Category: Consultants

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Making Money with Small Space Foodservice Pop-Ups on Campus

Making Money with Small Space Foodservice Pop-Ups on Campus

The bands are playing in the end zone and the quad is filled with tailgaters getting ready for the big game. Yes, college campuses are back in full effect, and all you need for proof are the stadiums on a Saturday afternoon.

For C&U foodservice directors, the increase in on-campus foot traffic, whether it be on gameday or on a random Wednesday morning, is an opportunity to increase revenue for the overall program. One way to achieve this is to develop otherwise unused spaces as pop-up foodservice operations.

Traditionally, college foodservice has been relegated to cafeterias. Just think about the movies. We all know the classic scene in Animal House as John Belushi moves his tray down the serving line. Today, though, college foodservice can be much more creative, in large part because of the equipment C&U directors can use to serve it.

THE TOP 3 REASONS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SHOULD CONSIDER POP-UP FOODSERVICE OPERATIONS

  1. First and foremost, pop-ups contribute to profitability: By moving the point-of-sale to an area on campus that is otherwise unused, C&U foodservice directors can literally create new points of profit.
  2. Keeping students on campus is critical for the fiscal health of a C&U foodservice operation: And if you can move the point of sale just about anywhere, why not in places of convenience that will keep students on campus rather than walking half a mile down the street?
  3. Pop-ups provide marketability: By developing creative, mobile foodservice solutions, a college foodservice operation gains the ability to develop a brand for the overall program, much like the team all suited up in the stadium can do.

A Successful Pop-Up Depends on the Right Foodservice Equipment Solutions

Mobile, pop-up foodservice is beneficial, but it’s not easy. It requires the right planning, equipment, and training.

The teams at Lakeside and Multiteria have developed solutions specifically for this niche market, and we’d be happy to share our tips and tricks to help develop a successful C&U pop-up foodservice program.

From grab-n-go sandwich shops to coffee kiosks, we have solutions that can help turn these ideas into reality.

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Supply Chain Impacts on School Foodservice

Supply Chain Impacts on School Foodservice

As the new school year is now in full swing in most districts, some schools are opening their doors again for the first time in over a year. This is bringing challenges that range from dealing with variants to overcoming gaps in the supply chains with shortages ranging from paper products to school foodservice equipment to even the food itself.

What is causing the shortage?

Depending on the item, there are many reasons for the delay in products. Across the country, the effects of the current labor crisis are affecting production, shipping, and other areas. In the case of foodservice equipment, there are manufacturers that are experiencing shortages of their own, whether it’s raw materials, the people to process them, the shipping of those goods, or all of the above.

At the same time, suppliers are also experiencing delays to the coronavirus variants. This has a direct effect on production and distribution, as well.

Increasing Demand and Universal Service

As schools reenter the classrooms and cafeterias, the results are increases in demand. Because hybrid or virtual models didn’t translate to standard foodservice volumes, the return to schools has succeeded in increasing demand at the same time supplies are in short order.

Due to the pandemic and the financial burden placed on students and their families, many school districts across state lines decided to open up their lunch program, offering free lunches to all students in the building. This means that students who may not have eaten lunch at school are now participating, and the demand for food is often higher than it was in previous years. These cafeterias must have enough food on hand to feed every student, so larger orders are also being placed, overwhelming suppliers and causing a delay in supplies.

Beating the Lack of Supplies

Many school cafeterias in the Southern region and other parts of the country are looking for alternative options for getting these supplies and attempting to beat the supply crisis they are facing. In places like South Carolina, Florence School District 3 is looking to consider alternative distributors for their supplies, should their orders not be fulfilled based upon the menu produced. They also placed a large bulk order of food during the summer so that supplies that were delayed had time to arrive before they were necessary.

In Florida, the Lee County district is considering taking an approach to homemade cooking with recipes to buy the meat and produce they need as substitutes for the preplanned menu available to students. Their goal is to look ahead at the supplies they have and plan to improvise when necessary to always have enough food on hand, even if it isn’t exactly what was posted on the menu.

On the foodservice equipment side of service, some manufacturers are operating on more standard delivery times, and the team at Lakeside is proud to be one of those options. If you’re a district looking to revitalize your cafeteria or to better prepare it for uncertain service types, Lakeside and our suite of brands can help.

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The Importance of Satellite Service in School Nutrition

The Importance of Satellite Service in School Nutrition

We’re seeing debates raging across the country regarding masking in schools.

