Guides
GN Pan Size Chart: Every Gastronorm Size Explained
Gastronorm (GN) is the international footprint standard (EN 631) used by commercial food pans, combi ovens, bain-maries, prep counters and racks. Every size is a fraction of the full GN 1/1 module — 530 × 325 mm — so any combination of fractions that adds up to a full module fits the same opening. This guide covers every standard size, the common depths, and how to combine them — all GN pan dimensions in millimetres, centimetres and inches, with GN pans sizes from GN 2/1 down to GN 1/9.
How the gastronorm system works
Gastronorm began in Switzerland in the 1960s and is now published as EN 631, which fixes the outside dimensions of food containers so that equipment from different manufacturers interoperates. One number does all the work: the GN 1/1 module at 530 × 325 mm. Every other size is that rectangle divided, and the name states the division — a GN 1/3 is one third of a GN 1/1 opening, and three of them fill it.
The practical consequence is that you specify the opening once and then change your mind freely afterwards. A counter built to take two GN 1/1 openings will accept two full pans, or four halves, or one full pan beside three thirds, without any part of the equipment changing. That is why a kitchen planned around gastronorm can re-cut its menu without re-cutting its steelwork, and why standard sizing matters more than any individual purchase on the line.
Fractions are named for how many fit the module, not for their proportions, so the arithmetic is not always intuitive. A GN 1/2 is not a GN 1/1 halved along one axis — it is 325 × 265 mm, the module halved across the short dimension. This catches people out when they try to reason about a pan from its name rather than reading the chart.
Standard GN sizes
| Size | Footprint (mm) | cm | Inches | Relation to GN 1/1 | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GN 2/1 | 650 × 530 | 65.0 × 53.0 | 25.6 × 20.9 | Two full modules | Large combi ovens, banqueting trolleys |
| GN 1/1 | 530 × 325 | 53.0 × 32.5 | 20.9 × 12.8 | The full-size base module | Combi ovens, bain-maries, hot cupboards |
| GN 2/3 | 354 × 325 | 35.4 × 32.5 | 13.9 × 12.8 | Two thirds of GN 1/1 | Counter displays, smaller combi ovens |
| GN 1/2 | 325 × 265 | 32.5 × 26.5 | 12.8 × 10.4 | Half of GN 1/1 | Prep counters, salad bars, hot wells |
| GN 1/3 | 325 × 176 | 32.5 × 17.6 | 12.8 × 6.9 | One third of GN 1/1 | Toppings, sauces, garnish stations |
| GN 1/4 | 265 × 162 | 26.5 × 16.2 | 10.4 × 6.4 | One quarter of GN 1/1 | Condiments, smaller ingredients |
| GN 1/6 | 176 × 162 | 17.6 × 16.2 | 6.9 × 6.4 | One sixth of GN 1/1 | Dressings, chopped items, small batches |
| GN 1/9 | 176 × 108 | 17.6 × 10.8 | 6.9 × 4.3 | One ninth of GN 1/1 | Spices, single garnishes, taco/salad lines |
Footprints are the standard top-flange dimensions; usable internal dimensions are slightly smaller and taper towards the base.
Every GN size at true relative scale
Drawn to scale in millimetres. The GN 1/1 on the left is the module every other size divides down from.
Standard depths
20 mm
Display trays, baking sheets
40 mm
Shallow holding, delicate items
65 mm
The most common all-round depth
100 mm
Soups, sauces, bulk holding
150 mm
Storage, brining, bulk prep
200 mm
Deep storage and transport
How much a GN 1/1 holds
Capacity follows depth, not footprint. The full-size module at each standard depth:
2.7 L
20 mm
5.4 L
40 mm
8.8 L
65 mm
13.7 L
100 mm
20.0 L
150 mm
27.8 L
200 mm
Nominal brim-full litres. Rated capacity sits below footprint × depth because walls taper and corners are radiused for cleaning — a GN 1/1 at 65 mm calculates to 11.2 L and rates at about 8.8 L.
Every other size at every depth is tabulated in the GN pan capacity chart, along with how to convert litres into portions when planning a service period.
Combining sizes in one well
Because every fraction shares the same module, you can mix pan sizes freely as long as the fractions total a whole number of GN 1/1 openings:
- 1 × GN 1/1 = 2 × GN 1/2 = 3 × GN 1/3
- 1 × GN 1/1 = 4 × GN 1/4 = 6 × GN 1/6
- 1 × GN 1/2 = 3 × GN 1/6 · 1 × GN 1/3 = 2 × GN 1/6 (in most well layouts)
Which GN size for which station
The chart gives dimensions; this is how they get used. Sizing follows the way a station behaves, not the space available — a well that can take a GN 1/1 does not mean a GN 1/1 belongs in it.
