Goal: Drive Culture and Connection
After four years of closure during the Covid-19 pandemic, a commercial bank wanted to re-introduce on-site food services in 2024 as an employee incentive in its Texas headquarters. It sought to offer quality meals and memorable dining experiences so employee would choose to remain on-campus, connecting and collaborating with colleagues rather than patronizing outside restaurants and food-service establishments at breakfast and lunch. The client chose Guckenheimer — a culinary organization known for chef-crafted food and catering at large organizations in the immediate area — as its provider and partner.
Creating a Destination for Engagement
First on the agenda was to re-open the dormant on-site café and re-activate catering services for internal meetings, conferences and other events. Meals were brought in from a nearby Guckenheimer commissary location while this transition to full food service was underway.
The culinary team worked with the client’s facility team and Guckenheimer’s Café Marketing group to revision the café space with a modern, clean design that encouraged interaction not just between co-workers, but also chefs and other staff and customers. An analysis of the successes and failures of the previous food program combined with a preference survey helped understand what type of food employees wanted to see in the café and available as tailored, catered meals. Menus were developed reflecting traditional favorites, regional fare, dietary restrictions and lifestyles, and cultural trends. When the “new” café opened, employee feedback was very positive — and has remained so per feedback gathered each day.
To ensure food and the café played a significant role in workplace culture, Guckenheimer partnered with the client’s Marketing team to support monthly employee engagement events. From farmers markets to holiday gatherings, community business pop-ups, wellness lectures, cooking classes, sporting events, work anniversaries, happy hours and more, food became a true differentiator and talent attractor/retainer for the client in a competitive industry.
More than a Café
In 2026, in an expansion of the scope of the operation’s production. Guckenheimer moved its regional commissary — which had a notable book of business in providing carry-in meals and catering to companies without on-site kitchens — to this client’s location. For the client, the increased activity translated to a number of benefits, including:
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Increased revenue in both café and catering operations, resulting in a substantial reduction in its employee food program subsidy
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Elevated value of the facility itself from Guckenheimer’s increased investment in the on-site equipment and capabilities
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An expanded menu for employees, greater diversity of food and even higher quality catering offerings due to a larger operation serving an array of clients
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Enhanced daily and event experiences due to larger staff, more collaboration and innovation, and more opportunity to channel hospitality training into real initiatives
Outcomes
Guckenheimer now provides 1,700+ meals daily from this financial service client’s site in Texas. More than half of client employees participate in the program daily, and the average spent on each meal increased since Guckenheimer began service. Large numbers of employees attend the numerous opportunities to mix, learn and grow both in the café and at events where food is featured. Catering accounts for half of all revenue at the site.
