If you’re an event planner, an administrative assistant, an HR rep, or an executive with a startup firm, you must’ve been entrusted with the responsibility of managing the food for your company’s upcoming business meeting(s) or event(s) and/or occasion(s) at some point of time. Which means that there’s a huge load of activities on your shoulders, in terms of understanding the nature and tone of the event, knowing the budget allocated for food, reaching out to the right catering service, working closely with them to coordinate the attendees’ food preferences, and a lot that goes in between.
Basically, it’s a task that will quickly turn into a nightmare, if you’re clueless about what to do next.
But fret not! We’ve compiled an awesome guide to ease your work. This article will help you understand what corporate catering is, the upsides of choosing a corporate caterer and the nitty gritties behind planning the food for that upcoming company event. So let’s get cooking!
What does the concept of Corporate Catering mean?
Corporate catering is the business of providing food for the employees of a company. It might be on a daily basis or for a one-off event, like a long meeting or a training session. There are some companies that specialize in corporate catering, while others are mostly restaurants offering catering services.
Ideally, the process is pretty simple: choose a caterer, tell them what you want and when you want it, and they’ll deliver your order at the specified date and time. In reality, doing this requires a lot of reading between the lines, especially if you’re ordering food delivered to the office for a large group. Some catering companies mandate that you order in advance - or present you with corporate catering menus that may be different from their regular ones.
But, don’t be misguided: just because your options might be slightly limited doesn’t mean you don’t have many choices. You do.
Daily versus Standalone Corporate Catering
Some companies provide for breakfast or lunch everyday. Others utilize corporate catering services for standalone, special events like all-day meetings, hosting clients, or for celebratory events in the company.
Providing a subsidized (or free) lunch is a big thing and employees sincerely appreciate it. Usually, an admin assistant, or possibly an HR person, is assigned to look after the task of ordering food, both from a daily meal(s) and/or a one-off event.
One tip to remember is that there is no right or wrong time to present meals for your employees; but it’s always a welcome refresh on days that stretch out due to long meetings. Especially if employees might not get much of a lunch break.
Types of Corporate Catering Services
Although different caterers offer different options, there are some patterns that can be noticed across these services.
Individual ordering: Each employee submits their order, often through an admin, to the restaurant, and gets their own meal. This is usually through a mainstream restaurant delivery service or through a food delivery app; corporate catering service isn’t preferred here.
Platters: There are platters available for almost any food option. A platter may include 15 paranthas across four types: lachha, aloo-gobi, onion and plain, a variety of sides, or a handful of desserts, like rasmalais, rasgullas and gulab jamuns. These give you some choice, providing variety at a reasonable price.
Buffet-style: A restaurant brings large trays of food, usually in multiple bain-maries, or a single, large one, and people help themselves by choosing the options they want. This is usually preferred for large groups, where individual orders or platters would be expensive.
Do I need to hire a Corporate Caterer?
It’s advisable to do so, for a number of reasons, such as:
Promoting an employee-centric culture: Companies have now started to realise the need for an employee-friendly office culture. The top companies around the world are focusing on supporting and meeting their employees' needs and fostering community relationships.
One of the effective ways to do that is by feeding your employees. Eating together is a major factor of the “human” experience, and a key aspect of building a community.
Practically, having food together cultivates bonds and gets people talking without any inhibitions, or restrictions.
Investing in your employees, by providing them with lunch a few times in a week, will yield big results, for sure.
Better Retention and Improved Recruitment: In a day and time where employees tend to be provided with minimal benefits, having a daily food program can definitely become a shot in the arm for your company in terms of offering perks to potential recruits.
The same holds true in case of employee retention. Employees feel less inclined to leave a company when they feel valued; taking care of their food needs is a great way to show your appreciation and put the word out there that you care for your folks. It’s a nice value addition to the office experience and isn’t putting a huge hole in your bottom line.
A great timesaver: It sounds unbelievable, but corporate catering can save you a lot of time, while improving your employees’ productivity levels. They don’t have to waste time hunting for their own lunch. Plus, they stay in the office to eat and interact with their colleagues; this might get them engaged in useful conversations over food. This is useful, especially if you’re having meetings or training sessions.
When you take the time to order something especially delicious or healthy, people appreciate it. A lot. Which is why we partner with the best local restaurants in Bangalore to deliver only the best food to your workplace, that’ll blow your employees away.
Seriously, it makes a big difference. Contact us right away and let us help you with the heavy lifting.
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