Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar having a cabinet with an elongate opening. At least one divider of thermally conductive material extends the length of the elongate cabinet opening and divides the interior cabinet space into a plurality of elongate, pan-receiving cavities. The divider comprises a side wall and a bottom wall and at least one of the bottom wall and the side wall having a wall thickness between about 0.1 inch and about 0.2 inch. At least one food-holding pan received in one of the pan-receiving cavities has a bottom wall and side walls. At least one of the side walls of the at least one food-holding pan is spaced from the side wall of the divider between about 0.03 inch and about 0.15 inch. A temperature control system controls the temperature of the at least one divider.

Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar. The food serving bar has a plurality of elongate, generally parallel, spaced apart dividers of thermally conductive material extending lengthwise of the serving bar. The dividers have side walls dividing the food serving bar into a plurality of elongate generally parallel cavities. A temperature control system controls the temperature of the side walls of the dividers. Upwardly facing surfaces on the dividers support food-holding pans in positions in which the pans extend down into the cavities adjacent the side walls of the dividers for being heated or cooled thereby. Thermal barriers below the upwardly facing surfaces inhibit the transfer of heat between the side walls of the dividers and the surfaces.

Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar. The food serving bar has a plurality of elongate, generally parallel, spaced apart dividers of thermally conductive material extending lengthwise of the serving bar. The dividers have side walls dividing the food serving bar into a plurality of elongate generally parallel cavities. A temperature control system controls the temperature of the side walls of the dividers. Upwardly facing surfaces on the dividers support food-holding pans in positions in which the pans extend down into the cavities adjacent the side walls of the dividers for being heated or cooled thereby. Thermal barriers below the upwardly facing surfaces inhibit the transfer of heat between the side walls of the dividers and the surfaces.

Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar. The food serving bar includes a cabinet having a bottom, opposite sides and opposite ends defining an interior-space. A top wall and an opening in the top wall are above the interior space. A plurality of elongate, generally parallel spaced apart dividers of thermally conductive material extend lengthwise of the cabinet in or below the opening. The dividers have side walls dividing the interior space into elongate generally parallel cavities. A temperature control system for controlling the temperature of the dividers has heat transfer lines extending along the side walls of the dividers. Upwardly facing surfaces on the dividers support food-holding pans such that the pans extend down into the cavities adjacent the side walls. Thermal barriers below the upwardly facing surfaces inhibit the transfer of heat between the side walls and the upwardly facing surfaces.

Abstract: A temperature controlled food serving bar. The food serving bar includes a cabinet having a bottom, opposite sides and opposite ends defining an interior space. A top wall and an opening in the top wall are above the interior space. A plurality of elongate, generally parallel spaced apart dividers of thermally conductive material extend lengthwise of the cabinet in or below the opening. The dividers have side walls dividing the interior space into elongate generally parallel cavities. A temperature control system for controlling the temperature of the dividers has heat transfer lines extending along the side walls of the dividers. Upwardly facing surfaces on the dividers support food-holding pans such that the pans extend down into the cavities adjacent the side walls. Thermal barriers below the upwardly facing surfaces inhibit the transfer of heat between the side walls and the upwardly facing surfaces.

Abstract: A dispenser for stackable articles such as dishes and the like. The dispenser comprises a housing having an opening in its top, a carriage for supporting a generally vertical stack of the articles, mechanism for biasing the carriage vertically upwardly in the housing to dispense the articles from the top of the housing, a plurality of elongate guide members in the housing, and apparatus for mounting the guide members. The carriage is moveable within the housing along a generally vertical central axis of the housing. The guide members are spaced about the periphery of the carriage for retaining the articles in a generally vertical stack. Each guide member has a vertically extending guide surface for slideably abutting marginal edge portions of the articles stacked on the carriage.