Remember when workplace catering meant a sad sandwich platter in the corner of the meeting room, or a vending machine tucked away in some forgotten corridor? We do – because we've seen workplace dining evolve dramatically over the last 20 years.
The workplace has changed. Offices are repopulating with new rhythms and expectations. Many companies are bringing people back more days per week while still retaining some flexibility. And in this new environment, food has quietly shifted from a nice-to-have perk to something much more powerful: a strategic culture-builder.
Over our two decades at Fooditude, we've had a front-row seat to this transformation. What's fascinating is how many companies still miss the opportunity that's right in front of them. Food isn't just fuel – it's the cornerstone of workplace culture, belonging, and productivity.
Don't just take our word for it. When Intercom switched to our services, their Workplace Manager called it "a win on all accounts" for their growing team. But why exactly? Let's dig into six essential truths about workplace dining that we've learned through 20 years of feeding some of London's most dynamic workplaces.
Think about the last truly great conversation you had at work. Where did it happen? There's a good chance it was over food or a drink.
Early in our journey providing workplace dining, we noticed something that seems obvious in hindsight: consistent food experiences naturally created the scaffolding for company culture. There's something almost magical about breaking bread together – it builds stronger connections than even the most carefully orchestrated team-building exercises ever could.
Intercom's experience shows this perfectly. They started with "a combination of delivery app and corporate food delivery services" where staff simply ordered whenever they wanted. Sounds convenient, right? But it created a problem: people ate alone at their desks, missing those crucial moments of connection.
When they switched to a communal lunch model, the impact was immediate. Their Workplace Manager Jade Shearstone explained that switching to our daily lunch service "has been a win on all accounts!" The difference wasn't just better food – it was the shared experience.
Smart workplace leaders don't simply "provide food" – they intentionally design rituals that shape company culture. Here's how you can do the same:
The bottom line? Shared meals create shared culture. It's that simple.
Remember when a vegetarian option meant a sad cheese and tomato sandwich? Those days are long gone.
Throughout our 20 years feeding workplaces, we've watched food preferences evolve at warp speed. Plant-based options went from niche request to mainstream necessity. Nutritional awareness, once considered faddish, is now standard. Global cuisines that used to be a rare treat are now expected.
There's also a natural rhythm to food that many workplace programmes miss. In winter, your team craves hearty, warming meals. Summer calls for cool, colourful dishes. Seems obvious, right? Yet many workplace catering programmes operate from static menus that never change.
The warning signs of falling behind are subtle but telling. Notice more delivery bikes arriving at reception? People bringing food from home more often? Declining participation in the lunch programme? By the time these signals are obvious, you've already missed several shifts in preferences.
Forward-thinking companies use their catering programme as an antenna for emerging workplace values. When employees started requesting more plant-based options, it wasn't just about diet – it reflected shifting values around sustainability, health, and ethical consumption.
Your food service needs to function as a leading indicator of cultural shifts, not a lagging response. How can you stay ahead? Try:
Miss these shifts, and you're not just missing food trends – you're missing crucial insights into your evolving workplace culture.
Let's be honest – in today's flexible work environment, the quality of your workplace dining can make or break office attendance.
We saw this play out dramatically with one of our London tech clients. After they replaced their previous caterer with us, the numbers tell the story: from just 50 people in the office daily to nearly 500 within three months. As they directly told us, "food has played a big part in bringing people into the office."
What's the difference-maker? Exceptional food creates genuine anticipation. When your team knows they'll enjoy a delicious meal they couldn't easily make at home or grab from Pret, it becomes a powerful magnet drawing them to the workplace.
The talent market has caught on too. Companies increasingly use food quality as a differentiator when recruiting. It's not mentioned as a mere perk anymore – it's highlighted as a central element of the employee experience.
The return on investment becomes crystal clear: resources put into superior food quality deliver tangible returns in office vibrancy and attendance. It's not simply an operational expense but a strategic investment with measurable outcomes.
So ask yourself: is your current food programme a reason people come to the office, or just something they tolerate once they're there?
We've all been there – excited about the lunch menu, only to find something disappointing when we get to the food station. Once might be forgiven, but a pattern of letdowns? That erodes trust faster than you'd think.
The consistency of your food programme speaks volumes about how much your organisation values its people. Employees view food quality as a direct reflection of how much their employer values them – it's visible, it's personal, and it's daily.
One of our tech clients learned this the hard way. After working with us for years, they decided to switch to a traditional caterer who typically operated on-site kitchens but was attempting to break into the delivery space. The idea was to refresh their programme with a "breath of fresh air."
