subject: The Future of the Company Canteen [print this page] The Future of the Company Canteen
Many businesses can hardly operate without a canteen area in their workplace. Facilities are often in isolated areas, especially factories. Maintaining a reasonable area for employees to take breaks or lunch can be a necessity, as well as an employee convenience. These canteen areas are primarily supplied with vending machines.
Manufacturing plants have traditionally used an appropriately sized cafeteria, but with today's emphasis on cost control while still providing service to a satisfied workforce, many employers find themselves utilizing the canteen industry to fulfill this need. Standard cafeterias carry operational components that aren't required for canteen areas, such as food preparation and cleanup expenses. Canteen areas are much easier to maintain and require less authorization. Company cafeterias are normally held to the same safety standards as a commercial cafeteria and can be a major variable expense on operational budgets.
In addition to cost controls, the canteen areas are generally subcontracted and the canteen supplier provides the manpower necessary to fill the vending machines with the various entrees. In many cases the products are individually bubble packed or wrapped appropriately and inventories are much easier for accounting and shrinkage control. Housekeeping responsibilities are not always stated in the contract, but are normally included in some manner. Area maintenance is most often a teamwork standard, with the vending machine company maintaining the actual vending machines and the facility servicing the location area.
A major drawback of the historical company cafeteria is unused inventories. Food items are often perishable and those that are prepared without the benefit of product protection are discarded daily. The cafeteria can become a restaurant within the facility and a separate business. Subcontracting a cafeteria operator has been effective over the decades, but service consistency can be a problem without an operator with business savvy.
Many vending machine service areas also offer hot and cold pourable products, such as coffee or tea, in addition to the common soda machine. Microwave ovens are usually included with service for items that require heating. Condiments are also part of the canteen providers responsibility in most cases.
The minimal maintenance and expense considerations are making the canteen vending machine areas the provisional mode of operation of the future for employee breaks and lunches. Many companies are not equipped for full cafeterias and they make little sense. Very often it is the small things such as this that help make for a happy and more productive workforce.
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