From coast to coast and from one political persuasion to another, the doesn’t seem to be a lot of agreement on the best ways to move forward. While masking in the classroom may be the center of discussion, there’s one thing we know for sure. You can’t mask and eat.

For even the most cautious of school districts who require masking in the classrooms and in the hallways, mealtimes are still a tricky situation. In some cases, schools are moving the dining process outside where students can enjoy fresh air and ample space. But for those who live in colder climates, winter is coming.

How can school nutrition directors help prevent the spread of Covid-19 while still offering quality meals to all students?

One option is satellite service, often called in-class dining. On rainy days or when the weather gets cold, outside eating will not be an option. Directors and staff are going to have to adapt, and one way to do this is to consider delivering meals to students instead of the other way around.

Yes, students will still need to be unmasked in order to eat and drink, but by limiting service to smaller cohorts of only classmates, schools can help mitigate the spread of airborne viruses by restricting exposure to and from students in other classrooms and grade levels.

 

Satellite Service Requires the Right Vehicles for Delivery

Lakeside offers a range of equipment solutions to help school nutrition directors and staff deliver meals from a school’s kitchen directly to the classroom without sacrificing the three most important factors of foodservice.

SAFETY

Keeping foods in the ideal serving conditions is a critical part of food safety. Heated delivery systems can ensure food products will not slip into the Danger Zone during the delivery process.

QUALITY

If the worst-case scenario with maintaining ideal food temperatures is safety, quality isn’t that far behind. Serving cold chicken or soggy sandwiches is an easy way to turn students off from participating in the future.

CONVENIENCE & EFFICIENCY

For operators and staff, limiting the number of trips from the kitchen to the classroom can help optimize labor challenges while reducing delivery times for students. In school cafeterias, staffing and dining times are critical for everyone involved.

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An Update on School Foodservice: August 2021 Edition

An Update on School Foodservice: August 2021 Edition

Schools are reopening across the country, and while we had hoped this year would look more like two years ago than last, we’re unfortunately seeing situations and challenges still caused by Covid.

Though every district and school has its own set of challenges, the one common factor is uncertainty as we look to reenter our classrooms and cafeterias.

Uncertainty isn’t the end of the world, though, especially if actions are taken that can help school nutrition programs to prepare. While some students might be entering school cafeterias as they did two years ago, in a county across the state, those students might be looking at eating outside as weather permits or even in their classrooms with smaller cohorts.

Simply put, many directors don’t know which direction to take, so it’s ideal to be prepared for a wide range of possibilities. Just consider some of the service types we’ve seen in the last 18 months and are likely to experience in the next 18 months.

CAFETERIA DINING

Some districts continue to serve meals in the cafeteria as they traditionally have. Even still, there are some modifications that are being considered. Spacing students out while in line and while seated is a top priority, as are providing sanitation stations to help reduce the spread of the virus. Moving students through lines quickly and setting up barrier partitions are other safety measures to consider.

IN-CLASS DINING

Many districts are serving both lunch and breakfast directly to students in the classroom. This type of hallway or satellite service keeps students in smaller groups, which allows schools and districts to isolate potential outbreaks and reduce the potential for spread.

CURBSIDE SERVICE

Many school districts and school nutrition professionals became our heroes during the Covid pandemic by continuing to serve our students, particularly those who are food challenged and in need. For those districts that are returning to virtual learning, curbside service will likely be part of the foodservice equation.

Enhance your school foodservice capabilities with the right equipment.

It’s a difficult proposition but preparing for or at least considering what the previous service types might require can help school nutrition directors move quickly if situations arise. One way to make this easier is with the right equipment and supplies.

Lakeside and our family of brands have developed school nutrition solutions that can help directors and staff during the current Covid pandemic and beyond. Our serving lines are designed to help increase the speed of service in any given year, but they can also help reduce potential exposure today. Likewise, while our serving carts enhance in-class and satellite service by preserving food quality, those same carts can be used to create additional points-of-sale once we’re back to normal.

Learn more about Lakeside and our suite of school nutrition solutions!

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Considering Multifunctional K12 Foodservice Equipment

Considering Multifunctional K12 Foodservice Equipment

School cafeterias don’t always have the space needed to serve students as conveniently as possible, but switching to multi-function foodservice equipment can make it easier to keep your K-12 kitchen clean, organized, and profitable. And as we’ve learned in the past year, versatility in service can be a game-changer. With the right equipment, school nutrition staff can change the points of service, adjust countertops and shelves to match menu options and grade levels, move food around, and even help maintain a sanitary cafeteria.