But the new provider simply couldn't execute from a remote kitchen. They couldn't deliver quality grilled meats in such large quantities, resulting in repetitive stews and curries for both lunch and dinner. Even with the office at half capacity, consistency and variety suffered. Employee frustration grew visibly with each passing week.
By November, the client reached out to see if we could step in and salvage the situation. We assembled a task force and project plan for a "Go-Live" date just three weeks away.
When we returned in January, employees who remembered us from pre-pandemic times "recognised us and welcomed us back with open arms." The company's food Slack channel buzzed with praise, and within three months, office attendance had increased tenfold.
The lesson? Food programmes must deliver excellence reliably, functioning as a daily trust-building mechanism. To check whether your current food programme is building or eroding trust, ask:
Remember: trust is built in small moments, repeated consistently.
That Deliveroo order might seem convenient, but have you ever counted the packaging waste it generates? Or considered the carbon footprint of all those delivery van and mopeds zipping around?
The environmental impact of workplace dining extends far beyond what's immediately visible. There's a stark contrast between sustainable catering models and high-waste options like individual food delivery services.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Individual delivery models generate significantly more packaging waste – often up to five separate packaging elements per meal, much of it single-use plastic. The carbon footprint from multiple delivery vehicles making individual drop-offs dwarfs that of a single centralised delivery. And food waste tends to be greater with individual ordering, as there's less ability to adjust portions based on actual consumption.
Intercom's experience perfectly illustrates this. One of their primary motivations for switching to Fooditude was to "reduce the amount of packaging waste that was being delivered each day to our office." Before working with us, they were using "a combination of delivery app and corporate food delivery services" where staff could simply order whenever they wanted.
Here's what many workplace leaders are discovering: employees are increasingly conscious of these visible sustainability issues. Your catering choices send unmistakable signals about your company's environmental values. When employees see dozens of delivery vehicles arriving each day with mountains of single-use packaging, it can undermine other sustainability messaging within your organisation.
Finding the right balance between convenience and environmental responsibility isn't just good for the planet – it's increasingly important to both operational efficiency and company image.
Want to evaluate the true environmental cost of your current catering model? Consider:
More sustainable alternatives don't mean sacrificing convenience. Centralised catering with thoughtful packaging choices and consolidated deliveries can dramatically reduce environmental impact while maintaining or even improving the employee experience.
That corner of your office dedicated to eating? It's not just a place to refuel – it's potentially the most important culture-building space you have.
The physical environment where employees dine has evolved dramatically from just functional to becoming a central hub for workplace culture. Thoughtfully designed dining spaces facilitate critical informal connections that structured meetings simply cannot replicate.
When Intercom moved from a shared workspace into its own offices in London, they worked with us not just for food provision but to design their catering area. Starting with just 25 staff and two days of hot lunch service, their programme evolved into a comprehensive solution as they grew to 40 employees.
A crucial element was helping create a dedicated lunch hour and circulating menus at the beginning of the week "to encourage everyone to take breaks together and build some excitement around the lunch hour." This seemingly simple change had profound effects on team dynamics.
The ROI manifests in multiple ways: improved retention, enhanced cross-department collaboration, and a strengthened employer brand. When candidates tour your office, the dining area often leaves a lasting impression about your company's values.
Is your dining space an afterthought or a purposefully designed environment? Progressive organisations now approach workplace dining areas with the same strategic thinking previously reserved for client-facing spaces.
Looking toward the next few years, we expect to see:
Workplace dining sits at a fascinating intersection: while it remains an important facilities management consideration requiring attention to operational details, it's also a powerful strategic tool for employee experience.
The most successful organisations balance both perspectives. They ensure their food programmes operate smoothly while simultaneously leveraging them to build stronger workplace cultures.
For facilities teams assessing their current approach, the key questions span both operational and cultural dimensions:
Looking ahead, leading organisations are forming deeper partnerships with catering providers who understand both the operational realities and cultural potential of workplace dining. They're creating food programmes that are reliable and flexible whilst simultaneously enriching workplace culture.
At Fooditude, we've spent 20 years refining our approach to deliver both operational excellence and culture-building food experiences. Our central production kitchen model offers flexibility without sacrificing quality, while our focus on creating meaningful food moments helps build stronger workplace communities.
We invite you to evaluate your current workplace dining approach with fresh eyes. Consider both its operational efficiency and its potential cultural impact. In today's evolving workplace, the right food programme doesn't just feed your team – it nurtures your organisation's culture, one meal at a time.
Ready to transform your workplace dining experience? Chat to our team to discuss how our flexible catering solutions could work for your organisation.