Survey shows demand for onsite dining options at workplaces

Eighty percent of 3,000 workers surveyed in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom by the Culinary Visions Panel research organization say they prefer having a café/dining room at the workplace. And with two-thirds of those surveyed not typically skipping lunch while at work, the survey results seem to point to opportunities for growth in the business dining segment.

"While only half of consumers from all three countries report having a café/dining room at the workplace, 80 percent would prefer this option for purchasing a meal or snack," summarized Culinary Visions Panel Executive Director Sharon Olson in a release announcing the results. "Our study also reveals that this amenity ranks higher in importance for Americans than consumers from the other two countries.”

The survey also found that two-thirds of consumers from the three countries prefer to bring a meal from home to eat at work, though Canadian workers tend to purchase food at work more than those in the U.S. and the UK. In addition, more U.S. and Canadian consumers are likely to take a break in the middle of the day for a treat or snack than those in the UK.

A large majority (90 percent) of consumers in all three countries care about quality and paying attention to ingredients in their meals, and almost as many (87 percent) express a willingness to pay more for better quality. Healthy snack options in the workplace are not as important to consumers in the UK as to those in the U.S. and Canada, but most respondents (75 percent) overall also said they are unwilling to compromise on taste even when eating healthy items.