Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Walk-In Cooler Trailer Rentals

Numbers for Philadelphia that matter when planning a rental: how big it is, how spread out it is, and how far the next larger place sits.

Winter storms in Pennsylvania (November to March) can slow or close roads, so tell us your start date early and we plan the trip with the forecast in mind.

• Place: city in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.
• Population: 1,550,542 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), number 1 of 20 Pennsylvania places on our list.
• Land area: 134 square miles, about 11,541 people per square mile.
• Elevation: about 39 feet.
• Philadelphia is the county seat of Philadelphia County.
• Nearest larger place we list: New York, NY, 77 miles northeast.
• Other places we list within 50 miles: 18.

Emergency support for Philadelphia runs through one number, (888) 385-5513, answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have these details ready:

In Pennsylvania, calls like this often follow flood and winter storm. For this kind of event, a refrigerated container rental holds bulk product, and a 12 ft trailer covers a small kitchen's cooler and freezer.

For official emergency information in Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). We are not an emergency agency; for danger to life, call 911.

• The address in Philadelphia (and the Philadelphia County location if it is outside town limits).
• What failed: a walk-in cooler, a freezer, a compressor, or the power itself.
• How much product is at risk, and whether it must stay at 32°F (cooler) or near -5°F (freezer).
• The power available at the site and whether a truck can reach the spot.
• Keep doors closed until the unit arrives so the product holds its temperature as long as possible.

The kinds of operations that rent refrigeration in a city like Philadelphia are hospital systems, universities, hotels and convention venues, large grocers, food distributors and processors, and stadium and event operators.

Philadelphia's Packer Avenue terminal has about 2.2 million cubic feet of refrigerated storage and 2,500 reefer plugs, and Holt-operated terminals handled over 88 percent of East Coast Chilean fruit in 2024. Seasonal fruit imports create peaks in demand for extra reefer capacity and overflow cold storage near the port.

Hershey is the home of North America's largest chocolate maker and of Hersheypark, which opened in 1906, plus Penn State Health's Hershey Medical Center. Large tourism, hospital and confectionery operations all depend on temperature-controlled storage and high-volume food service.

Philadelphia customers use refrigeration trailers in three common ways: as emergency cover for a failed walk-in, as extra capacity during a peak (a harvest, a festival, a holiday week), and as temporary cold storage during a renovation. See rental prices for what each unit costs, or how to plan your site before delivery.

Demand also rises around events in Pennsylvania: Steelers training camp (Late July to August); Pennsylvania Farm Show (January). Camp crowds and team catering can add short-term food service demand in a small city.

Renting a refrigerated trailer in Philadelphia is simple, but a few items decide whether it runs smoothly on the first day.

A Temporary Event License covers fairs, festivals and similar events for up to 14 days at one fixed location; a Temporary Food Facility License is limited to 14 days per calendar year. Short-term kitchen and warewashing setups for events usually need the matching temporary license.

Mobile and temporary food operations may be required to work with a commissary for food storage, warewashing or prep, and a commissary cannot be a personal-use kitchen or part of a private residence. A mobile kitchen or dishwashing trailer does not replace the commissary requirement where the Department imposes one.

• Customer type: commercial or industrial only (restaurants, grocers, healthcare, schools, hospitality, distributors, government). We do not rent to residential customers.
• Power: 220V, single phase, 40 to 60 amps for the 20 ft trailers, with a NEMA plug. Ask your electrician to confirm the circuit at your Philadelphia site before delivery.
• Placement: a firm, level surface with room for the trailer, its door swing, and the delivery truck. Soft ground, steep slopes, and overhead lines are the usual problems.
• Access: send the gate or door width, any low clearances, and the best approach into the property.
• Permission: if you rent the property, get the owner or manager's approval to place a trailer. For food-safety questions, contact Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services.
• Paperwork: your quote lists the unit, the rental length, delivery, setup, servicing, and minimum terms. An inquiry does not reserve equipment.

Rates are the same nationwide. Rentals start from $1,895 / month for a 12 ft trailer, and the price sheet prints a separate rate for 1-6 days, 8-14 days, 15 days to 1 month, and more than 3 months. See every rate. Delivery to Philadelphia, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote.