Cafeterias are losing market share—and are betting on “ultra-fresh”
Aired on June 8, 2026
Working from home and increased competition: Employee restaurants have lost market share in recent years. As a result, operators are focusing on “ultra-fresh” offerings and new concepts.
When Felfel was founded in 2013, the COVID-19 pandemic was still a long way off—but it would go on to have a decisive impact on the Zurich-based company’s history. The business concept is simple: Felfel installs smart refrigerators in companies and continuously stocks them with fresh meals, snacks, and beverages. When Switzerland went into lockdown in 2020, with remote work mandated and restaurants closed, the phones at Felfel were ringing off the hook. “We had to react very quickly and ended up growing by 50 percent,” co-founder Daniela Steiner explains in “Eco Talk.”
Today, “ Felfel ” refrigerators can be found at 1,000 locations throughout Switzerland. Steiner does not see himself as competition for staff restaurants, but rather as a complement—for example, in places where the cafeteria is only open at lunchtime. Nevertheless, it is likely that such concepts are also putting pressure on traditional cafeterias.
A sharp decline, especially on Friday
A look at the figures from the Gastrosuisse association shows that in 2018, 16 percent of all meals and beverages we consumed outside the home came from cafeterias or student dining halls. Six years later, in 2024, that figure had dropped to 11 percent. According to the industry association, the decline is particularly evident on Fridays: on this popular work-from-home day, lunch service in staff restaurants has plummeted by about a third since the start of the pandemic.
Business is picking up again on Monday, but “Friday is clearly still the slowest day,” confirms Nadja Lang, head of the Zurich-based cooperative ZFV, which has about 180 food service establishments in its portfolio. Nevertheless, the number of cafeterias at ZFV isn’t declining—quite the opposite.
Lang says that the traditional employee cafeteria has gained importance precisely because of increased competition from convenience foods and takeout options. “Keep in mind that social interaction becomes especially important when people spend less time at the office. When colleagues come together over excellent food and great barista-brewed coffee, it takes on special significance in the company culture.”
No longer just fresh, but “ultra-fresh”
Although the ZFV had to close some businesses during the pandemic, between 2023 and 2025 there were more openings than closures. As a result, the net increase since 2019 is nine businesses.
According to Nadja Lang, the company is investing heavily in innovation and new concepts: On the one hand, it is focusing on “ultra-fresh” food—that is, meals cooked fresh on-site. On the other hand, Lang says, restaurant spaces are increasingly merging with meeting and office spaces: “It doesn’t make sense to use an entire restaurant space for just two hours at lunchtime.” The space is therefore being designed to be particularly attractive and made available for use beyond the usual opening hours.
"It doesn't make sense to use an entire restaurant space for just two hours at lunchtime."
Daniela Steiner of Felfel can’t score points with “ultra-fresh” products and attractive store spaces. Nevertheless, she, too, is optimistic: In 2023, Felfel acquired the rights to the long-established Usego brand, which is likely to be familiar primarily to older customers—in order to appeal not only to trendy office workers but also to blue-collar workers. In 2024, Felfel took the plunge into the international market and opened a branch in New York. “SpaceX and Amazon are now eating Felfel , too—and we believe there’s a lot of potential there,” says Daniela Steiner.
"SpaceXand Amazon are now also using Felfel —and we believe there's a lot of potential there."