Isn’t there something inherently impressive about a company that has an in-house cafeteria? But have you ever wondered about the idea behind setting it up? Is it merely to save time, or is a cafeteria a part of the company’s strategic approach to achieve some bigger goals? Let’s find out in the following sections more on Corporate Dining.
How Does A Corporate Dining And Management Service Work?
We know what you’re thinking… that a corporate cafeteria serves food to the employees of the company it is located in. And these meals are paid for by the company, the employees, or both.
Well, you aren’t totally wrong, but a cafeteria does more than just feed employees, which we will discuss in the later sections.
As a business owner, you may be tempted to set up a cafeteria or in-house kitchen in your office building. However, hiring a corporate dining and management service would be much more convenient (and economical). The primary advantages of the same include:
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Heavy Discounts
A corporate cafeteria service will run cafeterias in multiple locations, which gives it the liberty to get food and ingredients at bulk rates. This means that these services can procure these resources at discounted rates from national food vendors, which are ultimately reflected in the final price the company or employee pays.
Not only that, but companies can also save on the hiring and training costs required for setting up an in-house cafeteria by outsourcing the job to the right cafeteria management service.
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Diverse Menu
Since a corporate cafeteria service usually caters to multiple businesses, it ensures better access to different ingredients- at least more than what your in-house cafeteria will have.
This, in turn, helps the kitchen staff plan diverse menus, which include everything from healthy salads to filling fried chicken. As a result, employees can taste different meals and refreshments on different days of the week.
Aside from that, most meals (breakfast, lunch, or both, depending on the contract) will be freshly cooked and served out of the counter. After all, what’s better than some good food to make your employees look forward to coming to the office?
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Flexibility
There’s no denying that one of the main reasons why businesses opt for cafeteria services within their offices is to reduce the time taken by employees to buy food. And depending on your preferences, there can be a number of ways to serve these meals.
For instance, the employees may visit the cafeteria for an ala-carte or buffet meal at specified times of the day. On the other hand, some cafeterias may facilitate boxed or pre-packed meals, which the employees can conveniently take back to their workstations.
Likewise, the payments can be made on a per meal basis, or the total amount can be paid at the end of the month. However, this will also depend on the payment structure.
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Event Management
Many corporate cafeteria management companies facilitate special catering services for formal or informal company events, thereby reducing the load of event planning. Moreover, these services may collaborate with event planners to arrange for decorations, music, and other necessities.
How Can Corporate Dining Help Your Business?
The benefits of corporate dining for a business extend beyond simply providing food and beverages at subsidized rates to its employees.
According to a 2015 article published in Work Design Magazine, a well-designed cafeteria that promotes a sense of community can fetch an excellent return on investment (ROI). This ROI benefits the company in the form of productivity, employee retention, efficient hiring, as well as maintaining a positive brand image.
A healthy and nutritional menu at work forms a crucial part of employee wellness plans. When your employees eat better at work, they are likely to have higher energy levels, resulting in better productivity. Not only that, but it can also improve their overall health, thereby reducing the number of sick days and medical costs borne by the company.
However, the biggest contribution of corporate dining can be directly related to employee satisfaction, which will positively influence both retention and hiring rates.
Furthermore, a well-maintained cafeteria will promote socialization among the different departments of the company. And this will invariably boost employee morale by providing them with a sense of belongingness.
But in the absence of a dining and cafeteria management service, the onus of maintaining a functional cafeteria will fall back on the senior management or human resources. And business owners will agree that both these departments can be put to better use to increase company revenue!
What To Look For While Hiring A Corporate Dining And Cafeteria Service?
While there’s no shortage of corporate cafeteria management services. There are a few advantages that you should look out for while hiring. These will ensure efficient and cost-effective dining at your workplace.
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Cafeteria Design
Whether the service helps you build a new cafeteria or renovates the existing one. It shouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket. At the same time, it should be energy-efficient to reduce your utility bills.
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On-Site Management
Hiring a corporate dining service will be of little use if your senior management. Or human resource team has to invest extra time and effort in managing the cafeteria. Hence, there should be an on-site cafeteria management team that takes care of everything related to food.
Besides, it should act as an interface for effective communication with your senior management as required.
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All-Round Efforts
Aside from cooking nutritious and fresh dishes, your preferred service should also:
- Contribute to the recycling and waste management efforts of your company
- Buy from local farmers to support your community relationships
- Give back to charities and NGOs as a part of your extended CSR
- Conduct workshops and seminars on healthy eating practices from time to time
We bet you’re now ready to hire a corporate dining and cafeteria management service. To provide a much-needed boost to your company image.
But we’d strongly recommend doing adequate research beforehand to ensure that your requirements are met in the most cost-effective manner. And don’t forget to do some taste tests as well.
