So you have a good participation level in your school district’s National School Lunch Program(NSLP), but you wonder why on average do only 30% of those student come in the School Breakfast Program(SBP). Well, we all know that the students don’t necessary allow or get enough time to go in the cafeteria for a sit down breakfast. Here are how some schools are increasing participation by overcoming time and inconvenience issues and successfully delivering the most important meal of the day with the right equipment:
- Grab n’ Go in the Cafeteria – Although 90% of schools offer grab n’ go breakfast before school, only 20% offer this for the morning hours after school had begun. To keep your foods to temperature for a prolonged serving period of say 6:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., adding a mobile heated cabinet to the serving line area is great for restocking wrapped breakfast meals.
- Hallway Breakfast – The social aspect of gathering in the hallways before class provides a great opportunity to bring the breakfast to where the customer is. Strategically located mobile kiosk carts will increase your SBP by an average of 20%, particularly if you have extended hours. The most successful kiosks are 6-10 feet with heated merchandising, an overhead soffit on poles for a menu board, lighting, and an area for the POS terminal. Cold milk and juice can be easily merchandised on ice in a mobile cart.
- Classroom Delivery – While not prevalent in high schools and teacher endorsement is necessary, classroom breakfast delivery can increase SBP participation by up to 20% when accompanied by no charge. Yes, even when it’s free, you still have some non-participants. With direct delivery to classrooms, you can pair utility carts and insulated bag carriers to distribute breakfast efficiently.
Can we help you increase your School Breakfast Program participation rates? Whether it is designing a large kiosk or just the need for a pizza bag, contact us at 800-755-4777 or lisa@dietaryequipment.net
Foodservice Equipment Blog 