Healthy Beverage Options for Boston Breakrooms

Not sure what kinds of drinks to supply in your Boston office break room? The best place to start is with healthy and nutritious beverage options. Employees need certain nutrients and energy to keep them productive throughout the workday. Stock your break rooms with items like tea, flavored water, and other sugar-free refreshment options.

Our goal at Take 5 Vending is to keep every employee satisfied through quality break room solutions. So, keep reading below for three healthy drink options to have available in your Boston break room services.

Hot and Cold Tea Options

Tea is an awesome alternative to traditional soda. It appeals to a wide range of people and is a great beverage to sip on anytime throughout the day. In addition, it has a slew of added health benefits. Drinking tea daily can protect heart health, aid in weight loss, regulate blood sugar, help with digestion, and even support overall mental health. These health benefits are a result of the many nutrients, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties found in different kinds of teas. We offer tea service in conjunction with coffee service (in the form of tea bags), and also can provide bottled tea options from brands like Pure Leaf and Lipton in both decaf and regular varieties.

 

Flavored Water and Sugar Free Beverages

Flavored water has become a growing craze over the past decade and for good reason. It offers the same delicious taste, and sometimes carbonation, as soda but with more health benefits. Stocking your Boston vending machine or micro-market with flavored water will also help keep workers hydrated throughout the day. Hydration is a key factor in staying awake and focused during long workdays. If possible, opt for a selection of different water flavors to provide a variety that your employees will love. With brands like Vitamin Water, Polar Seltzer, and more there’s no lack of options!

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been consumed for thousands of years. It has gained recent popularity for its proposed health benefits. Not only does it have many of the same health benefits of tea (black and/or green tea being one of its main ingredients), but it’s also rich in beneficial probiotics. Advocates say it helps your digestion, rids your body of toxins, and boosts your energy. Many of the popular brands like Health-Ade and GT’s traditionally come in glass bottles, making them a perfect option for your micro-market.

If you’re looking for the best healthy beverage solutions for your office in or around Boston, make sure to contact us at 508-697-0800 or visit us at our website Take5vend.com

Coke vs Pepsi – Which to Put in the Office Vending Machine?

It’s one of the oldest debates in soft drink history around – the cola wars. The cola wars refer to the long-time rivalry between soft drink producers, The Coca Cola Company and PepsiCo. Whether you’re a casual sipper or a soda fiend, chances are you have a strong opinion when it comes to the Coke and Pepsi battle. The good news is whether you’re a Coke or Pepsi fan, we carry both in our vending machines so there’s no need to fret. What really separates Coke from Pepsi? And when did the so-called Cola Wars start? Read on below to find out.

Flavor

If you ask most soda drinkers the biggest difference between Coke and Pepsi, nine times out of ten the answer will be that Pepsi is sweeter. It’s not surprising Pepsi is sweeter considering it has 2 more grams of sugar per can than coke. While many people describe coke as having a vanilla flavor, Pepsi has more of a citrus tanginess to it. This citrus taste results from citric acid being one of its ingredients. 

The Start of the Coke vs Pepsi Debate

In the early 1980s, the “Pepsi Challenge” emerged as a marketing promotion from PepsiCo. The challenge originally took form in a single blind taste-test.  At malls, grocery stores, and other public locations, a Pepsi representative would set up a table with two unlabeled white cups: one containing Pepsi and one with Coca-Cola. People were encouraged to taste both colas, and then select which drink they prefer. More times than not, people were choosing Pepsi over Coke which Pepsi went on to happily feature in much of their advertising. 

“New Coke”

In response to this, the Coca Cola Company launched “New Coke’ ‘in 1985, a drink with a sweeter taste designed to mimic Pepsi’s success in the blind taste tests. Complaints started filing into the Coca Cola company almost immediately, leading to the phase out of “New Coke” in just a few months after its release. 

