As many companies implement hybrid models of working, offices across the nation are reopening. With that comes looking at ways to reinstate meal programs, which can be essential for office culture and highly valued by employees. Here are five food ordering tips for office managers to keep in mind as you plan your next team lunch, executive meeting, and more.

1. Be Proactive

When it comes to office food ordering, it’s critical to plan in advance when possible. You should think through how many people you need to feed, your budget, the restaurant you’ll order from, and the food you’ll select. You can even schedule your order in advance to reduce stress day-of.

2. Use Technology to Your Advantage

Being organized saves time. Using technology can help take your organizational abilities to the next level. By using a corporate ordering platform like Grubhub, all of your food ordering tasks are all consolidated to one central account. This means one number for customer support and one invoice at the end of each month to easily monitor and report on food spend.

3. Engage Employees

Consider letting your team have a say in the restaurants you order food from for your next office lunch. Many companies send out an email welcoming employee recommendations.  And when it comes time to choose a restaurant, businesses often send a poll with some of these options to vote on the winner. This is a great way to foster engagement amongst team members and discover delicious new cuisines.

4. Be Flexible

While it’s important to be proactive when possible, unexpected food ordering needs will arise. Whether it’s a last minute executive meeting or an unforeseen company celebration— it is critical for office managers to be flexible and prepared to accommodate. Having a go-to list of reliable restaurants can make these requests less stressful.

And when you place an order with Grubhub, you can rest assured with the Grubhub Guarantee — our newest feature that guarantees on-time delivery for your corporate catering orders or you’ll get a Grubhub Guarantee Perk to make it right for your next order. This information is all on grubhub.com/guarantee and in the app. All you have to do is submit a claim and we will take it from there, it’s really that easy.

5. Accommodate Remote Workers

With hybrid work, the role of the office manager has evolved beyond supporting employees physically in the office as teams are often distributed around the country and working from their homes. If you have staff dialing in to your next meeting, you can still ensure they feel included. Grubhub enables you to easily offer your employees individual meal credits so they can independently order something to eat even if they are not present for the catering provided to in-office employees. It’s simple to order and your team doesn’t have to use their personal credit card or submit an expense report.

Contact us to learn why office managers across the country partner with Grubhub for all of their corporate food ordering needs.