The hardest part of ordering food for a meeting is often the headcount.
It can change at the last moment, and the right amount of food depends on whether you are serving a light break or replacing lunch altogether.
Start with the purpose of the event.
For a short meeting between meals, pastries or a lighter platter may be enough.
If people are staying through lunchtime, plan for a proper lunch rather than expecting a few shared nibbles to stretch across the room.
For an all-day session, think about breakfast, lunch and drinks as separate moments.
Next, count the people who need a specific dietary option.
Ask attendees for requirements before you choose the menu, and tell your caterer clearly which portions are vegetarian, vegan, halal or gluten free.
A named individual lunch box can be useful when a guest needs a meal that should stay separate from shared platters.
Think about how food will be served, too.
Shared platters work well when colleagues can move around and select their lunch.
Individual boxes make it easier to distribute food across meeting rooms or give everyone a clearly allocated meal.
If you are ordering for several teams, tell us how many people are in each group.
Finally, confirm your delivery time, building address, reception instructions and a contact number. These details matter just as much as the food when everyone needs to eat between sessions.
Trenchers Catering delivers office lunches around Birmingham, with orders from five people upwards. Explore our [office lunch options](https://www.trenchers-midlands.co.uk/) and send us the headcount and dietary breakdown when you are ready.