Office events can be a fun way to boost morale and impress potential clients, especially when there’s food involved. But as an admin, some of that fun is replaced with stress about how to order lunch for the office, where to get it from and how much to order. 

We get it. It’s stressful. That’s why we created The Admin’s Guide to Food at the Office e-book—to make your job a little easier. It’s the complete guide to everything you need to know to make your next event a success.

While we recommend downloading the e-book and keeping it on hand, we know life is busy as an admin. That’s why we’ve summarized some of the best tips from our guide below.

Deciding what to order

Choosing what you want for your own lunch is hard enough. Now add about 20 different opinions, and the lunch decision becomes much more challenging—but not impossible. 

Narrow down your choices by eliminating cuisines you’ve recently had at the office. Maybe you’ve ordered pizza and burritos a few too many times, and now it’s time to switch things up. In that case, consider Mediterranean food or even a breakfast/brunch spread.

Then consider the formality of the event. Is it a fun employee appreciation gathering where messy foods like BBQ are welcome, or is it a formal board meeting where the food only plays a supporting role? You should also think about what people will be doing during the event. For example, if it’s a training session where everyone’s taking notes, you might want something that creates a minimal mess, like sandwiches or sushi. 

With these considerations, you probably have a shortlist of cuisine options. Now you can go ask your employees which of those cuisines most appeals to them. You won’t be able to appease everyone, but you can likely get the majority on board with one option.

Choosing the right restaurant

Selecting the cuisine is only half the battle; you must also choose the vendor. Generally speaking, there are two main options: chain restaurants and locally owned restaurants. 

Chain restaurants like Panda Express or Olive Garden are often popular due to their familiarity. People frequent those restaurants, know what to expect with the food and can easily choose something they know they’ll like. 

Locally owned restaurants may not be as well-known, but ordering from them allows your company to give back to the community and support small businesses. This can also give you a way to expose your team to new cuisines and cultures, which can be especially helpful when meeting diversity, equity and inclusion goals and celebrating cultural holidays. 

Whether you want to pick a chain or local restaurant, you can find dozens of options near you on the ezCater Marketplace. We partner with over 100,000 restaurants nationwide, so you’re sure to find a restaurant that fits your needs and preferences

Calculating how much to order

This is perhaps the trickiest part of ordering food for an office event. You never know how hungry people are or how much food they will eat, so it’s hard to determine just how much food is enough. Some admins prefer to err on the side of over-ordering to ensure no one goes hungry—but then they’re left to deal with all the leftovers. 

Here are some general questions to consider before ordering:

•      What type of event are you having? If it’s a sit-down event, people typically eat more—especially if it’s an informal occasion where colleagues can interact and enjoy themselves. Non-seated lunches generally require less food since people will be walking around and mingling. Also, consider the formality. A committee meeting will require less food than a lunch-and-learn. 

•      How long is the event? A longer event means more time to eat—and more time for people to return for seconds. Consider ordering more food or even different courses for a lengthy event, especially if your employees are working or training during that time. Good food feeds good ideas, so having plenty of food available can help keep morale up during those long training sessions. 

•      What type of cuisine are you ordering? We already covered how to select the cuisine, but this decision impacts how much food you will need to order. Hearty foods like Italian dishes are very filling, so you don’t need as much. Sushi and salad bars, on the other hand, might require a few more side dishes to ensure everyone leaves with a full stomach. 

Once you’ve considered those points, it’s time for some calculations. 

Our general advice is to order one pound of an entree dish for every three to four people. So get a headcount for the event, then divide that number by three. That’s about how many pounds of an entree dish you’ll need. 

If you’re ordering a specific type of cuisine, you can also count the number of food items per person. For example, one person typically eats:

•      One burrito

•      Three pieces of fried chicken

•      Ten pieces of sushi

While it’s not an exact science, these tips can help keep everyone full without wasting food (and money). 

Tips and tricks on how to make your next lunch a success

Before you place your final order, consider these pro tips and tricks to make your office event a success:

•      Ask your team about any dietary restrictions—and then accommodate them: Talk to your team about their dietary needs and preferences, and make a list of who needs kosher, gluten-free, vegan, etc. meals. Just ordering a buffet or a salad to accommodate these restrictions usually isn’t enough. Look for hearty and filling meals that still meet these dietary needs and preferences. This process becomes much easier with ezCater’s filters and search options. 

•      Consider how to implement temperature control: Nobody wants to eat a cold meal, so ensure you can keep the food warm for an extended period—especially if you’re hosting a lengthy training session or event. 

•      Don’t forget the tip: Contrary to popular belief, the delivery fee for office catering only goes towards costs like gas, not the tip. So make sure to add a fair tip, which usually ranges from 10-20% of your total amount. 

Make your next office event memorable with ezCater

Ordering food for the office can be overwhelming, whether you’re organizing a large event or getting regular office lunch orders.

However, it doesn’t have to be challenging—just download our Admin’s Guide to Ordering Food at the Office e-book for a complete step-by-step breakdown of the process, pro tips and tricks and other ideas to make you the office hero.

If you need more help, ezCater can help streamline the entire process, from selecting a local restaurant that offers gluten-free and vegan options to calculating the perfect amount of food. See for yourself how ezCater has transformed office catering.