5 Office Kitchen Ideas to Improve Your Breakroom

Eat, drink & relax

An office breakroom is more than just a spot to eat lunch; it’s a gathering place, a spot to share information important to your workers and a room where your team members can enjoy a communal experience outside of traditional work. 

As such, your breakroom should reflect your company’s culture and values and be a welcoming space for team members. It should be clean, comfortable and most importantly, well-stocked. 

To help you design the perfect space for your breaks, we’ve assembled the following office kitchen ideas.

Office kitchen ideas

Office kitchen design can be challenging. You want to accommodate as many people as possible while also making room for appliances, tables and chairs, message boards and more. 

Is your office kitchen frequented by caffeine lovers? Read how to enhance your office coffee experience with How to Turn Your Office Coffee Station into a Company Perk.

A good breakroom, like the neighborhood coffee shop, should be a blend of functionality and comfort, with an emphasis on togetherness. The following modern office kitchen ideas will help you build a space that meets the needs of your employees while making the most of the room you have available.  

1. Furniture

A great office breakroom starts with places to sit. Your furniture should ideally match your office decor and be comfortable. 

• Tables: If you have the space, a mix of two- or four-top tables with larger tables will create a space that can accommodate everything from a quiet lunch to a team brainstorming session. Keep your office’s overall aesthetic in mind when selecting tables, but also remember that spills happen. You’ll want surfaces that are easy to clean.

• Chairs: Breakroom chairs should be comfortable but also space-saving. Stackable chairs allow you to reclaim the space when you need it to be open.  
  

2. Storage

In addition to whatever cabinetry is already installed in your office kitchen, you may want some additional kinds of storage. 

• Shelves: Kitchen shelves are great places to put dishware, coffee pods, tea and snacks. 

• Containers: If you stock your kitchen with food items like cereal or dried fruits and nuts, kitchen containers are a great storage option.

• Bins and recycling: Help keep your space clean and tidy with trash and recycling bins.  
  

3. Appliances

Although an office kitchen isn’t fully equipped with what you’d need to cook dinner, it should have some or all of the following appliances. 

• Microwaves: People need a way to reheat leftovers or warm up their coffee. The microwave is a perfect solution.

• Refrigerators: You’ve got to have a refrigerator—splurge on one with a built-in water and ice dispenser if you can.

• Toasters: Whether crisping a bagel in the morning or a pastry in the afternoon, a toaster is an essential kitchen appliance. 

• Dishwashers: An automatic dishwasher will help keep your kitchen clean and save you from having to assign someone to manually clean the dishes.

• Popcorn machines: For a unique twist, try offering popcorn in your breakroom made in your own popcorn machine.
  

Want to learn more about increasing office morale via food? Read Does Offering Food in the Office Really Improve Morale?

4. Beverages & snacks

Whether offering them for free or charging on the honor system, providing beverages and snacks in your office kitchen is a nice perk. While there are plenty of guilty pleasures available, you can also lean into healthier options. 

• Coffee makers: A coffee maker is a must for any office kitchen. Keep it simple with a countertop drip brewer, make it easy with a pod-based machine or go full throttle with an espresso machine. Also be sure to stock up on plenty of grounds, beans or pods.

• Water coolers: Help your team stay hydrated and up to date on the latest gossip with a water cooler.

• Soda fridge: Whether you stock it with sodas, seltzers or a selection of juices, a glass-front beverage cooler makes a striking addition to your office kitchen.

• Juicers: Fresh juice not only tastes good, but it helps you feel good. A juicing machine provides delicious options for anyone who wants to skip the soda or coffee.

• Fruit and nuts: Fresh fruit and nuts are healthy snacks that provide useful energy and help promote focus—great for the office. 

• Breakfast items: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet many of skip it in the rush to get to the office. Help your team build energy for the day with a selection of breakfast items like oatmeal or cereal packets.
  

If you’re interested in elevating your office snack offerings, be sure to read How to Raise the Bar on Your Office Snack Bar.

5. Decor

Don’t forget to decorate. Setting the proper mood in your breakroom can help it feel more like a comfortable, inviting space.

• Office plants: Plants can add freshness and color to any space and offer real health benefits as well. 

• Art: Art that goes with your office design will help make sure your breakroom is an extension of your office, not an afterthought. 

• Color: Adding color details to your breakroom can help brighten the space and can even provide emotional benefits. Bright, warm colors provide an energizing effect, while cooler colors promote calm.

• Message boards and whiteboards: You can install message boards for sharing important information (like those mandatory OSHA posters) or whiteboards for fun office announcements like birthdays. 
  

Save on setting up your office kitchen with Walmart Business+

Whether you’re setting up a new office kitchen or refurbishing your existing breakroom, Walmart Business has a broad range of products at low prices to help you get started. And if you sign up for Walmart Business+, you can save over $500 per year and enjoy exclusive Rewards.¹ With features like free shipping on orders of any size² and free delivery from the store on orders of $35 or more,³ Walmart Business+ can help you create the perfect oasis in your office. Visit our website to learn more.

¹Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400). 

²Excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges.

³Restrictions apply. Additional fee applies for Express delivery.