincial rules. Before deciding, run a one-year utility comparison at your local natural gas and electricity rates against the unit's BTU or kW rating.

For gas-specific installation and ventilation detail, see our commercial gas flat top grill buyer's guide.

Sizing a Commercial Flat Top Griddle by Covers per Hour

Size a commercial griddle to your busiest hour, not your average day. Count the grilled items you sell in the peak 60 minutes (here, one cover means one guest order with one grilled item), then pick the width and heat input that keeps pace without holding product.

Most single-sided gas griddles run one burner for every 12 inches of plate, typically rated between 20,000 and 30,000 BTU/h. Taylor's gas two-sided models sit in the same range at 25,000 BTU/h per 12-inch zone, but add electric heat from above. Taylor states that two-sided cooking cuts cook times by up to 50% compared with traditional flat top grills, which means each inch of Taylor plate can turn over up to twice as much product. The table maps each Taylor model one size class up, which is a conservative match.

Treat the table as a starting point and confirm it with a menu-specific throughput model. Three practical checks apply to every install:

Single-Sided Flat Top vs Two-Sided Clamshell Grill

A single-sided flat top is the more flexible, lower-cost tool, and a two-sided clamshell grill is the faster, more consistent one. The right choice depends on how much of your grill volume is repeatable proteins versus made-to-order variety.

A single-sided griddle is the right call for breakfast-heavy menus built on eggs and pancakes, low-volume sites, tight budgets, and menus that change weekly. A clamshell grill pays off when the peak hour runs on repeatable proteins, when drive-thru times matter, when labour is tight, and when a multi-unit brand needs every location producing the same burger. Plenty of operators run both: a two-sided grill for core proteins and a small flat top for specialty builds.

Taylor L800 Series Two-Sided Grills: The Throughput Option

For operators whose peak hour is built on burgers, chicken, and breakfast sandwiches, a Taylor L800 series two-sided grill is the throughput option. Taylor's product copy, as published by its factory-appointed distributors, states that its "revolutionary two-sided grilling cooks a frozen patty two-thirds faster than traditional flat grills". That is the roughly 66% gain behind our commercial flat top grill guide for smash burgers. Taylor's current grills page gives the broader, all-menu figure more conservatively: cook times reduced by up to 50% versus traditional flat top grills.

In practice, at Taylor's conservative 50% figure, a grill station that turns eight loads of patties an hour on a flat top can turn up to sixteen on a two-sided grill, with the same cook. That is the difference between adding a second grill position at lunch and not needing one.

TFI carries nine Taylor L800 series models. The specifications below come from Taylor's spec sheets and operator manuals.

Electric ratings vary by voltage and phase. Each lower cook zone is 12 inches wide, and the "L" prefix denotes a 21-inch platen length. Confirm the electrical configuration for your site with TFI.

Every model in the series shares the same core features, according to Taylor's spec sheets and manuals:

Two options matter for burger programs. Weighted platens, offered on three-phase configurations of the L810, L811, L812, L813, L819, and L820, are designed to press a fresh hand-formed portion into a patty while keeping its juices and sear. Grooved upper platen versions (G810, G819, G820, G828) add grill marks.

A Taylor grill also covers griddle work. Each menu item is set to CLAM or FLAT. In flat mode the upper platens stay up and product cooks on the lower surface only, and up to four flat items can be timed in one zone at once. That keeps eggs, bacon, onions, and toasted buns on the same unit that runs your burgers. For menu ideas and labour math, see the benefits of two-sided grills for Canadian restaurants.

Thermostatic vs Manual Griddle Controls

Manual controls set how much heat goes in, while thermostatic controls hold the plate at a set temperature. For any griddle that runs through a rush, thermostatic control is worth the extra cost.

Thermostatic control also affects energy cost. ENERGY STAR's griddle specification covers "single- and double-sided gas and electric models that are thermostatically controlled," so a manual-control griddle cannot earn the label.

Commercial Griddle Cleaning: A Daily Routine That Protects the Plate

Clean a commercial griddle lightly after every run and fully once a day. The routine is slightly different for a single-sided flat top and for a two-sided grill with release sheets, and your manufacturer's manual always takes priority over general advice.

