It contains a built-in freezer to store the entr es, plus a convection oven that heats selected items to 165F in about 80 seconds. One unit offers five entr e choices, holding as many as 150 meals at 0F for up to four months. Menu choices include turkey Reuben sandwiches, hamburgers, french fries, chicken tenders, chicken pot pies, and fruit pies. Similar units have been used in hotel business centers for more than three years. But it will take time for the new machines to become ubiquitous.
Technology costs money.
Coupons, manufacturer partnerships and branding are three ways operators are boosting vending profitability. Aramark Refreshment Services has retrofitted bill validators at more than 50 accounts to accept coupons, called Break Bucks, part of Aramark's Refreshment Rewards program. Coupons, the same size as a dollar bill, come enclosed in a gift card. They make the client look good to employees, and they reposition what was a traditional destination of last resort as an employee perk. Employee expectations vary by area and industry, he notes.