Top 10 Most Asked Hot Bar Questions
By Sara Moffett, Deli Manager, Co+op Owner
Shoppers are excited about our new location (So are we!) and all the additions that we have made to our previous product assortment. This includes a hot bar and salad bar that is available everyday from 11am-8pm. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that we get while working behind the counter:
- Do you have a weekly menu?
Our menu changes weekly and is posted to our Facebook page and above the busing station in our deli seating area. We try to include a protein, a vegetarian/vegan entrée, a starch, and a vegetable each day. Our menu is also themed daily so that customers get a variety of flavors and textures throughout the week.
- How do we do this? Do we serve ourselves?
Yes, our hot bar is self-serve. We can always assist customers who need extra help, and our deli staff are ready to answer additional questions if needed.
- What do I put the food in?
We have several sizes of meal boxes and paper food containers for you to use at the bar. We also have bowls and plates for dining in. You can feel free to use whichever container you think will work best to transport your meal. The meal boxes and plates are located at the left side of the salad bar, along with plastic serving trays for eat-in service. The round paper food containers, which are used for soups, are located on the right side of the hot bar along with reusable bowls for folks using the seating area.
- How much is the hot bar? Is the salad bar included?
Both the hot bar and the salad bar are $8.99 per pound. Customers can mix and match whatever items they please from the salad and hot bar. You can put a salad into a container and hot bar into another or mix it together, whatever way you decide to go, you will only be paying for the food and never the packaging.
- Is soup $8.99 per pound?
Soup pricing corresponds with the container size. Our 8oz size (green) is $3.99, 12oz (orange) is $5.49, 16oz (purple) is $6.99, and our 32oz (yellow) soup is $12.99.
For eat-in soup, feel free to grab a reusable mug which is equivalent to an 8oz soup or a reusable bowl which is 16oz.
- Where are the utensils located?
The utensils are in our seating area behind the coffee counter. We have both plastic ware, and metal service ware for our eat in shoppers. Napkins are provided in this area as well. We have a bus tub under the microwave for customers to place reusable dishes and utensils into once finished with their meals.
- Is this item ______? (vegan, gluten-free, etc.)
Our hot bar items are labeled with identifiers that include the allergens contained in each dish. Although we can’t claim that any of our items are gluten-free due to the use of flour in our kitchen, we label our items with WF for wheat-free items and our staff is able to answer questions regarding allergens in each dish. If a product contains wheat, another gluten-containing grain, or any of the top eight allergens this will be listed on the signage at the hot bar.
- It is hard to reach the items in the back of the salad bar, do you have larger tongs?
The salad bar glass does lift for easier access to the items in the back of the bar. Feel free to lift the glass up to reach those far away salad items.
- When does the deli close?
The deli closes at 8pm every night. The hot bar and salad bar are replenished regularly throughout the day.
- Where do I pay?
We currently do not have a register in the kitchen, so all items will need to be paid for at the register before enjoying. Simply take your plate to any available register and our cashiers will weigh your food and give you a total for your purchase.
- Where can I eat?
Customers are welcome to eat in our indoor seating area located on the south wall of our building across from the cash registers and next to the Broadway St entrance. In the summer we also have an outdoor seating area at the southeast corner of the building. You can also take your food to go and enjoy it wherever you like!
- Do you deliver?
We do not offer a delivery option at this time.
We hope that you will enjoy this new addition to our store! Feel free to come in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or a whenever snack. Remember, our seating area is always open to the public!
If you have any additional questions, let us know. We want to be as informative as possible and make sure that our customers can navigate our new store comfortably. Feel free to reach out to us by contacting deli@greentree.coop or messaging us on our Facebook page.