Power configuration drives architecture choice. Map every major brand against the receptacles your facility actually has — and avoid the procurement surprises.
TL;DR. Most modern healthcare meal delivery carts run on either 120V/20A (NEMA 5-20P) or 208V/30A three-phase circuits. The choice you make determines which architectures are open to your facility — and whether you can plug a cart into existing receptacles or need an electrical project. JonesZylon Optimus runs on 120V/20A, which most kitchens and many floor pantries already have. Aladdin Convect-Rite docking stations require 208V/30A. Some European-market carts (e.g., Burlodge Logiko outside the US) use higher voltage configurations that require conversion for US deployment. This guide maps the power configurations across the category and explains how to plan around them.
It's tempting to choose a meal delivery cart on operational features alone — capacity, controls, build quality. The first filter, though, is electrical. A cart that requires power your pantry doesn't have is a non-starter regardless of how well it performs in a demo. Many procurement evaluations stall here when facilities engineering walks the operations team through what would actually be required to put a 208V/30A circuit into a third-floor west pantry.
The standard 20-amp household-grade circuit, used widely in commercial kitchens and most hospital floor pantries. The receptacle has a T-slot configuration (one slot is horizontal). Standard 15-amp plugs (NEMA 5-15P) physically fit but should not be used. JonesZylon Optimus uses NEMA 5-20P, draws 14A actual, and consumes 1400W at full load. Optimus requires the 20A circuit; never imply 15-amp compatibility — it's not designed for it.
A heavier, three-phase commercial circuit common in hot-line kitchen equipment (combi ovens, retherm ovens) and dedicated docking-station infrastructure. Adding a new 208V/30A circuit to a pantry that doesn't have one is non-trivial: panel capacity, conduit routing, and dedicated breaker space all need attention. Aladdin Convect-Rite III docking stations use 208V/30A. Some Burlodge models distributed in European markets use higher-voltage circuits and require conversion for US deployments.
| Brand / Product | Voltage | Amperage | Plug / connection | Architecture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JonesZylon Optimus ONE-20 | 120V | 20A circuit, 14A draw | NEMA 5-20P | Active hot+cold, self-contained |
| Dinex Meals On Command II | 120V | 20A circuit | NEMA 5-20P | Active hot+cold, self-contained |
| Cambro Camtherm | Standard outlet (active models) — confirm SKU-specific config with Cambro | — | — | Passive insulated primary — see dedicated comparison |
| Cres Cor HotCube3 / KoldCube3 | 120V | NEMA 5-15P | — | Single-temp (hot OR cold) — outdoor catering, not a direct meal-delivery cart competitor per matrix |
| Aladdin Convect-Rite III docking | 208V | 30A / 3-phase | Hardwired or NEMA L6-30R | Cook-chill rethermalization |
| Burlodge Logiko | Power not specified in matrix | — | (see vendor) | Active hot+cold, smartphone-app temperature logging |
For Optimus specifically: the cart needs a 20-amp circuit and pulls 14 amps when running both heating and refrigeration at peak. The 6-amp headroom matters because a 20A circuit shouldn't run continuously above 16A (80% rule for sustained load). 14A is comfortably below that. The same Optimus cart cannot run on a 15A circuit. Even if the Optimus's actual draw is below 15A under steady-state operation, the cart's startup current and the surge during defrost or compressor cycling requires a 20A circuit. Plugging it into a 15A circuit risks tripping breakers and degrading components.
Dinex MOC II runs on the same 120V/20A circuit class (NEMA 5-20P, per matrix v2). The matrix doesn't publish a specific actual-draw figure for MOC II and Dinex's PDF spec sheet has not been sourced — confirm directly with Carlisle/Dinex before pantry-load planning. Optimus vs Dinex MOC II covers the operational implications.
For docking stations: a dedicated 208V/30A three-phase circuit means a dedicated breaker on a three-phase panel, a conduit run, and an L6-30R receptacle (or hardwired connection). Adding one circuit to a pantry that doesn't have three-phase service is potentially a multi-thousand-dollar electrical job per pantry. Multiplying that by the number of floor pantries in a multi-floor hospital is where retherm-system rollouts get expensive fast.
Existing facilities that already have 208V/30A in pantries (typically because of a legacy retherm install or because the kitchen was built with that infrastructure in mind) have a much lower friction cost to choosing a docking system.
A nuance most procurement teams don't catch up front: long conduit runs from the panel to the pantry receptacle introduce voltage drop, and a 120V receptacle at the end of a long run might deliver 115V or lower under load. For Optimus at 14A this is well within tolerance — the cart is designed for the realistic 110-125V range. For carts at the upper end of the 20A circuit (Dinex MOC II), voltage drop can mean reduced thermal performance. If your panel-to-pantry runs exceed 100 feet, ask facilities engineering to confirm receptacle voltage under load.
If your facility is moving from a 208V docking system to a 120V self-contained cart fleet:
If you're moving the other way (self-contained to docking), you're committing to capital expenditure on:
For most US hospitals and LTC facilities the path of less infrastructure resistance is staying on 120V/20A self-contained.
1-800-848-8160 · 305 N. Center Street, West Lafayette, OH 43845