Vending Solutions

Is your Tampa break room an inviting space that your employees look forward to visiting? Does it offer a wide selection of snacks, drinks, and fresh food? If the answer is no to either of those questions, the following are four things to consider before making big changes.

What are your break room goals?

Maybe you want to encourage your employees to stay on-site during breaks and meal times or offer more better-for-you options. Or maybe, you’d like to provide a great coffee service with gourmet coffees and teas. Knowing your goals ahead of time will help guide the decision making process.

How much space do you have available?

The answer to this question will likely dictate what types of services you can offer. For example, a smaller room with some seating probably wouldn’t work with a large micro-market and accompanying coffee service. In that space, a small micro-market or several vending machines might be the best fit.

Does your break room menu meet your employees’ needs?

The answer to this question shouldn’t only be about specific brands or types of snacks and drinks. It’s also important to think about why your Tampa employee would visit the break room. The following are two scenarios that might change the answer.

1. Business A is open during traditional working hours. Unfortunately, it’s located ~20 minutes away from any refreshment options. Making a 40 minute round trip will likely cause a drop in productivity. A break room with wraps, salads, and sandwiches would keep most employees on-site and working more.

2. Business B has employees that work shifts other than the traditional 9-5. A third shift employee who needs a bite to eat may have a hard time finding an open “lunch” option at 1:00 am. A break room with fresh food options will remove any concern about finding an open alternative.

Have you considered subsidizing part or all of the cost for your employees?

Believe it or not, the cost for a Tampa employer to pay all or part of the costs for products in vending machines or in a micro-market is lower than the value employees place on the benefit. The overall cost for this benefit is also lower than many other employee benefits.

Maybe you’d prefer to subsidize only healthy products to encourage employees to make healthier choices. Since price is often a barrier to choosing healthy, employees may be more likely to buy that better-for-you item when it costs them less.

Now that you’re armed with more information, it’s time to take the next step. Millennium Refreshment Services is here to help. We offer a wide range of vending services and can help turn your break room into a space everyone wants to visit. For more information, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

Great-tasting food, cold drinks, and coffee are a must in any break room. But, did you know that there are several other things that every Tampa break room should have?

Adding some or all of the following categories can turn a bare-bones space into a break room that your employees will want to visit daily. 

The Not-so-Extra Extras

Paper Products

Basic supplies such as napkins, paper towels, eating utensils, and plates, bowls, and cups should be offered and easy to find. After visiting the micro-market for lunch or the vending machine for an afternoon snack, employees shouldn’t have to go on a hunt to find a fork or knife or a napkin.

More Break Room Flavor

Almost everyone adds some type of additional seasoning to their food. For snacks or meals, that often means salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, mayo, or hot sauce. The key is to offer the condiments that go best with your break room’s menu.

Coffee Station

Unless your Tampa employees only drink their coffee black, a variety of coffee additions should be available. Common options include sugar, artificial sweeteners, alternative sweeteners like honey, creamer and non-dairy creamer options, and flavorings. Paper products such as stir sticks, cups, lids, and coffee sleeves will make sure everyone has what they need.

The Break Room Space

A break room should not only be a separate space from the rest of the workplace, but it should also feel different. Let’s look at two important components.

Seating

Offer multiple types of seating that encourage conversation, a coffee or meal break, or a few minutes of relaxation. That might include different areas with sofas, tables and chairs, booths or even a rocking chair or two. And don’t forget to offer easily accessible outlets or charging stations.

Break Room Décor

Lack of color or bland colors have been shown to make people feel sad or gloomy, and that is especially true at work where access to the outdoors can be limited. Yellows evoke friendliness and cheer while blues and greens create a sense of peace and tranquility. One word of caution; before running to the paint store, remember that colors affect people differently.

To make your break room more appealing and relaxing, add natural lighting and décor such as plants, wood, or water. Plants are especially functional as they help clean the office air too.

Small additions or changes in your Tampa break room can make a big difference. But you don’t have to do it alone. We can help. For more information about our vending services or to update your current space or menu, please call Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300.

The break rooms of yesterday didn’t offer many services, including a micro-market. Instead, they often included a vending machine or two that served as a backup to eating at home. Today, however, things are different.

Many Tampa employees look to their break room vending services for snacks, meals, and great coffee. While today’s vending equipment are state-of-the-art machines and offer all types of products, from cold beverages to healthy snacks and fresh food, they still have limited space.

So, what’s the solution when companies need more choices for their employees? The answer is a micro-market.

A micro-market is like a convenience store. The main difference is that a micro-market is unattended, meaning that there isn’t a cashier. Tampa employees visit the self-serve kiosk to make purchases.  Payment options vary from mobile payment apps to credit cards, cash, or a company account. Refreshment options can include healthy and traditional snacks and beverages as well as freshly prepared food.

