How to Replace Broken Display Counter Glass

A cracked or shattered display counter is more than just an eyesore. In food retail and catering, damaged glass compromises hygiene, safety, and customer confidence in your business. Acting quickly and in a structured way helps you restore normal service with minimal disruption and cost.

This guide walks you through the key stages of replacing broken display counter glass, from making the area safe to working with a specialist supplier.

We can make almost any glass providing we have the correct information from you.

1. Make the area safe immediately

Before anything else, you should protect staff and customers.

• Stop using the affected counter and cordon off the area.

• Remove exposed food from the cabinet and dispose of anything that may have been contaminated with glass.

• Ask staff to avoid touching broken panels or loose fragments.

Only trained personnel, wearing appropriate PPE (such as cut-resistant gloves and eye protection), should handle any remaining glass or attempt a temporary clear-up. If there is significant damage, it is often safer to wait for professional assistance.

2. Identify the type of glass and damage

Not all display glass is the same. Understanding what has failed helps you specify the correct replacement.

Consider:

• Panel position - front glass, side panels, top glass, shelves or a sneeze screen.

• Shape - flat, curved, or a shaped panel with notches and cut-outs.

• Function - ambient display, chilled, heated, or protective barrier only.

If possible, locate any existing drawings, order references or photographs of the unit in good condition. This will be useful when speaking to your supplier.

3. Take clear photographs and measurements

Good information at the start of the repair process avoids any delays later down the line.

Make sure that you:

• Photograph the counter from several angles, including close-ups of the damaged glass and surrounding hardware.

• Note any visible fixings, channels, hinges or lift-up mechanisms.

• Record approximate dimensions of the opening or panel.

Where glass has shattered completely, measurements can often be taken from the opening, not the glass itself. If in doubt, your supplier or installer can advise what is needed.

4. Decide between a like-for-like or an upgraded replacement

For many sites, replacing the broken panel on a like-for-like basis is the fastest way to restore service. In some cases, a failure highlights an opportunity to upgrade your system.

You can switch to a different glass thickness or specification, improve access with lift-up or tilt-forward hardware, or add a dedicated sneeze screen or night blind on adjacent units.

5. Work with a specialist supplier

Display counter glass is a precision component. Curved, angled or notched panels, in particular, require specialist manufacturing.

When you contact your supplier, be ready to share:

• Site photos and any existing technical drawings.

• Dimensions and basic layout of the counter.

• Operating conditions (ambient, chilled, heated)

At Showmaster, we will confirm the glass specification, edge treatments, drilling requirements and any associated hardware, to allow us to provide a clear and accurate lead time. For multi-site operators, it is often worth standardising on a single specification to simplify future replacements.

6. Making a template

The easiest way to order replacement glass is to send us a template so we can match the shape accurately. This is normally done by carefully placing the glass on end on some cardboard and drawing around the glass inside and out.

From here, we can produce a mould to enable us to bend the glass to your specific requirements.

If the glass is completely shattered, there is sometimes an adjacent glass with the same curve. This can then be used as a template.

What to write on the template:

• The overall length (in mm)

• The position of any holes, measured in mm:

• from the back edge to the centre of each hole, and

• from the side edge to the centre of each hole.

• The diameter of each hole (in mm)

We also have a template pdf you can request from sales@showmaster.co.uk

The template should then be posted to our workshop. 

7. Plan for installation with minimal disruption

Once the replacement glass is ready, agree on an installation time that fits around trading hours, where possible, so you are not losing out on business.

On the day, ensure:

• The area around the counter is clear and accessible for installers

• Power to chilled or heated units can be safely isolated if required

• Staff are aware of any short interruption to normal service

Professional installers will remove remaining damaged glass, fit the new panel, check the operation of any moving parts and clean the working area before handing the counter back to the store team.

8. Reduce the risk of repeat damage

After replacement, it is worth reviewing how the counter is used and maintained:

• Check that your staff understand how doors, lift-up glass or tilt mechanisms should be operated.

• Introduce simple cleaning procedures that avoid impact or twisting forces on the glass, a common reason that these systems encounter damage.

• Schedule routine inspections for seals, channels and hinges so problems are caught early.

A broken display panel is always inconvenient, but with a structured approach and accurate information for your supplier, you can quickly resolve the incident safely and confidently.