We asked the following question to 60 micro market operators and industry experts:
In view of the expected reduction in workplace population and a focus on employee safety, do you think micro markets could replace workplace cafeterias in some cases?
A) Yes – definitely (86%)
B) Yes – especially if hot foods are added to the mix (1%)
C) No – Cafeterias are here to stay (0%)
D) Possibly, if the location was a "borderline" foodservice location to begin with (13%)
As the numbers reveal, the results were overwhelmingly one sided. Not only do operators think that the office cafeteria is on the verge of extinction, to be replaced by micro markets, but many operators indicated that the process is already happening.
Participants were invited to submit comments.
A - Matthew Marsh – First Class Vending » “It is already happening. We are doing it successfully. It is a better option than having a full-service cafeteria. In the Silicon Valley type account, corporate dining isn’t going anywhere, but the dining that is subsidized by companies, that is going away.”
D – Patty Closser – Translucent » “We have seen examples of this happening pre-COVID, so with COVID, the occurrences will increase.”
D – Kevin Roy – Ryan Vending » “I do think there will be a greater opportunity for micro markets with the inevitable decrease in office populations.”
The bigger question is, how will office pantry programs be impacted?”
A – Jeff Doyle – Tri-R Coffee and Vending » “YES, DEFINITELY!! I've always felt that way. In fact, micro markets are more versatile than any food delivery system.”
A – Ryan Harrington – Royal Vending » “Yes – definitely. We feel that with the reduction in workplace population and the desire for workplaces to move towards a grab-and-go type meal service, micro markets will be the solution to replace cafeterias. In fact, Royal Vending has already signed up a new client that has recently closed their deli and espresso to replace with our micro market service. We have also been approached by other prospects to bid on replacing their cafeterias with our micro-market service.”
D – Steven Golembiewski – World Dining » “The world is so scared now - traditional cafeterias are a thing of the past. If a hot food section was made available (or a heat and go selection), then markets are the future.”
A – Jon Holden – All Star Services » “I absolutely think that micro markets will replace workplace cafeterias in many cases as we return to work, especially if individually packaged hot food options are available. I foresee many workplaces offering their employees the ability to choose to work from home or work in the office based on their schedules/safety preferences, so having a full-service cafeteria onsite may no longer make financial sense for the client or the operator. Micro markets offer a great solution for these locations, as they can be easily scaled to the current needs of the client while still offering a great variety of products in a safe shopping experience.”
D – George Craney – Healthland Hospitality » “Companies/Clients may not want to subsidize cafeterias and would probably be looking for a solution like a micro market. The market could be a win for everyone when accompanied with an offering of high-quality fresh food and a bean to cup coffee program.”
A – Elyssa Allahyar-Steiner – USA Technologies » “We were seeing this before the pandemic where micro markets were a great alternative to companies needing to reduce their cafeteria hours or cut costs entirely. The pandemic has certainly made consumers more hypersensitive to safety of all kinds, including food preparation and purchasing habits.”
A – Kenny Boyd – Denver Beverage » “Absolutely. Business dining is dead. If you think about all these buffet restaurants that have gone out of business during COVID, the reason they went out of business is everybody is touching everything. Salad bars are gone. Soup bars are gone.”
If the participants in this survey are on target, there are good days ahead for micro market operators. If there is a question you would like us to explore in a future issue – let us know.
Learn more about how Fixturelite can help you serve clients as they switch from traditional foodservice to a micro market solution: www.fixturelite.com.
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