Let’s look at three reasons why a micro-market might be the best choice for your break room.

It’s Open 24/7.

Do you have employees that work the second or third shifts? Working late or overnight hours makes it difficult to find an open store or restaurant to grab a snack or meal. With fewer options available, employees will have to drive or walk farther away from work to find something. A break room micro-market removes both of those obstacles and gives employees a place to relax during their breaks.

A Micro-Markets Has More Space.

Vending machines have limited space. That’s not necessarily negative, but it is a natural constraint of the size of the machine. Micro-markets typically have a bigger footprint and can be customized to offer a wider selection of products, such as wraps, sandwiches, yogurt, cheese, and fresh fruit. A menu with more options will help employees avoid becoming bored with their choices and encourage them to stay on-site.

You Can Pick It Up.

Employees can’t pick up or touch products before buying them. Not being able to read a nutrition or ingredient label before making a purchase may be a problem for those keeping an eye on how many calories they eat or those who have a food allergy or intolerance. The open shelves, coolers, and storage racks in a micro-market mean your Tampa employees can easily reach in and grab an item.

Still not sure which vending service would be best for your company or employees? We can help with that. Millennium Refreshment Services offers both vending machines and micro-market services. We’ll work with you to customize the best solution to fit your space and your employees’ refreshment needs. For more information about our vending services, please contact us at 813-882-4300. 

Your Tampa break room has potential. It doesn’t have to be a place that employees avoid or use sporadically. Instead, employees should be able to find a relaxing space with vending machines or a micro-market that offers delicious lunch options.

While breakfast is referred to as the most important meal of the day, lunch plays a crucial role in making the afternoon a success. Unfortunately, the lunch break is disappearing.

But isn’t this dedication to one’s career or job good for business? No. In fact, the opposite may be true. Rather than focusing on eating, many employees feel they need to do something more meaningful. They also feel guilty for not always being available.

Even employees who are working from home because of COVID-19 need a break too. Spending too much time at a desk without taking a break can decrease productivity and hurt the bottom line.

Creativity and Community

Everyone, including Tampa employees, needs a change of scenery every now and then. Creative thinking and new ideas are more likely to occur after taking a break or moving to a new workspace. Going outside for a walk or sitting in the sun help solutions to form.

Studies also suggest that taking time off in the middle of the day, whether to eat, walk or take a coffee break with coworkers, creates a community culture within the workplace and happier, more productive employees.

Rejuvenate your Break Room

Although a walk outside can be beneficial, too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing, especially when a short break becomes an extended time away from the office. To create a sense of community and a pleasant place to go when getting away from the office isn’t ideal, create a better break space.

• Offer quality coffee service (a high-value benefit at a lower cost) and healthy snacks and beverages. For a bonus, consider offering micro-market or vending options for free or at a reduced cost.
• If possible, bring some of the outdoors inside with potted plants, oversized windows, or natural scenery wall murals.

Regardless of how you encourage your employees to get away from their desks, it’s essential that you do it. Whether it’s lunch out, a walk around the block, or a foosball tournament in your break room, your Tampa employees will appreciate it.

To learn more about updating your break room or adding office coffee service, vending machines, or a micro-market, contact Millennium Refreshment Service at 813-882-4300. We look forward to hearing from you.

The break room can change a Tampa employee’s workplace experience. A well-designed break room that offers popular snacks, beverages, and fresh food is a place for relaxation, spontaneous interaction between colleagues, and creativity as well as a spot to grab a bite to eat or drink. Even though the impact of COVID-19 during the past several months has substantially decreased break room visits, micro-markets and vending machines still have an important role to play as employees return to work.

It’s clear that each Tampa employer will approach reopening their place of business differently and on a timetable that fits their unique organization.

Promoting CDC recommended guidelines for “healthy hygiene practices such as hand washing and employees wearing a cloth face covering, as feasible” as well as encouraging social distancing or staying at least 6 feet away from other individuals and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily are just a few new behaviors employers will likely be recommending.

Break rooms with a micro-market or vending machines are also a tool that Tampa employers can use to encourage social distancing and fewer person-to-person interactions among employees. For example,

• Both micro-markets and vending machines offer cashless or touchless payment options including mobile payments and are great for grab-and-go situations.
• To use a micro-market, employees will scan their snack or beverage; scan their smartphone or swipe a debit/card; and walk away.
• To use a vending machine, employees will touch the machine once; scan their smartphone or swipe a debit/card; and walk away.
• Both micro-markets and vending machines are open 24/7, keeping employees onsite during their workday.
• Staying on-site instead of going off-site for a bite to eat or beverage helps employees avoid external and less controllable environments.

