Vending Solutions

Today’s break room is tasked to perform multiple functions. It’s a place to relax, to grab a bite to eat, and to have meetings. While the room’s look and feel needs to be inviting, the refreshment menu is even more important. Employees will go off-site for coffee or lunch if they don’t like the options, and that’s something every Seattle employer wants to avoid.

Fortunately, choosing a new break room provider doesn’t have to be daunting. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a break room provider.

Break Room Safety and Wellness

In the time of COVID-19, health and safety practices are even more critical. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about safety procedures or about policies at the warehouse. A Seattle provider should willingly share what they are doing to keep everyone safe.

Choose the Best Fit

You might already have an idea about which service fits your organization the best. But if you don’t, a great service provider should be able to help guide you through the decision process. There are multiple factors to consider when choosing between a micro-market and vending machines.

For example, micro-markets tend to offer more product variety since they have more space inside the equipment. On the other hand, the larger micro-market coolers tend to take up more physical space in a room. The good thing though is that both micro-markets and vending machines can offer fresh food and healthy options.

Don’t Forget the Coffee

For many Seattle employees access to great-tasting coffee is almost as important as air. As with meals and snacks, offering office coffee service is one way to encourage everyone to stay on-site when they need a caffeine boost. A provider should be able to help you choose the equipment that fits your business best.

Break Room Technology

Today’s break rooms include several types of technology that help create a seamless process. The most visible one is mobile payment. Both vending machines and the self-checkout kiosk in a micro-market can be set up to also accept mobile payments.

At the warehouse, providers can use various technologies. Wireless tracking of inventory levels, pre-kitting, and scheduling delivery routes are a few. Tracking product inventory lets providers know when to swap out snacks and beverages that aren’t selling for more popular ones. Fewer delivery routes mean trucks spend less time on the road.

Now that you know a bit about choosing a provider, we can help you take the first step. Vista Vending offers a wide range of vending service options, including coffee service, filled with everyone’s favorite snacks and beverages. For more information, please call us at (253) 592-2843.

Do you wish you could offer your employees something bigger than vending machines in the break room? A micro-market is the perfect solution. It offers a wider range of snacks, beverages, and fresh food in open-front coolers and on free-standing racks. Your break room will become a welcoming space for everyone.

Here are three reasons why you should upgrade your break room with one of our micro-markets.

Flexible Plan of Attack

Each company’s break room needs are different from the time of day employees visit the break room to the room’s layout and physical location. To help meet your needs, we will customize a solution that fits your company.

For example, a neighboring business might be open during regular business hours. But your business might have a second or third shift. It doesn’t matter which shift your Seattle employees work. A micro-market is open 24/7. It’s accessible to all employees, even those who work the second or third shifts.

Do you have a large break room that serves hundreds of employees? Maybe your company is smaller with limited space, or perhaps it’s somewhere in between. We can customize a plan that works for you. For instance, the layout of your open-concept market will be designed based on your physical space and number of employees. Is your company growing? No problem, your micro-market can grow with you.

Micro-Market Technology

In today’s changing work environment, technology must adapt to meet new demands. Likewise, technology in the break room must also adapt. Our micro-markets include state-of-the-art tools designed to create a seamless experience for your employees.

An important piece of technology is the self-checkout kiosk. Unlike a store, a micro-market doesn’t need a cashier. The kiosk also offers other features such as a touchless checkout process using mobile payment options. It can also share promotional and rewards programs with users.

Carefully placed security cameras help deter theft and keep an eye on the space. In addition, wireless technology helps us track inventory and equipment status. We use the real-time data to keep everyone’s favorite products in stock. The data also helps us figure out when it’s time to introduce new products.

Snacks and Drinks

The main purpose of a micro-market is to offer great-tasting snacks, beverages, and pre-packaged fresh food. Access to delicious on-site choices means your employees don’t have to go off-site for their lunch or coffee breaks. And, as a result, staying on-site creates many benefits, from unplanned team work to increased output.

Part of our job is to make sure your employees have the options they crave, whether it’s the latest energy drinks or specialty waters, the latest snack trends, or delicious fresh food. But don’t forget the coffee service. With most Seattle adults drinking coffee every day, access to freshly brewed and flavorful coffee or tea is a benefit your employees will love.

For more information about our micro-markets, coffee service, and vending options, please contact Vista Vending at (253) 592-2843. We look forward to hearing from you.

Your Seattle 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 Seattle 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 Seattle employees will appreciate it.

To learn more about updating your break room or adding office coffee service, vending machines, or a micro-market, contact Vista Vending at (253) 592-2843. We look forward to hearing from you.

The break room can change a Seattle 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 Seattle 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 Seattle 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 Seattle 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 Vista Vending at (253) 592-2843. We look forward to helping you bring your employees back to work.