The phrase “coffee break” and the process it denotes have been successfully and forever integrated into the sphere of business communication. For people solving business problems, engaged in scientific activities, and absorbing huge amounts of information, it is vital to maintain intellectual and physical strength in the process of work. A coffee break is a short break during which you can cheer up with a cup of coffee, refresh yourself with simple snacks, informally chat with colleagues, or simply warm up after a long sitting position. A slight release of mental and “hypodynamic” tension benefits people’s health and increases the effectiveness of their activities. Organizing and conducting such a “delicious” break is not an easy task and requires a serious attitude. Let's take part in it and find out interesting details.
Blitz survey about coffee break
First, let's get answers to the questions that arise when getting acquainted with a new type of break.
Question | Answer |
When do you have a coffee break? | After two to three hours of intense mental work during seminars, presentations, symposiums, conferences and other official events |
What is it for? | For a break from hard work, refreshment with snacks and drinks, free, informal communication |
How many breaks can there be during the event? | Depends on the organizers, usually 1 - 3 |
What is its duration | 30 - 40 minutes, every 2 - 3 hours. Possible 2 – 4 breaks if the meeting lasts a long time |
Conducting style | Buffet. Guests choose their own drinks and snacks and stand and have a snack in a relaxed atmosphere, chatting with each other. There is no entertainment during the event |
Where are the treats located? | On tables that have easy access. Serving is simple, the main thing is that cups, plates, napkins, treats are easy to reach |
What snacks are offered? | The choice of products depends on the budget; usually event participants will find the following on the tables: Cold appetizers: sandwiches, canapés, meat, fish or cheese platters; Fruits; Desserts: mini pies, buns, bagels, cakes, muffins, cookies |
What drinks are offered? | Sticks with coffee, sugar, bags of black and green tea (coolers with hot water are provided), assorted juices, and mineral water are provided. For coffee - milk and cream. There is often a coffee machine for making fresh espresso or cappuccino |
Table setting | Cutlery is not provided. Cups, glasses, plates, napkins in the required quantity. The decoration of the tables corresponds to the status of the event. A high level of participants requires beautiful dishes, a large selection and sophistication of treats, expensive drinks, including good alcohol. It is served at the final stage of the event |
How to spell "coffee break" | Two hyphenated words, separate words “coffee break”, as well as the combined spelling “coffee break” are erroneous |
Please note: the coffee break menu also depends on the time of year. For example, in winter the emphasis is on hot drinks, pies, and hot dishes are also possible. In summer, mineral water, juices, jellies, and fruits are held in high esteem.
Coffee drinking traditions and methods of making coffee
Recently, a certain cult of coffee lovers has formed. Just look at the numerous coffee shops and sales stalls, where such an assortment is presented that your eyes run wild. According to well-known statistics, at least two hundred billion cups of coffee are drunk in the world every year! Whether you believe it or not is up to you; statistics are a complicated thing. But one thing is sure, this drink is becoming increasingly popular. The morning in the homes of ordinary citizens, and in any office, begins with this aromatic drink. There are many ways to make coffee. It all depends on the desire of the coffee drinker and his ability to improvise.
There is a whole culture of coffee drinking, no less complex than the famous tea ceremony. We’ll talk about some of the intricacies of drinking and preparing coffee now. Since ancient times, there has been an unspoken rule: it is customary to pour coffee into small cups. This way the taste of the drink is better conveyed and, as a rule, in this form it is stronger and gives vigor to the whole body. The size of the cups can only change if milk or cream is added to the coffee.
Coffee is a favorite delicacy of aristocratic Englishmen. If you are planning to purchase a tour to England chelyabinsk.onlinetours.ru, then know that there is a traditional coffee drinking culture, which is strictly adhered to in many coffee shops. The British serve coffee in the container in which it was prepared and pour it into cups only at the table. The cups must come complete with a saucer and a spoon for sugar.
Another thing is the eastern way. Here coffee is often consumed without sugar. While vacationing, for example, in Turkey onlinetours.ru, pay attention to how this aromatic elixir is prepared. Most often, highly ground coffee is brewed in a Turkish coffee pot on hot sand and the boiling liquid along with the grounds is poured directly into a small glass. Sugar is not put there, so as not to mix and not raise the grounds to the top. While drinking this coffee, you eat a small piece of Turkish delight. This significantly invigorates and relieves lethargy and drowsiness for the whole day. But the main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise a sleepless night is guaranteed!
Unfortunately, it is now more common to quickly prepare coffee in coffee machines, in the form of espresso or Americano (the same espresso, only diluted with water). On the one hand, this is convenient and practical, but we still recommend introducing a new tradition at home and slowly preparing coffee according to an English or Turkish recipe. You will immediately feel the difference!
Historical excursion
The name of a break, without which not a single serious meeting is complete in our time, be it a scientific forum, business communication of like-minded people, a business conference or other official event, has recently appeared in the lexicon. Initially, this type of short-term vacation was of an advertising nature.
