Whether you’re planning a party, an event, or you’re in charge of ordering lunch for the office, there’s a lot to think about. Food delivery seems like the easiest option, but catering isn’t always straightforward. From getting the quantity right to handling a variety of different tastes and dietary requirements, sometimes office catering can be overwhelming.
If this is you, put the kettle on, put your feet up and take a few moments to read through our ultimate guide to planning office food catering.
1. What’s the occasion?
It seems like a simple thing to consider but the type of occasion can affect a lot of the big initial decisions for office catering. Is the focus of the celebration an individual, a team, the company, a cultural celebration?
Depending on the circumstances you might need a sit-down meal or perhaps finger food will suffice. Buffet or finger food will always be easier in terms of ordering for an ever-changing headcount and will also help cater for multiple tastes and dietary requirements, but it doesn’t have to be the second-class option people often think it is. Sushi, canapés and mini pasta bowls can all be served in buffet style and can go down really well for lots of different occasions.
If you really want to impress your guests, consider hiring a vendor, or multiple vendors, to set up pop-up food stands, bringing the street food market straight to your office.
2.Headcount
If you’re planning a meeting at your office, consider the number of people who will be attending. You’ll want to make sure that the food is enough for everyone and that there are enough utensils for them all. The trickiest part of any event planning is catering for a headcount that seems to constantly change, but there are some steps you can take to limit the headache of the headcount.
First, make sure to send out invitations early. If you want maximum attendance, float a few date options with people first and see which date is most popular. Of course, even if people do RSVP, it doesn’t always mean there won’t be last minute changes. This is often why buffets and pop-ups food stands are so popular for office catering, as they can cater towards more approximate numbers.
3. Dietary requirements
Many office caterers now offer a range of menus that suit different dietary requirements. This includes vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. If your staff have specific needs, such as allergies, make sure you ask about these before ordering a menu from the caterer. A spreadsheet where attendees can fill in their dietary requirements in advance is highly recommended, and while there are many meat-eaters out there, don’t be afraid to go heavy on the vegan menu. We find that many of the vegan options from our vendors are just as popular with the meat-eaters as they are with the vegans. Ordering slightly more vegan food will make sure that there is enough for the vegan guests, even if the meat-eaters tuck in too.
4. Drinks
All that great food needs something equally tasty to wash it down with, so don’t forget to accompany all the delicious meals with a drink. It’s very important to provide your office with beverages!
Coffee and tea are a standard expectation for morning events to accompany busy days and meetings but for those a little more caffeine-conscious, how about some fruit juice, smoothies or fruity water for a boost of vitamins and hydration.
For parties and events make sure to provide a range of soft drinks as well as alcohol. You can be creative with the soft options by offering mocktails or some 0% craft beers, this way, everyone will feel included in the celebrations.
5. Variety of options
The more food choices you give employees, the more likely they will be to try something new, which is a great way to test introducing new vendors to your regular food orders. If you have an office caterer that offers a wide range of options, great, but you could also try ordering from a variety of vendors for a real array of cuisines.
If you are ordering for a small group and still want to offer a variety of options, make sure you choose a vendor who can cater for that. Choose a vendor with a menu that includes hot and cold platters, meat and vegan options and perhaps some other common dietary requirements such as dairy and gluten free.
There are many different options for catering office meetings from salads to sushi, sandwich platters to customized individual lunch boxes. The key is to find a vendor that can hit all the notes.
6. The extra touches
The little details matter to people and one way you can impress your guests and set a good example is to make sure the vendors use recyclable and compostable packaging wherever possible. Consider using additional companies like Junee who offer a reusable packaging service and consider what utensils are really necessary. Finger food is a great way to reduce waste – the clue’s in the name!
To sum up:
There are lots of great ways to make sure that your office catering event is memorable for the right reasons. Food is a great way to bring people together and it may be just the thing that your team needs to relax and bond.
So, next time you or your team are ready for a bite to eat, come up with new ways to bring everyone together with our handy office catering delivery tips.
