Behind the Scenes of a 24/7 Kitchen: Insight into Delta's Food Factory

Deep within Hartsfield International Airport, Dobbs International Services Inc.'s massive food-preparation facility operates like a well-oiled machine, producing over 200,000 meals each week for Delta's domestic flights. The factory's never-ending cycle is a testament to its sheer scale, with more than 700 employees working around the clock to prepare and transport meals. As assistant general manager Bob Nightingale notes, "It never shuts down...It's like a machine---never ending."

Key Takeaways:

• Dobbs' food factory operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, producing approximately 200,000 meals per week for Delta's domestic flights.
• The facility, located at the edge of Hartsfield International Airport, employs over 700 employees to prepare and transport meals.
• Dobbs operates two other kitchens at Hartsfield, supplying meals for Delta's international flights and 14 other airlines.
• The facility turns out dozens of different meal options daily, with 63% being sandwiches, cold plates, or snacks, 27% being dinners, 7% being breakfasts, and 3% being appetizers.
• Meal components are assorted, cooked, and assembled on production lines, with each employee contributing to the overall process.
• One team member might roll 5,000 sets of first-class silverware into linen napkins, while another focuses on adding scoops of potato salad to sandwich plates.
• Tractor-trailer loads of groceries worth $1 million a month are delivered to the facility, which sorts, cooks, and assembles meal components for delivery.

Statistics:

• 200,000 meals produced per week
• 700+ employees working at the facility
• 63% of meals produced are sandwiches, cold plates, or snacks
• 27% of meals produced are dinners
• 7% of meals produced are breakfasts
• 3% of meals produced are appetizers
• $1 million worth of groceries delivered per month
• 122,000 square feet of facility space

Sources:

• Dobbs International Services Inc. (no date)
• Bob Nightingale, assistant general manager of Dobbs International Services Inc.'s food factory (no date)