Honestly, I get why people lean toward underground traps for bigger places, but I’ve seen those go sideways in ways that make a stinky dish pit seem like a minor issue.
- In-kitchen traps are definitely a pain if nobody’s on cleaning duty, but at least you *see* the problem right away. With underground, stuff can build up for months and you won’t know until it’s a full-on backup. Out of sight, out of mind isn’t always a good thing.
- Maintenance companies are great—when they actually show up. Had a job where the service got skipped for a couple months (scheduling mix-up or whatever), and suddenly we’re dealing with a backup that shut down half the kitchen. Not fun.
- The “wedged under the sink” thing is real, but that’s more about bad install than the trap itself. If it’s set up right, cleaning isn’t that big a deal. I’ve seen some setups where you just pop the lid and scoop—gross, but quick.
- Roots in underground lines are no joke. Once they get in there, you’re looking at digging, jetting, maybe even replacing pipe. That’s not just a hassle—it’s expensive and can shut down the kitchen for days.
I’m not saying in-kitchen is perfect (far from it), but at least you’ve got control. With underground, you’re crossing your fingers that nothing goes wrong between service calls. For smaller spots or anywhere with staff who actually care, I’d take the “constant little ones” over the rare disaster every time.
Maybe it comes down to how much you trust your crew vs. how much you trust outside contractors... but I’d rather deal with a swampy smell than a flooded kitchen and busted concrete. Just my two cents.
Couldn’t agree more about the “out of sight, out of mind” thing biting you later. I’ve seen places where the underground trap gets ignored because it’s just not on anyone’s radar—until you’re ankle-deep in greasy water and the health inspector’s at the door. Underground might seem lower maintenance, but when it goes bad, it goes *really* bad.
One thing that gets overlooked is how much easier it is to train staff on the in-kitchen units. Show ‘em once, maybe twice, and they get it. Underground setups? That usually means calling a vendor and hoping they show up before your dinner rush gets wrecked. And yeah, roots are a nightmare—I’ve had to break up a floor just to snake a line because tree roots got in there. That bill was not pretty.
I get why big operations want the space and capacity underground gives you, but unless you’ve got a rock-solid service schedule and money for emergencies, I’d rather have something I can keep an eye on. At least you know what you’re dealing with day-to-day... even if it’s gross sometimes.
You nailed it with the “out of sight, out of mind” thing. I’ve been burned by that more than once, not with grease traps but with stuff like sump pumps and old plumbing lines. It’s always the hidden stuff that turns into a nightmare at the worst possible time. I get why some folks want everything tucked away, but honestly, I’d rather deal with a little mess now and then than have to rip up my floor because something went sideways underground. At least you can see what’s going on and fix it before it gets out of hand.
I hear you on that—hidden systems can turn into a real headache fast. I’ve seen more than a few kitchens where folks had to jackhammer through concrete just to get at a failed underground trap. Not fun, and definitely not cheap. Do you think the convenience of having everything out of sight is ever worth that risk, or is it just asking for trouble down the line?
That’s the trade-off, right? Out of sight means less mess in the kitchen, but when something goes wrong... it’s a nightmare. Personally, I lean toward in-kitchen traps just because access is so much easier for maintenance. Still, I get why people want everything tucked away. Have you ever dealt with the smell from an in-kitchen unit though? That can be its own kind of headache. Wondering if anyone’s found a good workaround for that without going underground.
