For many workplaces, the canteen plays an important role in the working day.
Breakfast in the morning. Lunch at midday. Coffee breaks throughout the shift.
But what happens when the canteen closes?
For a 9–5 workplace, it might not be a major issue. For a manufacturing site running around the clock, a logistics operation working through the night or a distribution centre with multiple shifts, it’s a very different story.
The workforce doesn’t stop when the canteen does.
The 24/7 workforce needs a 24/7 solution
Night-shift workers still need access to food. Weekend teams still need somewhere to get a coffee. Employees starting at 10pm still need something to eat. And people finishing an overnight shift shouldn’t have to wait until they get home before they can get something substantial to eat.
Yet on many 24/7 sites, the food and refreshment offer effectively switches off when the canteen closes.
That creates a gap in the employee experience.
So what are employees doing instead?
They might bring food from home. They might rely on vending machines. They might leave site to find food. Or they might simply go without. None of these options necessarily delivers the experience employers want for their workforce.
And when employees are working long, physically demanding or unsocial hours, access to convenient food and refreshments becomes even more important.
Closing the gap
The answer doesn’t necessarily mean keeping a full canteen open 24 hours a day. There are more flexible ways to provide food and refreshments outside traditional catering hours.
- Smart food fridges can provide ready-to-eat meals around the clock.
- Hot food solutions can give employees access to substantial meals outside canteen hours.
- Vending can provide snacks and drinks throughout the day and night.
- Coffee solutions can keep employees fuelled across every shift.
- And hydration solutions can make access to water simple and convenient.
The important thing is creating a workplace where the refreshment offer matches the way people actually work. It’s about more than food. A good break is an important part of the working day.
It’s an opportunity to step away from the task, recharge, catch up with colleagues and come back ready for the next part of the shift.
That’s why we believe in Making Breaks Matter.
For a 24/7 workplace, that means thinking beyond traditional catering hours. Because if your workforce works around the clock, your break solution should too.
The canteen might close. The working day doesn’t.