After World War II, demand for coffee fell in Europe. Large companies from the USA and Canada were interested in popularizing the drink and expanding the sales market. They came up with the idea of organizing events to showcase their coffee products. During rest breaks during large-scale business meetings, company representatives began offering participants a cup of hot coffee with a fresh sweet bun. Such pleasant pauses suited the guests. Gradually, the popularity of coffee breaks grew, and along with it, sales of the product.
Information: break is translated from English as “break”, the word coffee does not need translation. The general meaning of the phrase coffee break: coffee break, coffee break or coffee time - time for coffee.
There is another version of the origin of the term “coffee break”. In 1880, in the city of Stoughton (USA, Wisconsin), spouses of immigrants from Norway began organizing coffee breaks during crowded business meetings. They became so popular that a festival called Coffee Break Stoughton is still held annually in the city. The famous American psychologist and businessman John Brodes Watson worked on popularizing the coffee break. We can safely say that the coffee break tradition is part of American culture.
How to make your morning coffee truly awesome
Don't drink coffee alone
kaylovesvintage/Flickr.com Make coffee not only for yourself, but also for family members, or, if you have a coffee machine in your office, make a flavorful drink for your colleagues. This way you will not only help yourself wake up, but also cheer yourself up, because the day has just begun, and you have already done a good deed - you have pleased others.
Set the table for coffee drinking
Jessica Burkitt/Flickr.com
Very often we drink coffee on the go, frantically rushing between the hairdryer and the microwave. It shouldn't be this way. Get up early and prepare a place for coffee, even if you drink coffee alone. Choose a beautiful coffee set, don’t forget about napkins, you can even put a vase with a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table - in a word, do everything to make you feel comfortable and cozy. And, of course, don’t forget to prepare your favorite treat for coffee.
Don't be afraid to experiment
Latte Art/Flickr.com
You may be a big fan of cappuccino or even three-in-one instant coffee. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try something new. Constantly experiment, find new coffee recipes. Remember that monotony is not good.
Try, for example, making coffee with caramel.
Or coffee with garlic and honey.
You can also make one of the many delicious drinks with coffee, try cold brewed coffee, and if it’s a weekend or a holiday, you can relax a little and make a liqueur from instant coffee, vodka and cognac.
Link your morning coffee with pleasant memories
Andrea Allen/Flickr.com
Cups will help you with this. There are probably a lot of cups in your kitchen with which you have pleasant memories: some of them were given to you by a loved one, some you brought back from vacation. Try to drink coffee from different cups each time and while drinking coffee, remember all the happy moments that are associated with them.
And when the supply of cups runs out, just give yourself the following instruction: not to remember the bad and not think about upcoming things during your morning coffee. This way you will set yourself up in a positive mood from the very morning, and this, believe me, will help you cope with all the affairs and problems that will fill your day.
Go to a good coffee shop
Denis Garipov/Flickr.com
Of course, doing this every morning is very expensive, but a couple of times a month you can have a morning cup of coffee at your favorite coffee shop. This will give you new emotions and joy, because we all love to go somewhere. And if you also happen to be the first visitor, then you will have a reason to be proud: you can consider yourself an early riser.
Feel like a traveler without leaving your own apartment
Juan Pablo/Flickr.com
Vacation is still far away, the work week is not ending, and friends are teasing us with their photos from warm countries on Instagram. This is not a reason to be upset. Remember that you can take a unique trip without leaving your own home. You just need to prepare, for example, Turkish keif, Italian corretto or Danish coffee.
How do you think you can diversify your morning coffee?
Organizing a coffee break
A large company can organize a popular break during a work meeting. It is enough to buy food, prepare dishes and equipment, set the tables according to the buffet or buffet principle and invite guests to have a good time: relax, eat, chat with each other.
Most organizers prefer to involve professionals and order an on-site coffee break. This type of service in the catering industry is called catering. This is a whole industry of contract catering. Catering companies and restaurants offer ready-made solutions for holding a coffee break, but you can make individual adjustments to them.
Preparation and process
The most convenient option would be to arrange cocktail tables and buffet lines in a separate room. Due to the lack of utility space, the coffee break is prepared in the same room where the event is taking place. For this purpose, a special area is allocated, fenced off with screens or furniture. This option is less convenient, since meeting participants will be distracted by the preparation process and delicious smells.
Having chosen coffee break catering, the organizing party will have to:
- discuss the menu with the company preparing the coffee break, taking into account the status and schedule of the event;
- negotiate the delivery of furniture and equipment;
- resolve the issue of table decoration and serving;
- prepare financial documents;
- meet company employees and provide them with a field for activity.
Since the main principle of coffee breaks is self-service, the functions of waiters include cleaning dishes after use by guests and maintaining order on tables and buffet lines. At higher-status events, waiters move around the room with trays and offer drinks to guests. Coffee and tea are prepared by guest baristas or coffee ladies, but more often this process is self-service.
According to statistics, prices for services from catering companies vary from 600 rubles per person for economy service, from 1000 rubles for standard service and from 2500 rubles per person for a premium option. The price includes: menu, professional service, logistics costs.
There are many catering companies in big cities; there is plenty to choose from and organize a coffee break correctly, including at the highest level.