Why Invest in an Office Canteen?

In today’s working world there are many options on the menu when it comes to lunch. Some like to bring in their own healthy lunch and eat at their desk. Others love to get out of the office and into a local eatery. Some spend daily on meal deals, and others like to get a cheeky order-in from a local takeaway. With so many options, is an office canteen still worth investing in?

Why in-house canteen is still a front-runner

There is still a place for in-house office canteen. Lunchtime at the office canteen is all about giving employees a mental break, alongside good nutrition and fuel to help sustain them throughout the working day. It helps keep concentration high. It’s about taking time out in the day to re-charge mentally and physically resulting in more productivity.

Many employees eat at their desk because they don’t believe they have time to get out of the office. While many go out for lunch as they want that separation from their desk do end up wasting time in queues or waiting for service. An office canteen can be the answer to all types of needs. It gives a change of scenery without causing logistical issues, ensuring those pressed for time can still get a break, and those who want to desperately get away from their desk get back on time – both having had a proper meal to get them through the day.

An office canteen also provides more opportunities for colleagues to eat together. Slightly shifting the environment can lead to greater social connections between employees that can strengthen their work collaboration.

Another great advantage with office canteen is the ecological and environmental benefit. Meal deals or takeaways unfortunately nearly always come with excess packaging, recycling and plastics. In-house catering can avoid those pitfalls and deliver a more environmentally friendly approach with less waste.

How to get employees using the office canteen?

When done right, office catering can be the best option. The attraction of an office canteen is that employees can take a break and enjoy a good meal without leaving the building. The canteen needs to be easy to use and hassle-free. It’s no good being the conveniently placed option if ques are long followed by poor service.

A cashless catering system to can be the answer. A cashless catering system will reduce queuing and provide the option to pre-order lunch where you can pick it up without any waiting. It means no long payment queues while cash is dealt with, or cards wait to connect. Staff don’t have to worry about payment and instead concentrate on fast service. Queues are the last thing you want in office catering.

Of course, the quality of food needs to be good and affordable to encourage employees to use the office canteen. If costs are high and the quality of food poor, employees will head back to their desk or out to local alternatives.

Learn more how an office cashless canteen can benefit your company and your employees here.