Let’s dig into a few important considerations when reviewing multi-function school nutrition equipment.

Allow for menu versatility.

Counters that can be adjusted to have flat tops or hold a variety of configurations of serving containers provide the highest level of flexibility and efficiency when it comes to serving different types of meals. Bulk containers of spaghetti, soup, salad, or similar menu items usually benefit from being kept in a large container that can be nested into the counter so that the food is at the level of the counter, which makes it easier to scoop without making a mess. However, regular flat counters are usually a better fit for pizza slices, sandwiches, and other solid items, which means that choosing countertops that can be filled in or left open provides the most options for efficiently serving various types of foods.

Changes the points of service.

Adding portable serving carts allows schools to move away from traditional lunch lines, instead, serving students in their seats or even in the classroom to minimize touchpoints. Lakeside’s wide variety of utility carts are able to help you find the perfect solution for your foodservice equipment needs. This was certainly critical during the COVID period. Mobile serving is easier with reliable and sizable carts that can help staff move food from the cafeteria to other parts of the school. Mobile carts can also be used for storage when they’re not in use. Though the needs for in-class service may not continue after COVID, the concept will likely continue because of the convenience it provides.

Ensure sanitation and safety.

Multi-function foodservice equipment makes it easier for schools to configure stations as needed. Having the ability to add hand sanitizer or even a sink, for example, can allow schools to help ensure safety and sanitation. These safety needs will likely continue into the future. For schools that don’t have existing sanitation equipment, it can be added to a line as part of multi-functional serving equipment.

Providing barriers between prepared foods and students in line is also a helpful step when it comes to making your school cafeteria more sanitary, but blocking off the entire food service area may not be possible. Versatile lines can include options to help protect food by allowing directors to add or remove safety barriers as needed.

Explore equipment options.

Switching to multi-function foodservice equipment can make serving students more convenient and more sanitary. At Lakeside, we offer a variety of foodservice solutions that make it easy to serve students in ways that best fit the layout of your cafeteria and the needs of your school. Browse our website to explore how our products can make your K-12 foodservice more innovative and more convenient.

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Are Meal and Cocktail Kits the Future of Foodservice?

Are Meal and Cocktail Kits the Future of Foodservice?

Kits are “it”.

During the pandemic, all we wanted was to find a way to simulate normal, a normal that was changed due to the closure of the bars and restaurants we frequent. For many, stopping at our regular pub for a beer or eating lunch at our usual restaurant is more than a way to get sustenance, but a ritual that brings us comfort and joy. Restaurants and bars had to adapt, and this is when cocktail and restaurant take-home kits gained popularity.

By providing pick-up boxes of food and beverage — often paired with detailed instructions and a personal touch of service — take-home kits became a great way to enjoy our favorite establishments within the constraints of the new normal. Having a designated space for kit pick-up has helped many businesses streamline this process in a contactless way. Here are some contactless cart options for your business.

These kits have allowed us to have a new cocktail from our favorite speakeasy or a multi-course meal from our favorite restaurant without the risks of leaving home. Cocktail and meal kits started as a means to an end, a way for us to comfort ourselves, but even with the country opening back up, cocktail and meal kits are still doing well. Are they here to stay?

What are cocktail and meal kits?

Getting into the details, cocktail and meal kits provided a new way for food and beverage establishments to remain relevant in the eyes of their most loyal customers. As we mentioned, detailed instructions were often included. In some cases, those instructions were even videos or live teleconference sessions where consumers could have direct access to chefs and mixologists.

Cocktail kits came with liquor, botanicals that were often hard to find, and sometimes even glassware. Meal kits came with pre-measured ingredients, recipes, and sometimes hard to source proteins or items that came pre-marinated for a taste that would be difficult to simulate at home. Using these clever kits, anything difficult in the process or in the flavor profiles were handled by the restaurants or bartenders. But with the country opening back up, why are these kits still selling well?

Why are cocktail and meal kits still selling?

People discovered that cocktail and meal kits are fun. It’s nice to create the foods and drinks you love at home, and even more fun to surprise someone with a drink or a plate of food they thought they couldn’t get. In a sense, the meal and cocktail kit concept has completely changed the concept of the dinner party into something that can be more of a conversation starter than just a home-cooked meal.

