Corporate cafeterias seen as a perk

By Maggie Rossiter Peterman

Few employees live in the luxury of a leisurely lunch hour.

Sixty minutes of noon corporate dining is as unlikely for most Madison workers as Dilbert becoming a savvy businessman, human resources managers agree.

"A half-hour is very typical," said Chris Freeman, who has worked in the food service business for more than 20 years, serving companies in Illinois, Minne-sota and Wisconsin.

"Right now, many employees only get 10 or 15 minutes."
In manufacturing, lunch breaks are shorter than in the professional ranks, said Freeman, 42, food services director at Wright Catering, a division of Wright Vending and Distributing in Madison.

"People are asked to work harder because companies want the same amount of production with fewer people," he said.

In an era of corporate cost cutting, executives are examining conveniences and benefits and looking for ways to cut expenses, said Mila Stahl, vice president of the Human Resources Group in Madison.

On-site cafeterias are diminishing, she said.

"A company needs to have at least 200 employees for a cafeteria to be viable," Stahl said.

Stahl is intimately acquainted with the convenience of work-place cafeterias, which usually open for breakfast and remain in operation until the late afternoon.

Before moving to Madison in 1996, Stahl worked in human resources for three years at Arbella Insurance Group, headquartered in Quincy, Mass., a suburb of Boston.

The company employed a chef, who prepared a series of daily entrees.

Because of a 90-minute commute one way, Stahl often ordered takeouts for dinner to pick up as she left the office.

"It was a real time-saver," she said. "But more and more businesses are looking to outsource non-revenue generating items."

American Girl

At American Girl, the Market-place Caf? is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the Middleton company's 650 employees.

Food service manager Mark Miskelly and chef Neal Hamlet serve a daily breakfast special, which may include an egg and cheese croissant, sausage and cheese biscuit or scrambled eggs and bacon.

A salad bar, two soups and sandwiches are among the items offered during the company's 30-minute lunch breaks.

The eating facility is a perk like casual dress and half-day Fridays for employees, said Stephanie Spanos, public relations manager who has worked at the company eight years.

A 12-ounce cup of coffee is 75 cents, oatmeal is 30 cents and the chicken and rice casserole is $5.

"It's a great service we provide our employees and people really take advantage of it," said Spanos, standing in the gold-and-red painted dining room with a wall of windows overlooking a park area and garden.

"Prices are subsidized by the company so it's reasonable for employees."

CUNA Mutual

The 2,100 employees on CUNA Mutual Group's 27-acre Madison campus may dine for breakfast and lunch in the International Com-mons, with seating for 720 people.

"There's no problem with lines," said Rick Uhlmann, 54, senior media relations manager, seated in the gray-carpeted cafeteria in the circular-shaped building on center campus at Mineral Point and Rosa roads.

Convenience, good food and top-notch service are the winning ingredients.

"Employees see the cafeteria as a great benefit," Uhlmann said.

For nearly 30 years, CUNA employed its own food service staff.

Outsourcing the cafeteria service is part of the re-invention plan for the company, a leader in providing financial services to credit unions worldwide.

Fifteen restaurant workers from Eurest Compass Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom, took over the food service operation in February, Uhlmann said.

CUNA selected Eurest from a trio of vendors, Uhlmann said.

"Financially, it was a very smart decision," he said. "We got out of the food service business so we could devote more time and energy to provide better quality customer experience."

Employees relish the wide variety of items at reasonable prices, Uhlmann said.

A southwestern omelet with hash browns costs $3.79, for example.

Employees pay $4.59 for a grilled chicken and pineapple salad, and $4.79 for a freshly made stir fry with shrimp, tofu, beef or chicken. A 12-ounce cup of house coffee is 59 cents, while Starbucks, which also is available, runs $1.50.

Although CUNA recently completed a $72 million, five-year renovation of the company's headquarters, workers are in the process of redesigning the cafeteria, said Uhlmann, who declined to discuss the cost of the project.

Refrigerators, microwaves and ice machines also are available for those who want to brown-bag it.

And employees still suffering from hunger pangs can purchase fruit, salads, sandwiches, chips and nuts from the convenience store.

"They bring in fresh muffins every morning," Uhlmann said.

Denman May & Associates

When Candice May was drawing up plans for a new insurance office, she insisted on a commercial-equipped kitchen for the company of six employees.

May is vice president of Denman May & Associates in DeForest.

"There aren't a lot of restaurants in DeForest," she said. "So we go to the store on Monday and buy groceries for lunches for the week."

Low-calorie frozen dinners are a popular item, Denman said.

Each employee has a cupboard for dry goods, such as microwave popcorn, soups and cereals, and a shelf in the refrigerator, which also has a water and ice feature on the door.

"It's really cut down on our soda consumption," she said. "We tend to drink a lot more ice water."

Black leather and chrome chairs surround a table, which sits in front of a window in the 11-by-17-foot kitchen. Green taupe paint accents the cherry cabinets.

"It's just like you walked into somebody's home," she said.

Chamberlain Research

At Chamberlain Research's new Madison facility, 660 John Nolen Drive, employees look forward to staff meetings.

That's when Chef Nancy Sorenson and her staff dish up
a gourmet meal prepared in the company's commercial kitchen that is often used by food and beverage clients for taste-test research.

"We have to make sure we are very careful about how we handle any test products," said Heather Hagenow, 32, director of communications at the market research and consulting company.

Sorenson is often called on to whip up hors d'oeuvres or dinner for nonprofit organizations hosting board meetings at the company. The following day, many of the company's 100 employees feast on the leftovers in the 600-square-foot lunch room, Hagenow said.

"When we moved here in Aug-ust, it was important for people to have a place to go and relax and a place to eat lunch together," said Hagenow, showing off the dining area designed with a wall of windows for natural light.

Company President Sharon Chamberlain is passionate about food, Hagenow said.

"Sharon sees food as a great way to connect people," she said.

Refrigerators and microwave ovens are available for employee use.

"We are responsible for cleaning up after ourselves," Hagenow said. "We haven't had much of a problem with violators yet."

Mary Ann Swissler, 45, is a temporary interviewer at Chamberlain Research.

"I've been in dozens of different lunch rooms from the East to the West coast," said Swissler, who has spent 20 years working as a freelance writer and administrative assistant in companies from New York to California.

"You can tell a lot about a company by the lunchroom. This shows that the company is a modern, cutting-edge type of place.

"It's a soothing environment. They really want you to come in here and decompress."

Maggie Rossiter Peterman is a Madison freelance writer.
mjpeterman@sbcglobal.net

Corporate cafeterias seen as a perk

By Maggie Rossiter Peterman

Resources

Printable format

E-mail this story

Index of advertisers

Directory