Canteen at work

Food lover 2000

Hi guys

Was looking for some advice and opinions on canteens in your workplace . I am hoping to take over a kitchen in a local business and run a work canteen from it . At the moment they have a fully fitted commercial kitchen that's not being used and are open to the idea of me going in there and running a canteen in there as a separate business . Does anybody know how subsidies work ? At the moment I run a catering company and will continue to run this from the new kitchen , I am hoping the canteen will just give me a bit more of a steady income . Last thing what would you look for in a work canteen . Thanks in advance for any help

jetsonx

Hi Food lover, you will have to put your question in context (you don't have to name names) - just give a general picture of what your plan is. There is around half a dozen issues in your question that would need addressing!

>what do you mean by a "kitchen in a local business"?
>how do you distinguish between a canteen or a cafe?
>why do you think there is a gap in the market?
>what is the current offering in your proposed market?

There are usually loads of great posters on this thread and some will be able to give solid advice.

blindside88

Just to give my 2 cents. There is a large canteen where I work, the menu is always changing but there is one item for each day that remains the same, for example there's always the option of steak on a Friday, always the option of sausage and chips on a Tuesday, always leg of lamb on a Wednesday etc. This allows you to mix the options up while still keeping consistency. The biggest factor for you will be what's offered in the locality already (no point only doing sandwiches if O'Briens is around the corner). Best of luck with the venture

Food lover 2000

Hi guys

It's a commercial kitchen in a factory with approx 100+ staff . 60 which are office and the rest production . It's in a business park with aprox 250 other staff working in park and expanding all the time . I hope to delivery to the other companies to bump up my sales . The can order online or by phone etc . The canteen will only be open to the 100 staff that work there and any visitors to the company , sales reps etc . At the moment another local deli do deliveries to the other companies I've had the food and it is very average to say the least and this is the general consensus around the park . The closet place for them to go and get food is dunnes stores which is about 15 min walk away . Again does anybody know how subsidies work ? Thanks again

pedronomix

Subsidies are a thing of the past, unless the company is a Google. Most company operated staff dining facilities seek to recover the direct costs of labour, food, waste etc but not rent rates etc. Bigger operations have move to sub-contractors. The company generally seeks to have any catering as a non-cost centre, so the challenge is to keep the punters interested in your menu/food at an attractive price to them and that is profitable for you. I actually know someone who does consultancy work in this area having run a huge operation in multiple locations for one of the big banks, outsourced it all and was retired early!!

decco1981

In my work, the canteen is subsidised 50%. Menu is also always changing. The company went out to tender for the service provider but they are really good. My work emplays 500 people so is quite large.
First person to talk to would be someone in HR in the relevant company as they will probably need to subsidise it or you'll just need to offer really low prices. The copmpany will determine if its viable dependant on their desire to offer this or not. Best of luck with tjhe venture.

pedronomix

decco1981 wrote: »

In my work, the canteen is subsidised 50%. Menu is also always changing. The company went out to tender for the service provider but they are really good. My work emplays 500 people so is quite large.
First person to talk to would be someone in HR in the relevant company as they will probably need to subsidise it or you'll just need to offer really low prices. The copmpany will determine if its viable dependant on their desire to offer this or not. Best of luck with tjhe venture.

Do you have access to the actual budget for the food operation? It is not uncommon to have say the meat and veg of the day at say €5 where a local carvery would be €10... so it is reasonable to claim a 50% subsidy!! If a can of coke costs 30 cent, do they sell it for 15c, doubt it!