New cafe brings healthy options to Methodist University Hospital

A new coffee shop, The Copper Spoon Coffee Co., recently opened in the main lobby of Methodist University Hospital. The shop provides healthy food and beverage options for hospital staff and visitors with a menu including toasted sandwiches and breakfast frittatas, as well as Starbucks coffee. The Copper Spoon is open 24 hour a day, seven days a week, giving healthy options to hospital staff working nights as well as physicians and visitors.

The location has 12 employees in order to staff the café 24 hours a day.

Operated by Morrison Healthcare, the hospital's food and nutrition services partner, who also serves more than 630 hospitals and health systems across the country. "We believe in the power of food and our mission is to provide nutritious and delicious meals to patients, guests and hospital staff at our restaurants and cafés. Our goal is to create exceptional dining experiences by changing the perception of hospital food and how it is served," said Angela Hong of Morrison Healthcare.

The cafe is intended to act as an escape from the typical hospital environment and is designed with comfort in mind. "It briefly takes them out of the hospital setting and into a café that’s comparable to their local neighborhood coffee shop. The location at Methodist University Hospital is adjacent to the emergency room and serves as a place of convenience and comfort for guests," Hong said.

The concept has proven to be successful -- the Cooper Spoon sale have increased more than 300 percent from the shop that previously occupied that space.

Following its success at Methodist, Morrison plans to open approximately 50 Copper Spoon outlets around the nation, including one later this year at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center.