Memphis, Tennessee Walk-In Cooler Trailer Rentals

Numbers for Memphis 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 Tennessee (December to February) 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 Shelby County, Tennessee.
• Population: 618,639 (2023 Census Bureau estimate), number 1 of 20 Tennessee places on our list.
• Land area: 297 square miles, about 2,083 people per square mile.
• Elevation: about 338 feet.
• Memphis is the county seat of Shelby County.
• Nearest larger place we list: Dallas, TX, 421 miles west.
• Other places we list within 50 miles: 4.

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

In Tennessee, calls like this often follow tornado and flood. Operations that cannot wait for the grid to return can rent a refrigerated trailer as backup walk-in space and keep inventory at holding temperature.

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

• The address in Memphis (and the Shelby 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 Memphis are hospital systems, universities, hotels and convention venues, large grocers, food distributors and processors, and stadium and event operators.

Chattanooga opened the world's first Coca-Cola bottling plant in 1899, and food and beverage production remains a major industry in the city. Beverage and food plants rely on cold chains that can be interrupted by outages or equipment failures.

Tennessee has the eighth-most farms in the U.S.; beef cattle and broilers lead livestock, and soybeans, corn, cotton and tomatoes are major crops. Harvest and livestock processing peaks can create short-term cold storage needs at packers and growers.

Memphis 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 Tennessee: Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and Beale Street Music Festival (May); Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (June). Large food contests and festivals can create demand for temporary cold storage and warewashing.

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

State law defines a temporary food service establishment as one operating at a fixed location with an organized temporary event for more than one day and up to fourteen consecutive days. Event kitchens that run longer than 14 days may fall outside the temporary category and need a different permit.

Food service establishment rules are in Tennessee rule chapter 1200-23-01; plan submittals and enforcement are covered in section 1200-23-01-.08. These rules set the standards a temporary kitchen or warewashing setup is inspected against.

• 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 Memphis 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 Tennessee Department of Health, Environmental Health (Food Service program).
• 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 Memphis, setup, servicing, and minimum terms are confirmed in your quote.