In fact, meal kits even go beyond our local neighborhoods. Thanks to companies like Gold Belly who ship foods from famous establishments across the country, the novelty of creating a sandwich from Katz’s Deli when you live in Ohio or Som Saa when you live in the US is completely possible. Taste bud tourism is alive and well thanks, in large part, to consumers being stuck at home over the course of the last year and a half.

As we look to the future, more and more consumers might realize they just don’t feel like going out but would like to enjoy the same level of quality. At the same time, restaurants and bars have opened up new profit points by providing meal and cocktail kits. Only time will tell if meal and cocktail kits are truly the future of dining, but if they keep on selling as they are, they will certainly have a strong presence in the marketplace.

Does your business have a streamlined process for customers to pick up their at home meal or cocktail kits? Check out Lakeside’s Curbside and Carry Out carts for quick, contactless distribution to your customers.

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Lakeside Helps Make Teen’s Wish Come True

Lakeside Helps Make Teen’s Wish Come True

Selfless service from a teen’s final wish.

Lakeside is proud to have partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund, and a young man named Chad Keown to bring coffee and healthy snacks to teens at Tri-Central High School in Sharpsville, Indiana.

Chad was diagnosed with multiple heart defects at birth, having his first of three heart surgeries at just a month old. In addition to his heart problems, Chad had learning disabilities, which made school more difficult for him. He persevered, however, and filled his life with activities such as “beating [his] dad at pool, and learning… how to make a great 3-point shot in basketball.”

At 15 years old, in December 2015, he had another setback after a series of health events that left him clinically dead for 35 minutes. He “was as close to death as you can get,” said Matt Landman, one of the doctors who saved his life. Chad had to deal with brain damage after the event and spent the next year re-learning how to walk and talk.

That was when the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund got involved.

Instead of going to Disney World or taking a vacation to Hawaii, as so many children choose to do, Chad’s wish was closer to home. He wanted to help his fellow students with special needs to learn and practice life skills by opening a food cart in his school.

Terry Ceaser-Hudson, who works for the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund, says that “Chad’s was one of the most unselfish wishes we’ve seen” in the organization’s history of granting more than 4,000 wishes to children facing serious illnesses.

The ICWF and Make-A-Wish Foundation contacted a variety of donors to make Chad’s dream a reality, and when they needed an actual cart, they reached out to Lakeside Food Service. Lakeside was more than pleased to donate the cart, and with that, Chad’s Café could open.

The café, which is staffed entirely by Chad’s classmates, serves healthy snacks and coffee to students and teachers alike. The staff practice life skills such as keeping the cart stocked, tracking inventory, and making change.

“He’s been through this huge ordeal,” says Dr. Landman, “and his instinct is to give back. How amazing that a young man who’s had this happen to him would think of others first.”

While Chad passed away unexpectedly in 2018, he leaves behind his legacy of service to others. Chad’s Café is still serving people at Tri-Central High School and at sporting events. He was even able to donate his liver and lungs, a final act of generosity for people in need.

“I don’t want a moment,” he said when asked about his wish. “I want to leave a legacy.”

And he’s done just that.

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What Are People Saying About the SuzyQ Meal Delivery System?

What Are People Saying About the SuzyQ Meal Delivery System?

For directors looking to improve quality of life and staff morale in a senior care or long-term care community, reconsidering foodservice can be a viable option.

For many reasons, the SuzyQ meal delivery system can help on these fronts, but sometimes it helps to understand why and to hear what others are saying.

Let’s review some popular sentiment on the SuzyQ:

Residents love the SuzyQ.

In many cases, long-term residents are slowly being stripped of their ability to choose. On the flip side of that, SuzyQ can actually provide choice by allowing residents to be in charge of their own selections during mealtimes.

“Residents have choices at mealtimes, limited but at least it is a choice. They can specify how much they want, ask for a second helping, eat pudding every day if they want. Patient meal satisfaction has greatly improved and family members rarely express concerns relating to meal service in the dining room.”

Being able to choose individual items makes mealtimes more enjoyable instead of seeming more regimented. SuzyQ also provides the opportunity for resident-staff interactions, giving residents the ability to talk about food options and even make a new friend. Residents can get access to a variety of intriguing textures, flavors, and aromas at each meal. This creates excitement and can make mealtimes what they’re supposed to be — the most enjoyable parts of the day.

