Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
actual product may differ from illustration

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                                 

Please log in.
Before you can vote, you need to register. Please log in or create an account.

Office Food Carts

Bringing the food to your office floor.
  (+5, -1)
(+5, -1)
  [vote for,
against]

Vertically designed to fit in elevators, and routinely refreshed by designated trucks parked outside, these SPECIALTY CARTS visit office floors throughout the day to sell their nourishing treats.

The morning cart serves coffee, bagels, and breakfast snacks; lunch serves burritos and paninis; smoothees served in the afternoon; takehome dinners sold during the workday’s end.

Your office or cell phone rings when the cart arrives on your floor (thanks to a computer program and website you registered with), so you know to meet it and where (either next to the elevator or in a conference room).

When you get there, you routinely shoot the breeze with fellow coworkers as you get your regular order. It is the new water cooler.

SparkBugg, Dec 16 2006

More fun... Giant_20Robot_20Chicken_20Soda_20Machine
And far more creative. Just drop one of these into the elevator and push all the buttons. [blissmiss, Dec 20 2006]

RC Tealady R_20C_20Tealady
shameless, arsey tea lady [skinflaps, Dec 21 2006]

[link]






       Sounds doable and also sounds done. Many catering buis. offer food to office workers via delivery.
Chefboyrbored, Dec 16 2006
  

       This idea would be cooler if you replaced a whole elevator with the shop, so you could just press the button, and the shop would come to your floor and sell stuff to you.
jamuraa, Dec 16 2006
  

       when I worked in a packaging company's design department a trolley loaded with tea, coffee and sweets used to visit every part of the plant at 11 and 3 each day. It wasn't computerised of course. We called it the swill trolley. A "tea-lady" was a very regular part of life in most working situations in the UK at one time.
xenzag, Dec 16 2006
  

       Office yum cha!
BunsenHoneydew, Dec 19 2006
  

       There is a version of this in India known as the Tiffin-Wallah.
wagster, Dec 19 2006
  

       the idea is great!
sockless, Dec 20 2006
  

       When I worked in an office based at Heathrow Airport near London, we used to have three "Sandwich Men" who visited at different times with trollies and baskets of their wares. The best one was "The French Sandwich Man", as he was known, who sold a wonderous plethora of baguette-ism, croisanty treats to delight the tastebuds and pain-au-chocolat all round.   

       As [xenzag] correctly says, the "tea lady" with her trolley of luke warm tea, cakes and biscuits was a universal phenomenon until compartively recently. I believe the civil service were the last to get rid of their tea ladies and associated wheeled contraptions. Nowadays the only places to my knowledge where they remain en-masse is in hospitals.
webfishrune, Dec 20 2006
  

       From your description I can't tell whether these carts are supposed to be robotic or pushed by actual people.
phundug, Dec 20 2006
  

       robotic vending machines strolling around the office?
xandram, Dec 20 2006
  

       Between unabubbas "special" vending machines that either trudged, or trumbled, can't recall which, and my "Pedro the office ass", we have pretty much covered the office food/bev delivery systems.   

       But hey, I don't think he is here anymore, sadly, and Pedro got gone. I guess no one here now would give a flying crap either way. Hence I shall remain neutral.
blissmiss, Dec 20 2006
  

       "In case of emergency do not use elevators" :P
emjay, Dec 21 2006
  

       It is similar to delivery, but allows for more impulse buys and spontaneity.   

       I also meant for them to be pushed by a person (not a robot), who would then serve and tender.
SparkBugg, Dec 21 2006
  

       Not to forget the RC Tealady [bliss]
skinflaps, Dec 21 2006
  

       Aye but I did. Memory bank full. Thanks for reminding me.
blissmiss, Dec 22 2006
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle