Grab-n-go programs are becoming more popular at schools since students don’t want to waste their time in line. These programs can increase participation and revenue without adding the strain of more students to your traditional lunch line. Depending on your staff and budget this program may also be an opportunity to offer additional menu choices that are not available on the main line.

1. Unlocking the Secrets to a
Successful Grab-n-Go Program

2. 1. Choose Program Details & Get Approval
2. Funding
3. Low Participation
4. Time for Serving and Choosing the Right Location
Top 4 Challenges When
Implementing a Grab-N-Go
Program

3. Challenge #1: Program Details
Research Options:
• Additional infrastructure or grab-n-
go solutions?
• Consider versatile solutions that
can be used for multiple
programs.
Get Organized:
• List benefits of a Grab-N-Go
program.
• Choose your equipment.
• Plan your menu with multiple
choices to increase impulse buys.
• List next steps needed to
implement the program.

4. Challenge #1: Get Their Buy In
Meet with Key
Stakeholders:
• Present the grab-n-go
program.
• Review the benefits of
the new program.
• List the next steps,
including a timeline for
expected
implementation.
• Discuss potential
funding options.

5. • Where will you be serving?
– This will decide if the solution needs to
be weather-proof, electric and/or mobile.
• How long, including your prep time, will your
food need to be stored before serving?
– This will decide if you need insulated
food storage.
• How many meals do you estimate serving
per day?
– This will determine the size of the
solution or if you need more than one
piece of equipment per location.
• Will you serve full reimbursable meals only
or a la carte items as well?
• Do you have storage space constraints?
Equipment Selection Criteria

6. Challenge #2: Funding

7. Where’s the Money?
Consider the Following Options:
• Sponsorship Model –
“Adopt a School” - Ask local
businesses/philanthropic
organizations for funds in exchange
for recognition.
• Entrepreneurial Model –
- Run your department like a
restaurant.
- Rent or lease your facilities.
- Contract cook for other schools,
child care centers or senior centers.
- Offer catering to school departments
and your local community.

8. • Partnership Model
– Share equipment with other schools.
– Work with other school districts to get
better bid discounts. For example:
“Urban School Food Alliance”, a
cooperative buying group consisting
of New York City, Los Angeles,
Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Orlando.
– Ask local chefs to help with menu
development and staff culinary
training.
• Other Options
– Grants: Let’s move Salad Bars to
Schools Campaign, Fuel Up to Play
60, Action for Healthy Kids and/or
privately funded grants.

9. • Other Options Continued
– Donations
Ask local and national organizations,
associations and companies such as Dole,
General Mills, Dannon, Dairy Council, etc.
Each of these potential partners would
benefit from the addition of the program.
– Fundraising
Consider these options as an alternative to
candy or bake sales:
Fresh Fruit, Wrapping Paper, 50/50 Raffle,
Car Wash, Flowers, Dance-a-thon, Fashion
Show, Calendar Including Students’
Artwork, Go-Kart Racing, Student Art
Show/Auction and/or Snail Racing.

10. Reduce costs by reducing equipment. Purchase
versatile equipment that can be used for multiple
programs. For example – use a salad bar as a breakfast
bar.
Secret #1
Salad Bar Yogurt Parfait Bar with Fresh Fruit
Breakfast To Go Bar

11. Quesadilla Toppings Bar Spice Station
Versatile: Salad Bars
Consider modifying your normal salad bar with a theme.
Cincinnati Public Schools implemented Spice Stations in
addition to their salad bars to offer students options on how to
customize their meals - for example extra spicy or mild.

12. Barter with food companies.
Ask them to cover the cost of
your equipment in exchange
for:
- Branding
- Exclusively stocking their
foods.
- Commitment to purchase a
minimum amount of food per
month.
- Lease option – sign a
contract to pay additional
monthly fee for use of the
cart in addition to your
normal food order.
Secret #2

13. Challenge #3: Low
Participation

14. # of
Meals
Per Day
Menu Design – Factors to
Consider Prior to Finalization
A La Carte vs.
Reimbursable Meals
Breakfast,
Lunch &
Snacks
Kitchen Staff & Space

15. • Will the cart be used for one
meal per day or more?
• Will the equipment be used for
full reimbursable meals only
or a la carte offerings as well?
• Depending on your staff &
kitchen space will you offer:
• Pre-packaged items only or
• Bulk products that your
staff individually portions
out.
• Survey Students on what they
want to see offered.
• Taste test your menu with
students before launching the
new grab-n-go program.
Menu Design

