EMPLOYEE CAFETERIAS KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY

By Ross Boissoneau

The employee cafeteria is a special place for Grand Traverse Resort & Spa employees.

There, they can grab a hot meal for $5, something to drink and take a load off.

“We have a 365-day, 24-hour business, so having an area dedicated for employees is huge,” said Caroline Rizzo, spokesperson for the resort.

Rizzo says it’s a great benefit, especially for the large amount of workers they host from other countries.

“It’s a perk for them,” she said.

At Team Elmer’s on Rennie School Road, the DoMor Café offers a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, grain bowls, salads, beverages and snacks, all priced per item.

For some, freshly ground coffee is the ticket. The Grind at Tentcraft has two high- end coffee makers. Company spokesperson Andrew Dodson says it’s a big hit. Munson Medical Center’s cafeteria is often patronized by those who are visiting patients as well as community members, but 90% of its business is for the 1,000-plus staff members at the hospital, says Munson spokesperson Dale Killingbeck.

“There are specials every day,” he said, adding that one of the biggest hits is the sushi on Fridays.

The menu varies daily, and Killingbeck says staff can check that day’s menu through the Munson intranet. He believes the staff see the cafeteria as a perk of working there.