Be cost-conscious
But others say the most important aspect of a food hall doesn’t require new equipment. Last year, Northern Trust, a Chicago-based financial services company, converted its corporate cafeteria to one inspired by food trucks and food halls. It did so without any renovation or redesign, but by partnering with a startup that enlists rotating vendors to sell different styles of food, such as sushi, tacos and lobster rolls.
“We weren’t ready to invest millions in the look and feel of the food hall,” says Martin Clarke, global head of corporate services at Northern Trust. The cafeteria already had a multistation format, so vendors could just drop into existing spaces. So instead of drawing attention to the design, food became the focus. “A traditional cafeteria might do different menus each day, but they don’t have different styles of food at different stations every single day,” Clarke says. “That’s what makes it different for our staff.”