Case Study

From Pilot to Portfolio: Verified Savings Across a 50-Location Casual Dining Chain

Industry
Multi-unit casual dining restaurant
Portfolio Size
50 locations (company-operated)
Pilot Scope
60 units across 5 locations
Unit Types
Walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers, reach-in refrigerators, prep table coolers
Geography
Southeast United States
Challenge
Reduce refrigeration energy spend across the portfolio and extend equipment replacement cycles without disrupting kitchen operations or requiring capital equipment upgrades

Pre-Installation Baseline (30-Day Measurement Period)

Data loggers installed across 60 units at 5 representative locations. Monitoring period: 30 days prior to eTemp installation.

Metric Baseline Average
Daily energy consumption per unit 8.4 kWh/day
Compressor run time per unit 14.2 hours/day
Compressor cycles per unit per day 22 cycles
Estimated annual energy cost per unit $415/year (at $0.135/kWh blended rate)
Estimated portfolio annual energy cost (all 50 locations, avg. 10 units) $207,500/year

Baseline data reflects actual measured performance, not manufacturer specifications.

Installation

Units installed 60 units across 5 pilot locations
Installation method Non-invasive; no refrigerant lines opened
Points of failure introduced Zero
Installation time per unit Approximately 45 minutes
Operational disruption None reported; installation completed during and between service periods
Technician eTemp certified installer
Cost $95 per unit (professional installation)

Following installation, data loggers remained active on all 60 units for a 35-day post-installation monitoring period.

Post-Installation Verified Results (35-Day Monitoring Period)

Metric Baseline Post-Install Change
Daily energy consumption per unit 8.4 kWh 6.6 kWh −21%
Compressor run time per unit 14.2 hrs/day 7.3 hrs/day −49%
Compressor cycles per unit per day 22 cycles 11 cycles −50%
Estimated annual energy cost per unit $415 $328 −$87/unit/year

Portfolio Projections (All 50 Locations, 500 Total Units)

Projection Value
Annual energy savings ~$43,500/year
Estimated maintenance cost reduction ~$28,000/year
Total estimated annual savings ~$71,500/year
CO₂ reduction ~1,000 tons/year (500 units × ~2 tons/year)

All post-installation figures are measured values from data logger monitoring. Portfolio projections are calculated from per-unit verified results applied to the full 500-unit fleet.

Payback Period

Device cost per unit [Contact for pricing]
Professional installation per unit $95
Annual savings per unit (energy + maintenance) ~$143/unit/year
Payback period per unit Under 24 months
Portfolio payback (500 units) Under 22 months

ROI timeline is based on verified energy savings plus estimated maintenance cost reduction. Actual results will vary by location, energy rates, and equipment usage patterns.

What the Client Said

"We've been through energy efficiency programs before that promised results and delivered spreadsheets. eTemp gave us 60 days of actual data from our own equipment. The decision to roll out across all 50 locations wasn't a leap of faith—it was a straightforward capital allocation based on verified returns."

VP of Operations, 50-location casual dining chain (name withheld at client request)

Ready to Run Your Own Pilot?

Every engagement starts with a baseline measurement. Your pilot produces the same verified report—your equipment, your locations, your data.