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Original poster

Have you ever had a subsidised canteen at work?

112 replies

Turquoisetamborine · 13/05/2019 21:07

Was/is it nice? How cheap was it?
I’ve worked in the public sector most of my working life but when I was a teenager I worked at my stepdad’s company for a few months which was a massive chemical plant with loads of factory and office workers. I remember almost everyone going to the canteen for lunch everyday and it was almost unheard of to bring food from home.

My husband works for a big international company and they have a subsidised canteen. It’s almost not worth him bringing his own lunch as he can buy homemade soup and a bread bun for 75p.

Indulge a public servant who would love a subsidised canteen!

OP posts:
maslinpan · 13/05/2019 21:08

I had a temp job at Norwich City football club. It was great, I got to meet Delia, and the incredibly cheap canteen was basically all her own recipes.

managedmis · 13/05/2019 21:09

Yup, Marks and Spenders.

It was amazing.

AGoodWench · 13/05/2019 21:10

Years ago.
Traditional canteen in a northern industrial company. Best catered food ever.

Flower777 · 13/05/2019 21:10

Yes! I did. Years ago I worked for a big insurance company and they had a subsidised canteen. It was a long time ago but I remember an amazing salad bar and big bowls of chips. Also a sandwich bar and hot food. I loved it.

Flower777 · 13/05/2019 21:11

I put on weight when I started working there!

FenellaMaxwell · 13/05/2019 21:11

Very briefly. EA Games used to have a nice one.

UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter · 13/05/2019 21:11

I have a part time job at Waitrose and they have a subsidised canteen. Or partners dining room as it’s known.
I believe it’s veey cheap and good quality. However thr shift I work it’s never open. So I’m left with ready meals and pre packed sandwiches or chocolate bars from that vending machine.

CatFaceCats · 13/05/2019 21:12

My partner does - £30 a month is taken from his salary and he gets breakfast and lunch options. He only takes cash if he wants a sweet something from the vending machine in the afternoon. There are cereals/toast/hot drinks and fruit in the mornings, then hot options plus soup and sandwiches for lunch. Fridays they do bacon/sausage rolls etc :) it’s saved him an absolute fortune as he was spending £6-7 a day at the last place he worked for just basic salad/sandwich/drink.
If you’re working late and tell the chef, he’ll leave something for you to heat up later too.

FrancesFryer · 13/05/2019 21:12

We have a subsidised canteen at work. A main meal costs £2.20 - no i don't work in a school.

The meals are generally good and if you're unlucky enough to have to work Christmas Day you can have a roast dinner for free.

There is one day in December when they put on a staff Christmas dinner which costs a bit more but you get waited on by upper management

Youngandfree · 13/05/2019 21:13

Yes, I did a few summer internships in a pharma company and they had a subsidized canteen! It was lush!

BuildBuildings · 13/05/2019 21:13

Yes I worked at Waitrose when I was doing my MA. We had hot meals and a vending machine with tose sliding doors. The vending had sandwiches, ready meals and youghurts etc. Plus then a cheap regular vending machine with soft drinks, crisps and chocolate. It was cheaper than bringing from home and was Waitrose food so good quality. However often food was not very healthy and often no vegetarian options.
We got a special Christmas meal near Christmas (Inc veggie option)

Elpheba · 13/05/2019 21:14

I worked at a private school where meals were free so long as you ate them in the dining room with the kids (so you were officially on duty). Great food, two courses, afternoon tea on a Wednesday, cake at break on a Friday, unlimited biscuits and tea/coffee in the staff room. It was awesome.

Sharptic · 13/05/2019 21:15

I work for NHS, but also do the odd bank shift for private healthcare.

I prefer working for NHS, but the private canteen is a massive perk! Fresh food at cheap prices 👌. And there's free tea and coffee there too.

TheQueef · 13/05/2019 21:16

Oh yeah.
H/M meat pie, chips, peas and gravy. Suet pudding and custard and a can of pop for 65p. That's when I still blamed my heavy frame for being so chunky.

Mominatrix · 13/05/2019 21:17

When I did my HO/SHO year, our food was subsidised and when on call, we had an open account with a number of restaurants for takeaway. The admin were trying to compensate for our terrible hours and keep us happy.

Original poster
Turquoisetamborine · 13/05/2019 21:18

This all sounds amazing! I try and take leftovers to work but there’s only one microwave so you can be waiting for ages for it. I’d love a canteen.

OP posts:
Zampa · 13/05/2019 21:19

I worked in the same building as Lehman Brothers in Canary Wharf, when they went belly up. They had a floor in our tower block dedicated to a canteen and gym. After they moved out, we were given access to both. It was AMAZING.

Gym was maybe £20 a month and was excellent.

The canteen was like a 4 star AI hotel buffet. Pasta and eggs all made for you on the spot. Even a carvery. Salad bar and normal sandwiches and stuff. Never spent more than £5 and didn't need dinner.

Sadly it was only temporary.

maidenover · 13/05/2019 21:20

Yes have had both subsidised canteen and entirely free lunches in previous jobs. Both were huge perks as it was back when I was young, carefree and single so I could get away with rarely having a ‘proper’ dinner without becoming completely malnourished.

Redglitter · 13/05/2019 21:20

I worked for BT many moons ago. The canteen was absolutely amazing.

VodselForDinner · 13/05/2019 21:20

Yes, subsidized canteen where I work, in a big engineering company. The food is quite good. I don’t ever really get breakfast there but a five item fry is about £2.50.

At lunch, a meat-based maim course with veg and potato is usually £3.60. I’d usually just get the veggie option without sides so maybe a pasta dish for £2.10.

Things like breakfast pastries are less subsidized so you’ll pay about £1 for scones or pastries, but they’re quite nice and made fresh on the premises.

Free standard tea and coffee but cappuccinos etc are subsidized so a large latte or whatever is about £1.20.

CaptainPovey · 13/05/2019 21:20

My first job in an International Post Office Parcel Depot

I was 16 and it was very cheap

WifOfBif · 13/05/2019 21:22

Yes, and it served starbucks coffee!

I loved it, but it didn’t last long - the company went bust.

swapsicles · 13/05/2019 21:24

Kind of, I work in a hotel so for 1.50 I can have a full English or evening meal, sadly I'm on a shift which means I either have to have breakfast 1hr into my shift and therefore my break or hang around for 3 hours or so to get the evening meal after I've finished

trilbydoll · 13/05/2019 21:28

Yes, manufacturing, not a huge company tho. There's a main, a veggie option and a jacket potato filling every day plus salad / sandwiches. Food is variable but nice enough. Full main meal is £3 I think. Stuff like salad ends up quite pricey because they charge 30p per item.

AKAanothername · 13/05/2019 21:30

I used to work on Canary Wharf at a tv studio, before the big office blocks had been built, our canteen was a boat on the river, it was great.