In Malcolm Gladwell’s 2005 book Blink, he broke down the difference in taste and how it plays with people’s taste preferences. In his research, Gladwell found that people tended to prefer Pepsi in a single sip test because naturally people are drawn to sweeter sips. That same preference to sweetness doesn’t hold up when someone drinks a whole bottle or can. This is why many users prefer the smooth taste of Coke when drinking larger quantities. Pepsi, in short, is a drink built to shine in a sip test. 

Pepsi and Coke Vending

Can’t decide between Pepsi and Coke? Wondering what bringing in Pepsi or Coke for the office would look like? We’re here to help. With Coke and Pepsi vending machines, drink coolers, and micro-markets the options are endless! Contact us today to get started on setting up your ideal breakroom space. 

Water Service for Boston, Brockton, and New Bedford Offices

Water Services for Boston, Brockton, and New Bedford Offices

Staying hydrated is key to staying happy during these long, hot summer days. Clean water is the most important beverage you can offer in your Boston, Brockton, and New Bedford break room. Although Massachusetts has some of the highest quality drinking water in the country, many people feel more comfortable drinking filtered water. How can you ensure clean water for employees? You can bring one of our many water service options into the office for everyone!

The Importance of Drinking More Water

When we’re at work, we’re there to do the obvious- work. So why not make sure your employees are on the top of the game when they’re in the office! 

Drinking water regularly during your workday ensures that you feel fresh and energized for improved productivity. Drinking water also helps Improve brain function. The human brain is about 75% water which means that dehydration has a direct effect on its functionality. Effects of dehydration on your brain include decreased alertness, slower reaction times, and reduced attention spans. Keeping hydrated ensures that your brain is firing on all cylinders for maximum effectiveness.

Wondering What a Water Service in Your Business Would Look Like?

When it comes to bringing in water for the whole office, there’s many options. Depending on what your space, size of workforce and budget are, every office might find a different solution that works best for them! Here’s a list of some of the office water services we offer.

-Bottled Water, which can be displayed in a vending machine, micro-market cooler, or pantry-service style.

-Cooler Service, which requires a source of water to plug into in order to filter water to be dispensed. Most commonly, this is the cheapest option. 

-Water Cooler, which we provide 5-gallon jugs of your favorite brands of water including Crystal Rock, Polar, and Poland Springs. This option is great for businesses that don’t have a water line available in their break room space, but still want filtered water.

Interested in bringing in water service for your office? Give us a call at 508-697-0800 or visit our website to leave a message today!

Office Coffee Breaks in Rhode Island

Whether you’re a Rhode Islander sipping on coffee or coffee milk on your break, it’s nice not to spend the extra time leaving the building to go grab the cup of joe somewhere else. With the return of workers to the office, many businesses are encouraging employees to take breaks on-site through creating spaces workers can relax and enjoy a gourmet cup of coffee with a snack or meal. In addition to being relaxing, office coffee breaks have many benefits for workers!

 

coffee cup next to computer in office

Benefits of Coffee Breaks

Increased Productivity: Coffee contains caffeine, which is known for its ability to fight fatigue and increase energy levels by altering levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Additionally, taking a break from work increases focus when employees return to work, thus increasing their productivity.

Health Benefits: Some research suggests that drinking coffee could help protect against Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cognitive decline.

Time to De-Stress: Work can always be stressful and coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t easy on most workers. An office coffee break offers staff a step away from the workspace and allows them time to relax in a breakroom they can enjoy.

Types of Office Coffee Service

There are many routes to take when thinking about bringing in a coffee service for the office. We’re here to lay them out for you.

Some businesses might be looking to provide all the bells and whistles for coffee service. Others might want to just provide a machine their workers can purchase a cup of coffee from. Read below to find out the difference between the various coffee service options.

Coffee Pot Service: 

If you’re a traditionalist, this might be the best choice for you. With a coffee pot service, a company would install a drip coffee pot in the space with cups, creme, sugar and any other coffee amenities placed around. Most commonly with this option the business owner will pay for all the supplies, making coffee complimentary for all the workers.

