Thyme for All

SeasonsBy: Stephanie Matthews

4/24/19

Concept:

Having a meal late at night may be difficult for some due to factors out of their control.

This can result to going to bed hungry or for commuters driving home on an empty stomach. The

purpose of this in Buchman Hall at Russell Sage College, is to provide students whom are

commuters or residents whom may have a night class are in need some fuel after hours. Being

served, will entail healthy snacks and sandwiches for convenience of those who are in need of

some energy. Included will be healthy sandwiches, vegetables and cracker with dip, soups, and

salads. This menu will stand out due to its easy access, ending the day with a good mood due to

feeling good. The idea is to reduce stress and increase the hormones in the body to promote

happiness.

Target Market:

The market being catered too will be the commuters and residents whom may have night

classes or coming back to campus on a Sunday evening, those whom are residents. The goal is to

attract those whom have a meal card but also those who do not. There will be convenience items

to give those a long commute a little boost they are not fatigues and can concentrate. It also

caters to the students whom may be studying all night for a big exam or project that is due that

week or following day.

Location:

The Thyme for All Seasons is located in Buchman Hall right on Russell Sage College’s

campus. Their current business hours include Monday through Thursday 7:30am-9pm, Friday

7:30am-2pm, and closed Saturday and Sunday. The late night hours will include Monday

through Thursday 9pm-1am, Friday 2pm-7pm, Sunday 7:30pm- 11:30pm, and closed Saturday.

The location is convenient for commuters and residents. It is walking distance from all classroom

halls as well as resident buildings. It is convenient for commuters to walk back to their cars from

a late night class well as residents when they head back to the dorms. Parking lots are convenient

as they are behind Science Hall, which is the building directly in front of Buchman. Commuters

who are coming onto campus also have access to street parking right next to Buchman. There are

also two classroom halls connected to Buchman, Gurley Hall and Esteeves School of Education

Building. There are handicap ramps easily accessible for those who will need to take advantage

of them. Inside Buchman, there are tables and chairs for those whom may way to eat there until

10pm, when the building is locked by public safety.

Menu:

The Dip n’ Go Platter- $3.49

o Guacamole, hummus, and black bean spreads with whole grain crackers, baby

carrots, and sliced red pepper

o Sample Design:

o

The No Brainer- $4.99

o Egg Salad sandwich with low fat Greek yogurt and Dijon aioli on whole grain

bread with arugula, tomato, and red onion

o Sample Design:

o

Tomato and Lentil Soup (Bowl)- $2.49

o Tomato based lentil soup with green pepper, kidney beans, yellow onion, carrots,

sweet potatoes, and arugula (Vegan/Vegetarian)

o Sample Design

o

Late Nite Sammy- $4.99

o Turkey and grilled cheddar cheese sandwich with spinach, onion, and orange

chipotle spread on sourdough bread

o Same Design:

o

The Cobb- $3.49

o Chicken cobb salad with spinach, hard-boiled egg, heirloom tomato, red onion,

green pepper, blue cheese, avocado, black olives

o Sample Design:

o

Service:

The service for the café at Buchman will be counter service. This will be the same set up

as it is during the day. The grill station is where the sandwiches will be prepared and then the

customer will bring to the cashier to pay for their meal. Prior to service the salad will be premade

as well as the vegetable and dip platter and set aside in the cooler near the cashier. This will

provide quick grab-and-go options. The soup will also be made ahead of time and placed at the

soup station for convenience.

Management Team:

The management team is a very important part of this endeavor. It is important that every

member is on the same page which will result in an efficient product. In the grill station there

will be a chef and line cook preparing all the food. The chef will be in charge of getting the food

prepped for service to make sandwiches. The line cook will prep soup and salads beforehand

then help the chef make the sandwiches during hours of operation. There will be a cashier who

will ring our customers and ensure they are all set with everything they need. There will also be a

runner and it will be there job to do their rounds at the soup station and the cooler near the

register to ensure all food is at proper temperature. They will also maintain the stock out front

included utensils, napkins, bowls for the soups, etc. I will be the manager overlooking both front

and back of the house filling in if there is work that needs to be done, if the kitchen is behind

help with prep/cooking, if front of the house has a line helping with stock and temperature logs.

As a manager, it is my responsibility to ensure my team has what they need when they need it. It

is important all staff is properly trained in case of a situation where it severely needed.

Design:

This preparatory station will be placed in the kitchen where cold food will be placed. This will include tomatoes, onion, spinach, arugula, turkey meat, and egg salad mixture. Also prepped sauces and condiments will be placed in the cold preparatory station.

This is the hot food/warmer station, warm bread will placed in. Also there will be a warmer for extra soup in case more needs to be taken out of the walk in cooler and brought up to temperature.

The refrigerator is where extra prepped food will be placed for the grill station as well as the food in the pre made food located near the cashier station.

Walk in cooler where prepped food will be placed that will not be immediately used. Here there will be extra soup that has been made for the evening. In the same cooler, food for regular hours will be help however there will be dedicated space that separates regular hours and night time hour food.

The counter style service will include customers paying with the cashier once they have all their food. There will be fresh fruit, chips, snacks, and cold drinks available that are also sold during regular business hours.

Market Overview:

New Piece of Equipment. A panini maker will be used to create The Late Nite Sammy sandwich by melting the cheese, warming the product, while also creating the “grilled cheese” feel. This equipment goes for $300

This dual 7 qt soup holder/warmer, accompanied with ladles and lids, will be used to warm the soup and appropriate temperature. This soup holder may also serve as a purpose for the regular as well for when they serve other soups. This piece goes for $270

Capital Expenses for the new equipment totals: $570

Downtown Troy NY has been booming with new places to eat throughout the years.

However, there are not many places surrounding the Russell Sage Campus that are convenient,

walking distance, or cost effective. There is a Bruegger’s Bagel shop across the street on

Congress Street however they close at 5pm every day. While they do serve sandwiches their base

is a bagel which not everyone wants something heavy in the later part of the day. Dunkin Donuts

is located the next block over from Bruegger’s, on Congress Street, is also walking distance from

campus. They close at 9pm every day eliminating late night clientele. Dunkin may also not be

suitable for those who drive since the parking lots are not within convenience of the donut

location. Thyme Café in Buchman will benefit from opening later due to the traffic that building

received when night classes are over. Most night classes are in the conjoined buildings to

Buchman making the access easy and reliable. Its location is within walking distance of all

dorms and parking lots as stated before.

Marketing and Publicity:

In order to gain traction for the Buchman café late night, there will need to be marketing.

Social media and flyers will be posted throughout campus and the dining halls. First, I would

utilize the Sage Instagram and ask for permission to publicize the new late night hours and

offerings. I would ask if they could post on their page as well as their “Instagram Stories” which

gain a lot of traction and viewers. Next, I would advertise on Facebook. Facebook is great to

interact with many people including students, faculty, staff, as well as families of the students

who attend Russell Sage. This is important because word of mouth is one of the most popular

ways to get information out there. On the napkin dispensers in Buchman, Mckinstry Dining Hall,

as well as the Shea Library, there were would be colorful advertisements displaying the new

information. In the bathrooms around the college, in each stall, are flyers displaying “stall

stories.” Here would be a flyer about Buchman and all the information needed. There would be

promotions throughout the year. During finals and midterm weeks, there would be discounts to

students to have access to the Thyme Four Seasons. This is to attract students to consume healthy

variety of meals and snacks after their late classes, or not, to study. During National Nutrition

Month, March, there will be prizes and giveaways for students to enjoy for the late night hour.