You have got a breakfast meeting at 9am. Ten people. A mix of new clients, senior leaders and a couple of early risers who have already had their second coffee. Someone asks you to sort the food.
So what do you actually order?
After 20 plus years of feeding Melbourne offices, we have seen what disappears in minutes and what sits untouched until the afternoon. Here is what works, what to avoid, and how to put together a breakfast spread that makes you look like you have done this a hundred times.
Start With the Basics: How Many People and What Kind of Meeting?
Before you even look at a menu, think about what kind of meeting this is. A quick 45 minute stand-up needs something people can grab with one hand while they talk. A two hour strategy session needs more substance.
For a smaller group of six to eight, individual items work well. Think breakfast pots, fruit cups and frittatas where everyone picks what they want. For larger groups of ten or more, boxes and packages are easier to manage and give you a good mix without needing to count heads for every item.
Our Mixed Breakfast Box is built for exactly this. Eighteen items per box with a mix of sweet and savoury, ready to go. No plating, no fuss.
The Sweet and Savoury Balance
This is where most breakfast orders go wrong. People either go all pastries (everyone crashes by 10:30) or all savoury (half the room wanted something sweet and now they are eyeing off the biscuit tin).
A good breakfast spread has both. On the sweet side, mixed muffins and banana bread are reliable crowd pleasers. Our mixed Danish pastries are handmade and a step up from the bakery box on the corner. For something lighter, seasonal acai pots with blueberry, chia and fresh fruit tick the health-conscious box without feeling like an afterthought.
On the savoury side, egg and bacon tarts are a favourite for a reason. Frittatas are underrated for meetings because they are filling, easy to eat and naturally gluten free. We do a pumpkin, kale and preserved lemon ricotta version that vegetarians and non-vegetarians fight over equally.
Handle Dietary Requirements Without Making It Awkward
Every group has a mix. Gluten free, dairy free, vegan, vegetarian, or just someone who eats light in the morning. The trick is to order food that naturally covers multiple requirements rather than getting one sad “special” option on the side.
Our vegan frittata (roasted capsicum and parsley) is also dairy free and gluten free, so it works across three dietary needs in one item. Fruit cups and acai pots are naturally vegan, dairy free and gluten free. When you build a spread around items like these, you are not singling anyone out. Everyone just eats.
Every item on our breakfast menu is clearly labelled: V for vegetarian, VG for vegan, DF for dairy free, GF for gluten free, VO and GO for items with a vegetarian or gluten free option. So you can check at a glance before you order.
What to Avoid in a Boardroom
A few things that sound good in theory but do not work in a meeting room:
Anything that needs a knife and fork. If people are sitting around a table with laptops and notebooks, they need food they can eat with one hand or a small fork at most. Frittatas, tarts and breakfast muffins all work. A full cooked breakfast does not.
Anything messy. Overloaded acai bowls, runny eggs and dripping pastries are a boardroom hazard. Our breakfast items are designed to be eaten without incident.
Too much of one thing. Twenty four muffins for ten people means fourteen muffins sitting in the kitchen at 3pm. Get a mix.
Our Recommended Breakfast Meeting Order
For a group of ten, here is what we would put together:
One Mixed Breakfast Box (eighteen items, sweet and savoury mix). A tray of frittatas with a mix of pumpkin ricotta and vegan options. A dozen fruit cups. A round of breakfast muffins for anyone who wants something more substantial.
That gives you variety, dietary coverage, and enough food without overdoing it. All delivered to your door, ready to set out.
Make It Easy
The whole point of catering a breakfast meeting is that you should not have to think about it in the morning. Our breakfast catering is designed as Drop and Go. We deliver it fresh, it is ready to serve, and everything comes with the right cutlery and napkins.
You can browse our full breakfast menu and order online, or get in touch for a catering quote if you need something tailored.
A good breakfast meeting starts with good food. And the best compliment is an empty platter.
