To dine here, one must be an employee or guest of Sun Microsystems. Java Java, operated by Redwood Shores, Calif.-based contractor Guckenheimer Enterprises Inc., is a corporate foodservice operation. Competing for dot-com employees in a very tight labor market, Sun Microsystems has added a host of enticements to its employment package. And as other companies are discovering, restaurant-worthy foodservice departments, conveniently located and reasonably priced, can provide a pivotal recruiting edge. Employee retention is vital, too, and companies are investing in foodservice operations built around taste, ambience and convenience.
Some key differences remain intact, though.
In many locations, corporate foodservice typically serves a somewhat captive audience, one that nevertheless expects an ever-changing menu reflective of current food trends and cooking techniques. And though the days have passed when generous corporate subsidies were standard, meals are more competitively priced than those at restaurants. About half the companies surveyed give some level of subsidy. Corporate dining has moved up to the next level. We're seeing so much more food variety, better packaging, deliveries, more convenience items.