K-Cups: 

If brewing a pot of coffee for the whole office doesn’t sound good to you, K-Cups might be the solution you’re looking for. Once Keurig coffee maker is in the space, owners can choose one of two solutions. The business may either choose to buy and provide the K-cups for the workers to take as they please, or K-Cups can be installed in a snack vending machine for individual sale near the Keurig unit.

Coffee Vending Machines: 

One of the best options for individual sales, a coffee vending machines allow the purchaser to choose their drink whether it be espresso, cappuccino, or a plain black cup of coffee and brews it upon payment. These machines are most diverse when it comes to forms of payment, as they accept cash, credit, debit, and Apple Pay.

Brio:

Brio Up is an automatic dispenser that perfectly meets the needs of medium-sized communities, thanks to a wide range of coffees and hot beverages. If a coffee vending machine is too big to physically fit into your breakroom, a Brio machine would be a more size-accommodating option.

If none of these choices sound like a great fit, don’t fret – options for coffee service are endless!

Thinking About Office Coffee Service?

With over ten brands of coffee to choose from including favorites like Lavazza, Dunkin’, and New England Coffee we’re confident we can find a coffee solution that leaves everyone in your office satisfied.

To revise your current break room menu or arrange a new break room space, contact Take 5 Vending at 508-697-0800. We look forward to enjoying a cup of Joe with you.

Benefits of a Micro-Market in Boston Businesses

Do you wish you could offer your employees a wider selection of snacks than a vending machine can offer in the breakroom? A micro-market is the perfect solution. It offers a wider range of snacks, beverages, and fresh food in open-front coolers and on free-standing racks. Your break room will become a welcoming space for everyone in the office.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider installing a micro-market into your business’s break room.

Micromarket that Take 5 Vending has setup for a Boston business
Micro-market setup in a Boston business.

More Variety in the Breakroom

The main purpose of a micro-market is to offer everyone in the office tasty snacks, beverages, and pre-packaged fresh food. With a bigger physical layout than vending machines can offer, micro-markets are the way to go if you would like to offer your employees a wider selection of refreshments. Access to delicious on-site choices means your employees don’t have to go off-site for their lunch or coffee breaks. And, as a result, staying on-site creates many benefits, from unplanned team work to increased output.

Part of our job is to make sure your employees have the options they crave. Whether it’s the latest energy drinks or coconut waters, the newest healthy snack trends, or delicious fresh food we are always updating our selection. Also, don’t forget the coffee service. With most Boston and Providence adults drinking coffee every day, access to freshly brewed cup of joe is something everyone in the office will love.

Easy Payment Technology

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, technology must keep up to meet new demands. We have designed our micro-markets so the technology that powers them can do just so. Unlike a store, a micro-market does not need a cashier. One (or multiple) self-checkout kiosks are installed with every micro-market to ensure quick and easy checkout. Businesses have the option to pre-load payment cards for employees or to have each transaction be paid separately by the person buying the snack, like in the case of a vending machine.

Carefully placed security cameras help deter theft and keep an eye on the space. Additionally, wireless technology helps us track inventory and equipment status. We use the real-time data to keep everyone’s favorite products in stock, and as always, we welcome suggestions from employees themselves to ensure everyone can have their number one snack on the shelf.

Flexibility for your Business

Huge staff? We got you. Small staff? We got you. Hungry Staff? We most certainly got you.

Each company’s break room needs are different from the size of the staff to the time of the day employee’s visit the breakroom to the room’s layout. Micro-markets are flexible in the way that they can be sized up or down, and don’t need certain spacial requirements like a vending machine to be installed. No matter what your situation is, we’re confident we can customize a breakroom snacking solution that will leave the office satisfied. For more information about our micro-markets, coffee service, and vending options, please contact Take 5 Vending at 508-697-0800. We look forward to hearing from you.