Display counters are quoted by the foot, which hides most of what actually determines the price. Two six-foot counters can differ by a factor of three, and the difference is not always visible in a photograph.
This guide sets out what you are paying for, so you can compare two quotations on the same basis.
Indicative price ranges
Ranges below are for a standard six-foot counter and vary with specification.
| Counter type | Indicative range (6 ft) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient display counter | ₹ 35,000 – ₹ 75,000 | No refrigeration; price driven by finish |
| Refrigerated bakery counter | ₹ 85,000 – ₹ 1,80,000 | Glass profile and cooling drive the range |
| Sweet counter (split) | ₹ 90,000 – ₹ 2,00,000 | Chilled plus ambient sections |
| Fast-food hot/cold counter | ₹ 1,10,000 – ₹ 2,40,000 | Dual temperature zones |
| Ice-cream scooping cabinet | ₹ 1,20,000 – ₹ 2,60,000 | Low-temperature circuit, pan count |
What actually drives the price
In rough order of impact on a quotation:
- Refrigeration or not — a chilled counter is a different product from an ambient one
- Compressor and condenser specification, and the ambient temperature it is rated for
- Glass profile — curved toughened glass costs considerably more than flat
- Steel grade and gauge in the carcass and top
- Insulation thickness and whether PUF is injected or slab-cut
- Front elevation finish — stainless, ACP, laminate, stone or veneer
- Lighting quality and whether it is genuinely even across tiers
Where it is worth paying more
Refrigeration and insulation. A counter with an under-specified compressor will run continuously, cost more in electricity every month than the saving, and fail early. Insulation thickness is invisible on delivery and decisive over five years.
Glass and hinges, because they are the parts a customer touches every day and the parts that break.
Where you can reasonably save
Front elevation finish, if the counter faces away from the customer or sits behind a fascia. Carcass grade on the dry side. Shelf count, if you can work with two tiers instead of three.
