The average person can expect to spend ⅓ of their life at work, so making it enjoyable is kind of a big deal. American employees can expect to increase that number, as they work “137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers, according to the ILO. That’s a lot of meals, snacks, drinks and sustenance to keep people fed across workplaces in America.
Employees working extended hours present an untapped opportunity for restaurants to reach a captive audience and meet the growing needs of on-the-go workers. Employers and their staff both value convenience, and with Byte’s impressive technology, the need for third party delivery apps and standing in line to order is eliminated. Restaurants can expand their reach by selling into workplaces to generate off-premise revenue and become a viable strategy for growth (especially in the covid-decimated restaurant industry).
Convenience culture
Millennials have (finally!) become the biggest segment of the labor force, and given their hectic lives, they appreciate convenience. 52% of millennials say they would pay more for high-quality, ready-made meals that are actually healthy. There’s a tremendous opportunity for restaurants with this demographic of hungry customers.
Companies understand that employees staying on-site for lunch saves time and increases productivity. They’re incentivized to offer employees the convenience of fantastic food in the office that doesn’t require putting on a jacket to head out in the rain to order a sandwich and watch someone make it. Delivery is another option favored by busy companies and staff, but it’s often expensive, inconvenient and cumbersome. Not to mention, restaurants “hate” delivery services for a myriad of reasons, so they’re aggressively seeking out alternatives.
The dream team
Thanks to Byte, restaurants have an opportunity to develop a long-term growth strategy, in conjunction with workplaces, to bring their food directly into offices. For context, there are 2.4M offices with 20+ employees, making up over 100M people in the US, according to the census. Suffice to say, the market is huge!Restaurants can get creative and offer grab-and-go options, delivery, catering services, and using unattended stores to embed their products in the workplace. Grab-and-go occupies a sweet spot in workers’ dining habits because they get a break from their work, but don’t have to wait for their order to be prepared. In fact, if you’re interested in a well-executed brick and mortar concept exclusively dedicated to grab ‘n go, look no further than Proper Food.
Byte Technology-powered stores are the most economical way to make the workplace part of your restaurant’s business strategy. It generates revenue off-premise and automated alerts notify the restaurant when a product should be restocked. Best of all, office workers see and buy food from the fridge all day long, keeping your brand top of mind from 9 to 5.
The future of office food
Having food in the office is a perk that employees appreciate, but many companies struggle with the logistics and cost. While giving employees free lunch can certainly boost employee morale and productivity, most companies cannot afford it or it may not be part of their company culture. That’s why providing grab-and-go options in brick-and-mortar stores, delivery services, and unattended retail in the workplace is essential for restaurants.
The most innovative way for restaurants and food retailers to target workplaces is through embedded retail because it doesn’t require an honor code or human attendant. Restaurants place a small, unattended store in a local office and fill it with prepared food and drinks of their choice. However you decide to bring the workplace into your restaurant’s growth strategy, you’ll gain access to a market hungry for your presence. Yum!
If you’re interested in learning more, we’d love to talk to you – email me directly at megan@bytetechnology.co to schedule a call.
