On many sites, the lunch break is a sandwich. A sandwich machine brings that on site without someone having to collect orders every morning. The catch: a filled sandwich already tastes less good at three, and by eleven at night it is gone. Below: what such a machine solves, and what a chilled fridge can add.
On many sites it starts with a colleague who collects orders in the morning, or a sandwich van that comes by at half past eleven. That works as long as the colleague is there and the van turns up. If either one goes, lunch goes with it. The alternatives are covered in food for employees.
A sandwich machine solves the collecting: the sandwiches are there, chilled. What it does not solve is the rest of the day. Anyone who starts early or works in the evening finds a machine that was filled for lunchtime.
| Sandwich service | Chilled sandwich machine | Smart fridge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who orders | Someone at your site, every day | Nobody | Nobody |
| Freshness | Fresh on delivery | Chilled, with a date | Chilled, with a date |
| Choice | Whatever was ordered | Sandwiches | Sandwiches, salads, meals, dairy, drinks |
| Outside lunchtime | Nothing | Whatever is left | A range with something at every hour |
| What is left over | Yours | The operator’s | With whoever carries the stock |
Filled and chilled, with the date on the pack. Also meat-free, vegan, halal and kosher, depending on the producers.
For those who do not want bread. How a salad becomes lunch is covered in salads at work.
Yoghurt, fruit and something high-protein before the shops open. More in breakfast at work.
In an office, the fridge is best placed by the coffee corner; see smart fridge for the office. What it costs depends on your people and hours; the factors are in what a smart fridge costs.
It is on the pack and varies by bread and filling. Rotation matters more: whoever restocks takes out what is nearing its date and refills to what actually sells.
Yes. Many sites keep the sandwich service for lunch and use the fridge for the hours around it, or for those who forgot to order. After a few weeks you will see whether both are still needed.
Yes, depending on the producers and your supplier. They are labelled recognisably on the pack itself; certification is the producer’s responsibility.
What goes past its date is a loss for whoever carries the stock. That is why the range is adjusted to what actually sells; the sales per product show where to cut.
The fridge chills; heating happens in a microwave next to it. A sandwich rarely improves from that. Anyone who wants something hot is better off with a ready meal made for the microwave.
Eight short questions about your site and your hours. We tell you whether sandwiches are enough, or whether a fridge with more choice fits better.
Takes about 90 seconds · no obligation · no contact details until the last step