Employers should also consider the types of snacks, beverages, and fresh food that will be offered. Eating healthy is more important than ever. Healthier ingredients like fruits and vegetables provide the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that the human body needs to support the immune system. Bottled water and other healthy beverages keep everything in the body hydrated and moving more efficiently.

But it is also wise to offer traditional options that are “fun” or provide a mental boost such as chocolate and other snacks. Most Tampa employees have been under prolonged stress, and while eating healthy is important, a favorite snack or beverage can provide a bit of an emotional or mental pick-me-up. Offering a balance of traditional and healthy options will help employees find the products they need when they want them.

For more information about our safety practices or upgrading your refreshment menu or break room space to include a micro-market or vending machines, please contact Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300. We look forward to helping you bring your employees back to work.

Workstations, desks, and the break room are just a few of the physical spaces that businesses have to consider as they begin the process of reopening. In addition, Tampa employers are developing new procedures and accommodations to ensure employee safety amidst ongoing concerns about COVID-19. Decisions made regarding the break room should be an important part of the plan.

Last week, members of the refreshment services industry gathered virtually to send a heartfelt and reassuring message to everyone. Shot in isolation from each individual’s home or business, the message is an inspiring 2-minute video. The takeaway is clear: break room service providers everywhere are here to support companies as they transition toward a new work environment.

Millennium Refreshment Services is responding appropriately and following the state’s COVID-19 re-opening schedules and guidelines as well as adopting stricter health and safety procedures for our employees.

In addition to maintaining social distancing practices, our route drivers are washing their hands or changing into a new pair of gloves before each visit. They are also sanitizing all contact surfaces and high touch areas at the end of every service call. Their goal is to leave Tampa break rooms cleaner than when they arrived. Additionally, we have implemented social distancing policies in our offices and distribution centers and are closely monitoring our employees’ health.

Before COVID-19, break rooms were an important resource, but today, they have become an even more valuable benefit for Tampa employees. Micro-markets and vending machines provide a safer way for employees to access fresh foods, snacks, and beverages. Products available in micro-markets and vending machines are individually wrapped in secure packaging for a quick, grab-and-go experience. Vending machines and micro-markets also offer cashless payment options, limiting contact even further. 

Providing employees with plenty of fresh foods, snacks, and beverages in the break room not only encourages employees to stay on-site but also limits potential exposure to viruses that can occur during off-site trips. Let’s work together to keep everyone safe.

For more information about customizing a refreshment menu or our safety procedures, please contact us at 813-882-4300.

The break room is the perfect place at work to celebrate fall. If your Tampa employer hasn’t gotten into the fall spirit yet, October 26, 2019 is National Pumpkin Day. In addition to thinking about all the yummy things that can be made with pumpkins, fall is a great time to boost employee moral by encouraging Tampa employees to branch out while having fun and meet colleagues in other departments. 

The following are a few ideas to help everyone celebrate fall.

Host a pumpkin decorating or costume contest:  Everyone loves a bit of competition. With Halloween right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to host a costume or pumpkin decorating contest for your Tampa employees. Both ideas work for single-person teams and multi-person teams, but multi-person teams can increase teamwork and morale. 

Decorate the office: There are a lot of different ways to decorate the break room or office for fall. Place decorated pumpkins (see pumpkin decorating contest above) or gourd arrangements around the room. Add in potted flower arrangements such as garden mums and tall grasses to bring more of the outdoors in. 

Enjoy hot mulled apple cider: Create an aroma based on a popular fall fruit – apples. Enjoyed cold or warm, apple cider delivers a unique flavor combination that is usually only found during the fall months. For a delicious apple aroma throughout the office, heat mulled apple cider on low in a slow cooker in the break room. Provide cups that are meant for hot liquids and a variety of healthy fall snacks.

Offer fall flavored creamers: Pumpkin season brings out a desire for flavors that aren’t usually consumed year-round. Whether it’s cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg, there are a lot of fall flavored coffee creamers, such as pumpkin spice, gingerbread, cinnamon vanilla bean, that can brighten your Tampa’s employees’ day. Don’t forget to offer a selection of non-dairy fall coffee creamers for those employees who do not consume dairy.

Support your community: Whether it’s a 5k or something longer, give back to your local community by sponsoring an employee team. For those employees who can’t or don’t want to run the race, there are other ways to be involved. Gather a group of coworkers to cheer on the participants and to meet the runners at the finish line or encourage employees to sign up to help with registration or to work at a water station. 

Not sure if your Tampa break room is ready for all the pumpkins that will soon be arriving? Millennium Refreshment Services can help update your entire break room or customize your refreshment menu with sought-after snacks, beverages and coffee. For more information, please call Millennium Refreshment Services at 813-882-4300.