| Station | Usual sizes | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Salad bar / cold buffet | GN 1/3 and GN 1/6 at 100 mm | Narrow pans let one guest serve without blocking the next. Depth carries volume without a wide reach across the counter. |
| Hot holding / bain-marie | GN 1/1 and GN 1/2 at 100–150 mm | Fewer, larger pans hold temperature better than many small ones, because each has less surface area losing heat per litre. |
| Topping / assembly line | GN 1/6 and GN 1/9 at 65–100 mm | Small pans are refreshed often, which is the point: product sits at the top of the well for minutes rather than a whole service. |
| Combi oven cooking | GN 1/1 at 20–65 mm | Shallow pans let steam and hot air reach the food. A deep pan in a combi cooks the top and steams the bottom. |
| Blast chilling | GN 1/1 at 20–40 mm | Chilling time is governed by the thickest point of the product, so spreading thin across shallow pans is what meets the cooling window. |
| Dry and cold storage | GN 1/1 and GN 1/2 at 150–200 mm | Back of house is where depth pays. Capacity per shelf footprint matters more than even heating. |
What to specify when ordering GN pans
The footprint is the easy part, and it is the only part most enquiries state. These are the variables that decide whether a pan survives two years on a commercial line, and the ones worth putting in writing before a quote is comparable to another quote.
Steel grade
304 (18/8 or 18/10) is the commercial default for food pans. 201 appears at lower cost but pits faster under salt, acid and commercial dishwasher chemistry.
Gauge
Most catering GN pans run 0.6–0.8 mm. Thinner stock warps on a hot line and distorts where it sits on a well lip; thicker stock costs more and buys little on fractions below GN 1/2.
Corner radius
Ask for the internal radius. Tight corners trap product and fail visual hygiene checks; generous radii clean easily but cost a little capacity, which is part of why rated litres sit below the calculated figure.
Flange profile
The rolled or reinforced top edge is what carries the pan on a well and resists denting. It is the first thing to fail on cheap pans and the hardest thing to see in a photograph.
Depth mix
Order by service pattern rather than one depth across the board. A line typically wants 65 mm for holding, 100 mm for sauces and soups, and 150–200 mm for back-of-house storage.
Certification
Confirm which marks apply to the specific model number rather than the catalogue. NSF and LFGB are the usual asks for food-contact pans in export markets.
Frequently asked questions
What does GN mean on a food pan?
GN stands for gastronorm, the European EN 631 standard for food container footprints. Every GN size is a fraction of the full-size GN 1/1 module (530 × 325 mm), so pans from any compliant manufacturer fit the same ovens, wells and racks.
Which GN size do I need for a topping or sauce station?
Most topping and sauce stations use GN 1/3, 1/6 and 1/9 pans in a refrigerated or heated well sized in GN 1/1 modules. Choose the smallest pan that holds one service period of product, so food is refreshed often.
How do I choose pan depth?
Use 65 mm as the default for serving and holding. Go shallower (20–40 mm) for delicate or display items that should not stack, and deeper (100–200 mm) for soups, bulk prep and storage. Deeper pans hold more but cool and heat less evenly.
Do plastic high-heat pans follow the same GN sizes?
Yes. High-heat polymer pans such as PESU pans use the same gastronorm footprints (GN 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 and so on), so they interchange with stainless steel pans in the same wells and racks.
What size is a GN 1/1 pan in inches?
A GN 1/1 measures 530 × 325 mm, which is 20.9 × 12.8 inches, or 53.0 × 32.5 cm. It is close to — but not the same as — the American full-size hotel pan at roughly 20.8 × 12.8 inches, and the two are not reliably interchangeable in the same well.
How many litres does a GN 1/1 pan hold?
It depends entirely on depth: about 2.5 litres at 20 mm, 5.5 at 40 mm, 9 at 65 mm, 14 at 100 mm, 21 at 150 mm and 28 at 200 mm. Rated capacities sit below footprint × depth because the walls taper and the corners are radiused.
What is the difference between a GN pan and a hotel pan?
Gastronorm is the European EN 631 system built on a 530 × 325 mm module; the hotel pan is the American system built on a nominally 20¾ × 12¾ inch full size. The two are close enough to look interchangeable in a photograph and different enough to bind or sit proud in the wrong well, so specify one system and stay in it.
What stainless steel grade should GN pans be?
Grade 304, sometimes written 18/8 or 18/10, is the commercial standard for food-contact pans. Grade 201 is cheaper and visually similar but corrodes faster under salt, acidic food and commercial dishwasher detergent, so it is a poor economy on a pan that is washed daily.
What are the GN 1/1 dimensions?
The GN 1/1 dimensions are 530 × 325 mm, which is 53.0 × 32.5 cm or 20.9 × 12.8 inches at the flange. GN 1/1 is the full-size base module of the gastronorm system, and every other GN pan size is a fraction of that footprint.
What is the GN 2/1 pan size?
The GN 2/1 pan size is 650 × 530 mm, or 25.6 × 20.9 inches. It is two full modules and the largest standard gastronorm format, used in large combi ovens and banqueting trolleys.
GN pans in the COMMI range
COMMI manufactures gastronorm-compatible products including stainless GN pan sets and PESU high-heat polymer pans in GN 1/1, 1/2 and 1/3 formats.