Transforming a Hospital Cafeteria into Destination Dining
At a Glance
TouchPoint’s café at Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, Florida, was an adequate “hospital cafeteria,” but certainly not destination dining. The café offered little respite from the hospital environment and limited food and beverage options paired with established franchise dining options just blocks away, it also faced the challenge of keeping competition at bay. In addition, the client hospital preferred to have their busy caregivers and staff remain on premises during meal breaks in the event of arising emergencies.
To solve these disparate issues, TouchPoint knew it needed to offer something the competition often lacked:
Solution
Beginning in January 2022, TouchPoint’s Emerald Coast café underwent a major renovation. Despite staffing challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the space emerged six weeks later drastically transformed into TouchPoint’s revolutionary dining experience, Table 137®.
Table 137® serves up delightful meals in a modern, luxurious space, the aesthetics of which transport guests from a clinical hospital to a welcoming, upscale eatery just by stepping through the door. It’s a place associates can take pride in, and guests can enjoy returning to.
To achieve the Table 137® concept, not an inch of the old space could escape the makeover, which included:
A Complete Repaint
Digital Signage
Updated Décor
New Flooring
Refreshed Furniture
Additional Guest Seating
To establish an elevated atmosphere for guests, TouchPoint partnered with Mood Media. This partnership enabled an enhanced ambience in the dining space with custom music playlists, digital signage solutions and refreshing fragrances ultimately creating a relaxing and calming environment for guests.
Food service equipment upgrades and new menu concepts were implemented, allowing TouchPoint’s chefs to create a variety of culinary concepts while creating operational efficiency with guest experience in mind.
With the goal of utilizing these new stations to bring food and the hospital dining experience into the 21st century, the Emerald Coast location found itself the home of TouchPoint’s reimagined culinary concepts.
Perhaps the standout for guests and associates is the revamped coffee station, something visitors had been clamoring for. Through Premium Roast Coffee, guests have easy access to high-quality specialty coffees without ever having to venture out to a high-priced coffee chain.
Completing the top-to-bottom overhaul were new plate presentations, sustainable service ware, and refreshed associate uniforms that create a consistent, modern look and were designed with comfort and safety top of mind.
Results
Since the remodel was completed, the location has seen a drastic increase in sales, a higher level of non-hospital guests, and positive feedback from the client, associates, and visitors.
The successful rejuvenation of our Emerald Coast café has opened the door for other locations to receive the Table 137® concept transformation. TouchPoint’s creative team has developed multiple design concepts that can fit the needs of any space. In the coming years, the organization looks to revolutionize the healthcare food service industry with the continued rollout of Table 137® concepts.
“We couldn’t be happier to have such an amazing place for associates and visitors to have an upscale, relaxing meal experience.”
– BJ Fontaine, Vice President of Nursing, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast
“I absolutely could not be more pleased with the Table 137® concept… Our associates and medical staff members are raving about both the significantly increased variety of meal choices, as well as the exceptional quality of the food… Without hesitation I would give this concept a solid A+ in every category! I am very pleased.”
– Henry Stovall, Regional President, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast
*Content based on data available at time of writing. © Compass Group USA, Inc. and TouchPoint Support Services, LLC.