Eating authentic Mexican street food, hand rolled sushi and other fresh, local dishes is a lunch experience many professionals do not experience in their office. Unless you’ve been working for a highly progressive company like Google, you’re most likely used to a typical cafeteria that provides the same generic lunch options every single day. However, with people caring more and more about what they are eating, employees are no longer satisfied with their traditional lunch cafeteria food. As a result, large corporations are losing tremendous amounts of money on their cafeterias and are replacing them with a diverse mix of highly rated guest restaurants, otherwise known as food halls.
Food halls are not a foreign concept as the Harrods market in London has been serving authentic food and drinks for years. Chicago and New York have also seen food halls popping up with Revival Food Hall and Anthony Bourdain’s much anticipated hall at Pier 57. While these food halls serve professionals who leave the office for lunch, food halls are making their scene inside corporate America in traditional spaces such as Northern Trust and 540 West Madison. West Loop Food Hall
Northern Trust and 540 West Madison are now provided daily with the best local and national restaurants to bring employees a highly diverse mix of cuisines. Each menu is curated, taste tested and has a positive Yelp rating. Beyond the menu, these spaces are also redesigned to provide a fresh and sociable atmosphere bringing the space to life.
80% of employees believe that the healthy and local food that food halls provide is a number one company perk. Not only are employees benefiting, but the companies and buildings profit as well. Food halls are reducing real estate needs and energy consumption and limit buildout costs and future investments.
Foodservice is finally getting the recognition it needs and deserves in the workplace. With no signs of slowing down food halls will not be a trend, but something companies and buildings will no longer be able to ignore.
