A team lunch can be a little chaotic and nobody minds. A client meeting is different.
The clients are due at 11.30. A partner has asked you to “sort lunch”. Whatever arrives is going to sit on the boardroom table in front of the people your business is trying to win or keep. Nobody will thank you if it goes perfectly. Everyone will notice if it does not.
After 20 plus years of feeding Melbourne’s busiest offices, we know the food in a client meeting is doing more than feeding people. Here is how to get it right.
The Food Is Part of the Meeting
Clients read everything in the room. A thoughtful spread, presented properly and arriving on time, tells them your business pays attention to detail. Warm sandwiches in a cardboard box tell them something too.
That does not mean the most expensive option. It means food that suits the meeting, lands at the right moment and is easy to eat without anyone losing their train of thought.
Time the Delivery Around the Agenda, Not the Clock
This is where most client meeting catering goes wrong.
Cold food from us can arrive up to 60 minutes before your nominated time, and hot food lands within a 30 minute window. So think about when the room will actually be free, and where the food will wait if it arrives while the meeting is still going. Nobody wants a delivery knocking on the boardroom door mid-pitch.
A few things that help: let reception know it is coming, and include clear delivery instructions with your order so we know exactly where to go. Have a side table or a room nearby where the food can be set out. If the meeting has a natural break, time the food for the break, not the start.
Choose Food People Can Eat While Talking
In a client meeting, people are talking, listening and taking notes. The food has to fit around that.
Avoid anything that needs a knife and fork, drips, or requires concentration to eat. One or two bite options like finger food or boxed canapés work well for working meetings, because people can eat and still hold the conversation.
If the meeting includes a proper lunch break, shared platters set out on a credenza give everyone a reason to stand up, reset and talk informally, which is often where the real relationship building happens.
Presentation Matters More Than Quantity
Our office catering is prepared fresh in our Abbotsford kitchen and arrives presented and ready for the table, with every item clearly labelled. That matters in a boardroom, because the person setting it out is usually you, five minutes before the clients walk in.
Think about what the table needs beyond the food. Plates, cutlery and napkins can be added on request, and it is worth adding them for a client meeting even if your office kitchen could technically cover it. Mismatched mugs from the staff kitchen undo a lot of good work.
Ask About Dietaries Before, Not at the Table
The awkward moment in client catering is a guest quietly eating nothing because nobody asked.
When you confirm the meeting, ask the client’s assistant or your contact whether anyone attending has dietary requirements. It takes one line in an email and it shows care before anyone has arrived.
Then choose a spread where most items suit several needs at once, so no one is handed a separate plate. Our labelling makes that easy to check at a glance. We explain more in our post on dietary catering that does not sideline anyone. If a guest has a serious allergy, tell us when you order. Our kitchen handles all major allergens, so we cannot guarantee any item is allergen free, and we would rather have that conversation early.
Early Starts and Afternoon Sessions
Not every client meeting falls at lunch. For an early start, a good breakfast spread sets the tone before anyone opens a laptop. Breakfast needs a little more notice than lunch, so order by midday the day before.
For an afternoon session, something sweet and savoury around 3pm is the difference between a sharp final hour and a room full of people watching the clock. Our office morning tea ideas work just as well in the afternoon.
Make It Something You Never Have to Think About Again
If your business hosts clients regularly, set it up once. Send us your usual headcount, the kind of meetings you run and any regular dietary needs, and we can build a go-to order you can repeat with one email.
If you are working to a budget, our guide to what drives office catering costs shows where to spend and where to save.
Browse our office catering options or request a quote, and we will make sure the food is one less thing on your mind when the clients walk in.
