Whether you’re hosting an all-day meeting or an evening extravaganza, you will increase attendance and satisfaction by offering a good lunch. Office lunch catering is a minefield, so it pays to know how best to balance costs and quality to keep everyone happy – including the finance department!
Contributing Factors
The cost of the office lunch will be influenced by a variety of factors:
1. Location
Depending on where the event is situated, catering options may be constrained. Typically, the less competition, the higher the price will be
- Number of People
It goes without saying, but the more people you have to feed, the more the catering will cost. Not only will more food be required, but for extremely large gatherings, catering companies will likely have to bring in extra staff to make sure that the event runs to time and everyone eats together.
3. Type of Food
A grazing table or buffet will be significantly cheaper than a sit-down set-course menu, so consider the needs and preferences of your attendees and opt for food that they will be happy to eat but that will not break the bank. Some businesses will charge more for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, so if any attendees have special dietary needs, factor these in at the earliest possible stage of planning.
How much will catering cost?
Depending on the venue, the number of attendees and your chosen type of food, you should expect to pay between £10 to £100 per person. Catering services such as Crumbs Delivered offer a range of cold buffet-style choices to satisfy all budgets and preferences, but if you want a hot meal, expect to pay significantly more.
To derive an accurate cost for your event, you therefore need to determine the type of food you will need, the number of people you will be feeding and select an appropriate venue that will not only accommodate all the attendees but minimise catering staff effort so that quality is achieved at the lowest possible cost.