A refrigerated trailer is a portable walk-in cooler. It gets delivered to you, set up and plugged in, and you get a large cold room without building anything. People rent them for weddings and festivals, restaurant overflow, florist peaks, storm prep and job sites. The most common question is the same every time: which size?
This guide covers the three sizes we offer, what they need to run and how to think through the choice. For availability on specific dates, contact the branch that serves your city.
The three sizes
We rent three refrigerated trailer sizes: 5x10, 7x12 and 7x16, moving from smallest to largest. The right one depends on what goes inside and how much of it, so rather than memorizing dimensions, start from the use.
| If you are storing | A good starting point |
|---|---|
| Flowers, a cake and a small caterer's staging area | 5x10, going up a size if the guest list is large |
| Drinks, ice and food for a mid-size event | 7x12 |
| Multi-vendor festivals, large weddings or a restaurant walk-in replacement | 7x16 |
| Bulk ice storage | Depends on bag count: trailers hold about 400 to 600 bags, depending on size |
This is a general starting point, not a rule. If you tell us what you are storing, how long and who needs access, we can help you pick.
Power: 110V and 20 amps
Our trailers run on a standard 110V, 20A outlet, which is the kind of dedicated circuit many venues and buildings already have. A few practical points:
- Ask your venue or building manager which outlet you will use and how far it is from where the trailer will park.
- As a general rule, avoid sharing the circuit with other heavy loads such as fryers, heaters or air conditioners.
- If there is no power on site, a generator is available for an extra fee. Mention it when you book so it can be planned in.
Temperature range
Trailers get down to -10°F and can be set to whatever temperature you are storing at. That covers most needs: frozen storage for ice and frozen goods, or just-chilled storage for flowers, drinks, produce and catering. Flowers and drinks are usually kept cool rather than frozen, while cold food in general should stay at 40°F or below. If you are storing a mix, think about which item has the strictest temperature and set around that, or ask whether a second trailer makes sense.
Parking and placement
A trailer fits in a standard parking space, which makes it workable behind a restaurant, at a venue service entrance or on a job site. We deliver and set it up. A few things help the delivery go smoothly:
- Pick level ground close to where the food or ice will be used.
- Think about how loading will work: carts, doors, and the path from the kitchen or bar.
- Check with the venue about access, gates and any rules for equipment.
How to choose between sizes
- List everything going inside. Include ice, drinks, food and anything you add later, not only the first load.
- Think about peak, not average. The size has to work at the busiest moment of the event.
- Consider who needs access. Several vendors working in and out calls for more room than one team loading once.
- Leave a little margin. Once a trailer is on site, adding capacity mid-event is hard. When you are between two sizes, it is often wise to pick the larger one, because extra room is easier to use than to wish for.
If your plans could grow (a guest list that is still moving, a vendor who may add product, a kitchen that is not sure how long the repair will take), size for the bigger version of the plan. Changing trailers partway through is far harder than choosing with a little breathing room at the start.
Pairing a trailer with ice
A trailer and bagged ice delivery work well together. Storing extra ice in the trailer keeps it from melting, so bar stations and coolers can be topped off throughout the event instead of running low in the second half. For recurring needs, daily or weekly delivery can keep a trailer stocked.
Common planning mistakes
- Sizing for the first load only. Items get added during an event or a busy service, and the trailer has to hold the peak.
- Forgetting the power outlet. The trailer needs to be within reach of a working 110V/20A outlet, or you need a plan for a generator.
- Booking late. Weddings, festivals and storm season are the busiest times. Reaching out early gives you the most options for your date.
- Overlooking access. If the trailer is parked behind a locked gate or across a muddy lot, the best size does not matter.
Common ways people use a trailer
- Weddings and festivals: staging for catering, drinks, flowers and backup ice. See our post on wedding and festival trailer rental.
- Restaurant overflow or equipment failure: a temporary walk-in. See what to do when an ice machine breaks.
- Storm prep: cold storage lined up ahead of a hurricane. We accept hurricane reservations. More in our storm-prep guide.
- Job sites and large operations: bulk ice for crews. See job-site hydration guidance.
Where we deliver
Trailer rentals are available through both branches, including Fayetteville, Raleigh, Charlotte, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Myrtle Beach, Savannah, GA and Augusta, GA. See the refrigerated trailer rental page for more detail, or the FAQ.
Before you book
- Date, location and how long you need the trailer.
- What is going inside, and the temperature it needs.
- Where it will park and where the power outlet is.
- Whether you need a generator.
- Who needs access and when.