“Comments have included; ‘treated special’ and ‘feel like royalty’. Review of the satisfaction survey results from residents and families indicated an increase of the satisfaction level of the quality of meals to 73%. Food complaints regarding meals on the three halls using the system are non-existent. ”

Staff love it, too.

One clear result of the SuzyQ is staff love it, as well, in large part because it increases the opportunity for interactions with residents. Hint: residents aren’t the only ones who enjoy and benefit from this. When this type of service is facilitated, staff get to see residents as real people with unique likes and dislikes rather than an anonymous room number or dietary code.

“The foodservice staff have a relationship with the residents, enjoy the interaction, and experience greater job satisfaction.”

Many staff testimonials mention how much staff members enjoy the interaction with the residents and how it results in greater job satisfaction, but staff also love SuzyQ because it can help reduce waste. Recent patient satisfaction surveys indicate this type of delivery is well-received.

“’I enjoy the new food service method of receiving food’ and ‘I prefer the new food cart; I feel good about the reduction in waste’ are two of the many favorable comments we’ve received. It has been a positive experience for the foodservice staff too; ‘It has  given us an opportunity to interact with the residents at a more personable level. We have observed a significant reduction in food waste with our new SuzyQ cart. We are giving the residents only what they want for the meal, so we are seeing a lot less waste. We are pleased with the new meal delivery service and look forward to providing our residents with many more SuzyQ opportunities.’”

They save money and provide important ROI.

As we just mentioned, staff love SuzyQ because the meal delivery systems result in reduced food waste. It’s depressing to send out carefully prepared food only to see a substantial portion of it return uneaten. Not only is this demoralizing for the kitchen staff, but the tremendous amount of food waste is also a drain on the dietary budget.

In their testimonies, quite a few kitchen managers described how much less food waste there is with the SuzyQ. Because residents can specify the amount of each food item they select, more of them actually finish their meals. Getting seniors to eat more is always a bonus!

“The food waste has drastically decreased at my site, as well, which means the residents are eating. There has been a noticeable increase in the amount residents are consuming because now they get to eat what they want to! At each meal we begin with a beverage cart, we set up everyone with placemats, cutlery, water and any additional drinks they would like.”

Is SuzyQ the right solution for your facility?

With significantly hotter food, 30-50% less food waste, fast and efficient staff teamwork, and an improved resident-focused dining experience, SuzyQ meal delivery systems are proving to be an operation-transforming piece of equipment, as you read above. But what about your facility?

To discover the potential ROI of a SuzyQ for your specific facility, we’ve put together a calculator to help you understand the full savings potential of these meal delivery systems.

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Reimagining “All-You-Can-Eat” in a Post-Covid World

Reimagining “All-You-Can-Eat” in a Post-Covid World

The world is starting to open back up, and so, too, are our beloved restaurants and foodservice establishments.

We're all grateful for this, especially knowing that while it may take some time, things should pretty much return to normal -- eventually -- in a post-COVID world. There is one type of operation, though, that still might look a little different.

Buffets.

Many consumers have stated they wouldn't feel comfortable going back to such open settings that allow anyone and everyone to grab what they want whenever they want. The once-beloved tradition is simply not feasible in current times and may not make a true comeback for years to come. So, how are restaurants and hotels recreating the buffet experience?

PIVOTAL MOVES

While all-you-can-eat is often associated with buffets, it doesn't have to be. Some restaurants have been using this model forever, most notably Korean BBQ service. K-BBQ has gained popularity with the rising trend of Korean cuisine, and this model offers all-you-can-eat servings that are personal to the individual table. Consumers will order from a specialized menu, paying a flat rate and the dishes will be delivered to their table rather than going to a buffet.

This has been shown to be successful in K-BBQ settings and many restaurants are using the method to transition their services. By offering an “endless supply” of selected dishes, customers are able to still get the all-you-can-eat experience without the fear of cross-contamination.

This style of service also requires moving foods from the kitchen to the tableside while preserving safety, freshness, temperature, and quality. With the right food delivery system, operators can not only serve amazing foods but also reduce the potential for food waste by rationing serving sizes.

MOVING THE SOCIALLY DISTANCED LINE ALONG

No restaurant is escaping the transition of re-opening unscathed, and that's part of why many businesses are relying on disposable items so heavily for to-go orders and delivery services. Unfortunately, that's not exactly cost-efficient and adds an extra layer of labor to the daily list of tasks. One solution that vendors are finding success with for maintaining a somewhat buffet-style service is by mimicking cafeteria lines.

