One of the hardest things to do in life is to see things from someone else's perspective. When we do, though, the number of insights we can receive is invaluable, and this is certainly true in Virginia and Maryland school cafeterias.
When we talk about looking at things from someone else's point of view, we don't meant this in a philosophical way, either. Literally, it's important for school nutrition directors to look at foodservice from the eyes of their students, particularly as it relates to height.
As important as it may be to have serving lines and food stations that are colorful, visually appealing, and reflect the overall spirit of the school, it's just as important -- more so, actually -- to make sure those serving lines allow kids to actually see the food.
When you look at things from the student's perspective, you can tell whether her experience will actually encourage her to buy school lunch. You can tell whether or not your serving counter is too high for him to see what's on the tray.
This is particularly important in schools that service multiple grades across a wider range of ages. Consider K-8 schools, for example, or even schools in smaller towns that might host students from kindergarten all the way into high school. What works for a 13-year-old eighth grader at 11:15 won't work for the kindergarten class who eats a half hour earlier, and the equipment used on the serving line should reflect this difference in height.
The good news is adjusting serving counters just got a little bit easier. The Eagle Group has a Director’s Choice® Adjustable Height Option on their serving counters that come in both electric or manual options. With the press of a button or a few cranks of the handle, a serving counter can go from 34.5 inches for middle schoolers down to 28.5 inches for our shorter grade schoolers.
The good news is you don't have to sacrifice a welcoming display in exchange for the perfect height. With the Director's Choice series, custom signage and decal service is available with laser cutting and etching to create high tech and smooth works of art. Decals are industrial strength and factory installed using a high grade vinyl with adhesive backing.
We believe our students shouldn't be overlooked, in the case of our younger ones, quite literally. And that's why we're proud to offer this innovative solution from the Eagle Group to help operators take height into consideration when services students from a wider age group.