This is our Probably Askable Questions.
Most of the time, the Frequently Asked Questions haven't actually been asked, let alone frequently. If we've missed something that you think is probably askable, please let us know.
1a. Is this the best office snacking solution in the history of the Universe?
Yes, next question please.
1b. Why is it the best?
Thanks for asking. A lot of people do snacks - we know that. They aren't as good as ours, but that's besides the point. Office Pantry is unique because it solves two problems at once:
- Hunger. Being hungry hinders concentration and solving hunger by walking to the shops can eat a lot of time. Our snacks are a balance of healthy stuff and guilty pleasures to fit in with what you fancy, when you fancy it.
- Snackpiling. Often, when food is given away for free, some people tend to take more than their fair share and hoard a haul meaning others in the office miss out, costing the office more money to keep everyone happy. Our optional built-in honesty box regulates the demand and makes sure the snackers are the ones that pay for the snacks.
2. What foods are found in a typical Office Pantry?
All of the foods we deliver are British produced, high quality foods. As everything passes our grandmother test, we also guarantee that our food is what it says it is.
We tailor the contents of each Office Pantry to each of our customers. If you would like to know what we would deliver you on Monday, say hello and we will respond by the end of the day with our suggestions for your team.
3. How does payment work?
We take payments by Direct Debits. It's the easiest way for everyone, and it only needs to be set up once - then our tech wizards do the rest. When you first sign up, you'll be taken through the process and you'll find out just how easy it really is.
If you utilise our honesty box model, you recoup that £35 once the Pantry is empty and the snackers have paid for what they have taken.
4. How do I get the wooden Pantry?
Your snack house comes with your first Office Pantry delivery, free of charge.
5. How can Office Pantry be financially neutral?
If you use our honesty box model, we include a built-in honesty box and price menu with your first delivery. Once the Pantry is raided and the snackers have paid for what they take, you will recoup your outlay in your honesty box, making it financially neutral.
6. But how "honest" are my staff likely to be really?
We believe that a good office culture is founded on the basis of honesty. We don't believe it to be high and mighty. We have found it to be true.
You see, when we started delivering to offices in birthplace Bath, we freely admit to using our offices as guinea pigs to see if the honesty model would work. What we found staggered us – we had a 102% honesty rate across all of our offices.
7. So what happens to the cash in the honesty box?
That's up to you. Our favourite three options are as follows:
1) Use Office Pantry as a way of donating a little money to a local charity each week. It keeps people honest and you'll be making a positive impact to a good cause near you.
2) Make Office Pantry a way of putting aside some money each week to help fund the office Christmas party or a day at the seaside for your staff.
3) Use the money to pay for the next Office Pantry, since we guarantee that the retail value of the goods inside the box will never be lower than the cost of the refill pack.
8. Do I have to have a Pantry every week?
No, absolutely not. If you're in a small office and you don't think the snacks will disappear in a week (although from experience, they do!), we can deliver your refill packs fortnightly or whenever suits you instead.
9. Why are you better than a vending machine?
How dare you! But it's OK, we're over it. We're better in about 4,385 ways, but we'll just list a few. Firstly, our snacks are better; we try to introduce you to some new products and brands to keep things interesting. Secondly, we're smaller - our box isn't bulky nor does it drink electricity and buzz all day. Thirdly, we are way cooler - having an optional honesty box proves to staff and visitors that the office culture is open, fun and trusting. Finally, there's absolutely zero way you'll break a toe by kicking our box in anger because the twirly thing twirled but the snack got stuck.
10. What if the products don't sell?
Our aim is that at 5pm on a Friday evening, the last snack in the box is taken by the last person leaving the office: zero waste. However, if there's something that just doesn't appeal to people in your office, let us know and we'll change the product mix. With each delivery, we're always looking for feedback so that we can enhance your box. So by letting us know what you want more of and what to leave out, it will not take us long to find the perfect balance suited to the people in your office.
11. What's the catch?
Excellent question. We're still trying to work that one out ourselves, actually. We suppose if you're a water cooler then you might be a bit apprehensive that the new kid on the block is going to become the new communal meeting place. Or if you're a vending machine, you're probably going to get a bit self-conscious that you're way uncool in comparison to the newbie. But if you're not either of those - and chances are you're not - there's really no nasties hiding under the bed.
12. Can I get multiple boxes delivered to different offices?
Abso-flippin'-lutely you can. We wouldn't want one office being jealous of another, so we will send as many boxes as you'd like wherever you need. Just get in touch and we'll sort it out for you.
Alternatively, scrawl your request on some papyrus, whack it inside a bottle and lob it as far out to sea as your throwing arm can handle. It'll probably take a bit longer to get to us that way, but it'd be one hell of a story, wouldn't it?
13. Can any of you tapdance?
We don't want to rule it out, but it's not something we'd say we're proud of. One of the team does a pretty impressive jig if there's a wasp in the vicinity, but that's about the extent of our dancing talent.