Consumers are encouraged to socially distance in lines, but they can experience an almost traditional buffet by moving through an assembly line. While in line, they can choose from pre-assembled plates from the menu or encounter staff-served options that don't require any consumer engagement with serving utensils.

Serving lines and foodservice solutions are a critical component of this type of service. Units that are easy to configure, provide visibility, ease-of-use, and are easy to clean can help make operations more efficient and profitable.

ORDER UP

In addition to utilizing Korean BBQ settings and Cafeteria line styles, buffet models can benefit from ordering directly from the table. This would include a tablet or mobile device that allows customers to quickly review the menu and place their orders. The virtual order is then sent directly to the kitchen to begin preparation and helps create a hybrid of ordering on the go while still enjoying the dine-in experience.

This solution may also assist in offsetting some labor costs, reducing the number of front-of-the-house staff needed on shift. Staff that are serving would focus more on seating customers and delivering orders rather than constantly taking orders and checking on tables.

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST FOODSERVICE TRENDS

There's no single direct solution to getting back to normal, and the truth is that the current day foodservice is creating a new normal. With modern-day technology, adjusting to local mandates and re-imagining the industry's day-to-day setup is constantly changing.

Our goal at Lakeside is to keep you informed as well as provide you with serving stations, portable serving carts, serving lines, countertops that bring you innovative solutions for a post-COVID experience. The all-you-can-eat buffet tradition might look a little different from now on, but you can still create that sense of enjoyable engagement for consumers dining with you.

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3 Benefits of a Student-Run Coffee Program

3 Benefits of a Student-Run Coffee Program

Over the past decade, one of the biggest growth segments for coffee has been younger demographics, and this trend is expected to continue its upward climb.

As a result of coffee’s growing appeal and popularity amongst student-aged populations, many high schools across the country are considering or have already begun student-run coffee programs.

There are three important benefits to beginning this type of school nutrition service, so let’s walk through each of them now.

1. Would You Like Some Milk with Your Coffee?

Promoting milk-rich coffee drinks like lattes, café mochas, and cappuccinos can result in improved milk consumption among teens who might otherwise avoid drinking the white stuff. This can help schools meet federal and local guidelines on milk consumption.

Coffee drinks offered at school have to follow the same strict USDA nutrition standards that apply to school lunches, meaning drinks should be made with fat-free or 1% milk that averages around 150 calories. They also can’t exceed 12 ounces, so no ‘venti’ drinks at the school coffee bar. At the same time, coffee can replace other, sugary drinks as a caffeine substitute. Drinking coffee is a lot better for students than carbonated energy drinks or even soda, for example.

The bottom line is more milk/less sugar is the desired result in our high school foodservice operations.

2. Keeping It All on Campus

Keeping high school students on campus where they can be properly supervised is often a challenge. Offering their favorite caffeinated beverages in-house is one way to meet that challenge, especially for schools that have open campuses where students are permitted to leave. As many schools remove soda and vending machines from school grounds, replacing them with a coffee bar can be a great alternative, giving students an off-campus type of experience inside the school.

As we mentioned, coffee drinks are substantially lower in sugar than soda and include a healthy dose of milk. This helps them meet the USDA’s Smart Snacks in Schools parameters. The coffee bar can also provide an increased profit potential within the school. This much-needed infusion of money can help offset the loss from the removal of the soda vending machines.

A study comparing two high schools’ experience with installing coffee bars was presented at the 2019 Annual National Conference of the School Nutrition Association. According to that study, the projected ROI from adding a coffee bar was just over a year and a half. Since the demand for coffee drinks is only increasing among students, your ROI could come even sooner and will continue into the future.

3. Learning About the Business of Coffee

By setting up and running a coffee stand, students can actually benefit from hands-on learning during their business classes. If they’re working in conjunction with the school nutrition department, even better! All parties benefit when a coffee cart draws more students into the school cafeteria.

While working at the coffee cart or helping to set up the program, students learn the basics of running a successful business. Those basics include marketing, quality control, budgeting, scheduling, and other essential skills. If a class requires hands-on work hours, students can develop and improve in areas like customer service and management without leaving campus.

Is Your School Ready for a Coffee Program?
As we’ve shown above, an investment in a student-run coffee program benefits both the students and the school. If your school district is interested in implementing such a program, connect with a Lakeside expert for more information and guidance.