Single-sided flat top griddle cleaning

Taylor two-sided grill cleaning

Taylor's operator manual sets out a specific routine for the L800 series. After each run of product, scrape grease on the lower surface from front to back with the grill scraper, squeegee the release sheet with light downward strokes, and push grease at the rear into the grease can with the squeegee. Wipe the release sheets with a clean, sanitizer-soaked grill cloth at least four times an hour.

The daily clean follows this sequence:

Our step-by-step Taylor grill cleaning guide walks through the full routine with photos from TFI's technician training video.

Installation, Service and Financing in Ontario and Atlantic Canada

How well a commercial griddle performs depends on how it is installed and who services it. TFI has supplied Canadian foodservice for more than 60 years and handles Taylor grill projects across Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. A typical project covers four steps:

A two-sided grill costs more upfront than a single-sided griddle. Leasing, lease-to-own, and rental options spread that cost over the period the grill pays it back. Our restaurant equipment financing guide for Canada covers the options.

Commercial Griddle Buying Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a griddle and a flat top grill?

There is no practical difference. In commercial foodservice, griddle, flat top grill, flat grill, and flat top griddle all describe a flat metal plate heated from below. The meaningful distinction is between a single-sided griddle and a two-sided clamshell grill, which adds heated upper platens that cook the top of the food at the same time.

Is a gas or electric commercial griddle better?

Neither is better in every kitchen. Gas suits sites that already have gas service, and propane works for rural and seasonal locations. A commercial electric griddle suits kitchens without a gas line, as long as the electrical service can carry the load. ENERGY STAR estimates certified electric griddles are 17% more efficient than standard models and certified gas griddles 14% more efficient, so compare certified units at your local utility rates.

What size commercial griddle do I need?

Size to your busiest hour. As a starting point, 30 to 60 peak-hour grill covers fits a 24-inch single-sided griddle, 60 to 100 fits 36 inches, 100 to 200 fits 48 inches, and 200 to 350 fits 60 inches. Because Taylor two-sided grills cut cook times by up to 50%, a Taylor unit can usually be one size class narrower, for example a 24-inch L819 or L820 in place of a 36-inch flat top.

What is a clamshell grill?

A clamshell grill is a commercial griddle with one or more heated upper platens that close over the food, cooking both sides at once without flipping. Taylor's L800 series clamshell grills use automatic gapping and programmable controls, so every product cooks at the same gap, time, and temperature on every cycle.

Can a Taylor two-sided grill be used as a regular flat top griddle?

Yes. Each menu item on a Taylor L800 series grill is programmed as CLAM or FLAT. In flat mode the upper platens stay raised and product cooks on the lower surface only, with up to four flat items timed in one zone at once. That lets one unit handle eggs, bacon, onions, and buns alongside two-sided burger and chicken cooking.

How hot does a commercial griddle get?

It depends on the model, so check the spec sheet. On Taylor's L800 series, the lower surface can be programmed from 150°F to 400°F (66°C to 204°C) and the upper platen from 150°F to 450°F (66°C to 232°C), with separate set points for each menu item.

How do you clean a commercial griddle?

Scrape after every load, empty the grease trough during the shift, and do a full clean once a day with the manufacturer's approved cleaner, then re-season steel plates with a thin film of oil. On Taylor two-sided grills, use the Clean mode, clean the release sheets on both sides, apply about 3 oz (90 mL) of cleaner per 12-inch zone, and never use cold water, ice, or a jet of water.

Are Taylor two-sided grills ENERGY STAR certified?

Taylor's spec sheets list the L810, L811, L812, and L813 as ENERGY STAR qualified at 208V or 240V, 60 Hz. Every L800 series model also has a standby alert, which Taylor says reduces operating energy by up to 40% compared with full operation mode when a platen is idle.

Choosing the Right Commercial Griddle for Your Kitchen

The right commercial griddle is sized to your peak hour, matched to the utilities you already have, and backed by service close to your kitchen. For breakfast-heavy or low-volume menus, a thermostatic single-sided flat top is often enough. For burger, chicken, and breakfast sandwich volume, a Taylor L800 series two-sided grill turns the same plate into more covers per hour, with programmed consistency your whole crew can run.

TFI's equipment specialists can model your peak hour, check your gas and electrical service, and match you to the right Taylor model. Request a free quote or demo to get started.

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