Office lunch: complete guide & 2026 budgets
The real rule of an office lunch is not the budget, it is the timing. How to organise a lunch that works, from the dishes to the delivery.
The office lunch is different from breakfast. In the morning, everyone arrives hungry and in a hurry. At noon, people have already eaten something; they are not asking you for a gastronomic performance, they are asking for a tray that arrives on time and does not keep them stuck at the table for an hour.
That is why most successful office lunches look like this: individual trays, balanced, ready to eat in a meeting room, without anyone getting up or doing the washing-up afterwards.
Why individual trays rather than a buffet?
The buffet is for end-of-year receptions. For a meeting or training lunch, it is a trap:
- Everyone gets up at the same time. The meeting stops.
- People choose their own portion. Half of them linger, half go back three times.
- The table becomes a battlefield. Crumbs, sauces, spilt coffee.
The individual tray is the opposite:
- Everyone gets their own. Nobody gets up.
- Everyone eats at the same time.
- The meeting carries on; the food is just the backdrop.
- By 2 pm, it is all over, and nobody is asking “fancy a coffee?”
Our lunch tray menus
€28.90 per person excl. VAT vegetarian, €29.90 excl. VAT with chicken, €30.90 excl. VAT with smoked salmon
- La Romaine (chicken, €29.90): heritage tomato and basil salad, Caesar salad with roast chicken, brownie
- La Champêtre (chicken, €29.90): cucumber salad with yoghurt and chives, sliced roast chicken with fresh herb bulgur, apple and tonka bean compote
- La Boréale (smoked salmon, €30.90): heritage tomato and basil salad, potato salad with smoked salmon and lemon cream, chocolate mousse
- La Solaire (vegetarian, €28.90): hummus and toasted bread, quinoa with falafel and tahini sauce, cookie
- La Provençale (vegetarian, €28.90): aubergine caviar and rosemary focaccia, pasta with pesto, mozzarella and semi-dried tomatoes, red berry panna cotta
- La Potagère (vegetarian, €28.90): pissaladière tartlet and baby leaves, lentil salad with feta and roasted vegetables, lemon and lemon curd verrine
Format: starter, main, dessert and bread. For regular lunches, working meetings and training days, as well as lunches where you host clients.
How many vegetarians should you plan for?
It is the question we get most often. Answer: one third, full stop.
If you know the exact split in your team, use it. Otherwise, allow one third vegetarians out of the total. It is almost always right. Out of 30 people: 10 vegetarians, 20 omnivores.
Delivery at the exact time
You give a time: 12:30 pm, 1:15 pm, 2 pm. Not a time window. We deliver at that exact time, straight to the meeting room or the dining area.
In practice:
- The trays arrive fresh
- Everyone can eat straight away
- If the previous meeting runs over, you let us know and we come later
- No tray drying out
Condition: order before 2 pm the day before. Delivery in Paris and Île-de-France.
Total budget for an office lunch (example: 20 people)
| Line | Budget excl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian trays | 20 × €28.90 = €578.00 |
| Delivery | €29 excl. VAT |
| Total | €607.00 excl. VAT |
Per person: €30.35 excl. VAT
Halal, pork-free, gluten-free
By default, the whole lunch tray menu is halal and pork-free. No extra cost.
The options: vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free on request, to specify with the headcount. Our kitchen handles flour: traces of gluten remain possible in gluten-free preparations.
Common mistakes
- Too few trays. If you invite 15 people, order 15 trays.
- Trays left waiting. If you order for 12:30 pm but the meeting drags on, the trays lose their freshness.
- Mixing formats. Avoid combining a fruit buffet and individual trays for the same meeting.
How to order
1. Go to the quote page and give the number of people, the date, the exact time and the place
2. We price it, and you receive the quote within 24 hours
3. You confirm, and we reconfirm 48 hours before
4. Delivery on time
Lead time: order until 2 pm the day before, delivery the next day from 6:30 am. For 50 people or more, or several sites, 48 hours' notice is recommended.
Sources
- Prices and contents: lunch tray menu, accessed 15 October 2026.
- Share of vegetarians: a guideline drawn from our orders, not from a study.
- Delivery, minimum and lead times: ordering conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What does an office lunch tray cost?
From €28.90 per person excl. VAT. Delivery is added, at €29 excl. VAT. €50 minimum order (excl. VAT).
Can you mix several menus in the same order?
Yes. You give the split in the quote: 5 Romaine, 3 Boréale and 2 Solaire in the same order, no problem.
Do you deliver at a precise time or within a window?
A precise time. You say 12:30 pm, we deliver at 12:30 pm, with no window of plus or minus 30 minutes.
How long does it take to eat a tray?
Between 20 and 30 minutes in the room, at a relaxed pace. Then people get back to work.
Can we add desserts or drinks?
Yes. Ask for a quote for teas, coffees or a fruit basket. Everything can be added to the order.
An event in Paris or Île-de-France?
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