16. Create unique or
exclusive Grab-N-Go
menus to increase
participation.
Cincinnati Public
Schools offer sushi
once a week through
their grab-n-go cart
due to student
demand.
Secret # 3

17. “We do about 200 to 300
servings a day. It does vary
depending on the day and
what’s on the menu –
depends on the hot items
for that day. We have 6
entrees available every day:
2 cold and 4 hot. Here, one
of the most popular menu
items is Cincinnati-style chili
and Cincinnati coneys.”
Eric Zacarias
Food Services Supervisor
Cincinnati Public Schools
Versatile Grab-N-Go Cart

18. Sacramento Public School District
offers BBQ to their students.
• Serve 300-400 people in less than
30 minutes.
• Increase in participation through
the BBQ alone has been 25,380
meals per year.
• Increase in standard meal line
sales due to the BBQ smell that
carried through the cafeteria.
• The hot holding carts store hot
dogs, hamburgers and marinated
chicken that have baked in the
kitchen prior to being marked-off
on the grill.
Versatile Hot Holding Carts

19. • Branding
–Create a name, logo, mascot and/or tagline.
• Get students involved with a contest to come
up with the branding in exchange for school
recognition and some free food items.
Get the Word Out!

20. • Advertising
– Posters
• Ask students to help create the artwork
– Flyer
• Staff Mailboxes
• Student Homework Folders
– PTA
• Attend a meeting to show off new equipment and provide
food samples from the menu
• Newsletter
• Website
– Social Media
• Create a Quarterly contest to keep students excited
• Create exclusive offers for online followers only
Get the Word Out! ANNOUNCEMENT

21. • School Website
– Add an announcement on the front page
– Post the exclusive or rotating unique menu online
• Public Relations
– Send out a press release to local media outlets.
– Invite local news stations to the see the new program in
action.
– Ask local politicians to visit the school to see the new
program in action.
• Loyalty Program
– Offer a card and with every 10 meals they receive one free a
la cart item.
– Offer an online registration – once a month send an email
with a coupon to receive on item at a reduced price.
Get the Word Out! Breaking News

22. Challenge #4: Time and
Location

23. You can serve anywhere!
• Alternate full
reimbursable lunch line
outside the cafeteria
• Remote location
– Bus Drop Off
– Courtyard
– Main Hallway
• After School Activities
– Sporting Events
– Theatrical Events
Secret #4

24. Reduce In-line Wait Time
• Set-up in remote locations to reduce line
congestion.
• Offer taste-test approved, unique and
rotating menus.

25. Quality & Convenience are Key
Challenges:
1.Open campuses
2.Large campuses are spread
out with one cafeteria per
campus.
Solution:
San Diego School District
branded their carts and
upgraded their food items. They
set up 3 carts per campus in
high traffic areas. They use the
carts to offer full reimbursable
meals and a la cart for lunch.
They saw an increase in school
foodservice participation.

26. Versatile Carts Go Anywhere:
Inside or Outside
Challenges:
1. To increase participation
2. To increase revenue
Solution:
Apple Valley, MN uses their
cart for breakfast and typically
has over 100 transactions in
less than 20 minutes. The cart
offers the students an
alternative to fast food
restaurants and increased
access to breakfast for those
with limited time to eat before
class.

27. Customizable Solution
Challenge:
To successfully
implement breakfast in
the classroom for their
Elementary students.
Solution:
Mary Harryman of
Pasadena, TX ISD Child
Nutrition department
chose the Cambro Flex
Station because it is
easy to see through for
safety and food boxes
can be removed to take
into a classroom if
required.

28. Versatile: Mobile Shelving
The Cambro Flex Station was
customized to meet Pasadena,
TX ISD’s needs.
• The station is easy to see through
for safety and food boxes can be
removed to take into a classroom
if required.
• The station is set up with three
tiers including three food boxes
per tier.
• Five food boxes carry hot and
cold breakfast option, three carry
chocolate and white milk and one
carries clean up supplies.

29. • Partner with food companies or
associations for funding and/or food.
• Choose versatile equipment that can
be used for multiple programs.
• Create unique, exclusive and rotating
menus for your Grab-N-Go program.
Key Take Aways

30. Resources
Versatile Equipment Solutions
www.cambro.com/schools
Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools
http://www.saladbars2schools.org/
Fuel Up to Play 60
https://school.fueluptoplay60.com/funds/funds_for_futp60.php
Additional Funding Opportunities
http://meals4kids.org/find-grants-available-you
Creative Ways to Raise Funds
http://www.better-fundraising-ideas.com/school-fundraising.html