Employers keep workers satisfied with free food

Some employers want workers to be able to describe the food to customers.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Don't feel like eating anything for days after your big holiday meal? That's not always the case for those lucky enough to get free food at their jobs.
"Employees definitely like this kind of benefit," said Bill Coleman, senior vice president of compensation at Salary.com in Waltham, Mass.
"They love to tell their friends: 'Does your company give you free beer? Well, mine does.' It gives you bragging rights at cocktail parties."
Coleman said because the kinds of places that give their workers free food tend to attract workers who already like those products -- chocolate factories attract chocoholics -- giving it away to those people makes it a cherished perk.
Unlimited ice cream
At Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream, with stores in the Cleveland suburbs of Westlake, Beachwood, Solon and Rocky River, employees get to sample all 40-plus flavors and enjoy as many ice cream cones, sundaes and smoothies as they want.
"Not only is it good for morale, but we want our employees to be familiar with the product," said Michael Mitchell, who started the business with his brother, Pete, seven years ago.
"Customers always ask you: 'What's your favorite flavor? What's good here?'
Reasons for feeding workers
Boosting workplace morale and turning employees into cheerleaders for what they sell are two of the reasons most often cited by companies that feed their employees.
At a Cleveland Heights bakery, On the Rise Artisan Breads & amp; Pastries owned by Adam and Jennifer Gidlow, employees enjoy free coffee, tea, scones, brownies, cookies and sticky buns while they work. Workers also get first dibs on any leftover cinnamon raisin swirl bread, croissants and baguettes at the end of the day.
"That policy goes along with the way a lot of things work here," said Adam Gidlow.
"We don't offer a lot of perks or benefits, the ingredient costs are so low, and they are the labor," so it's always made sense to him to feed them.
Other Ohio companies that give employees free food and drinks include J.M. Smucker Co. in Orrville southwest of Akron, which provides free bagels, muffins, fruit spreads and peanut butter to its 3,200 employees.
This was one of the perks employees mentioned when Smucker's topped Fortune magazine's 2004 survey of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.