What are the Best Types of Food for Corporate Catering? Top Menu Ideas

The best types of food for corporate catering are light breakfast items (pastries, fruit, yoghurt), easy-to-eat working lunches (sandwiches, wraps, boxed salads), hot buffets for conferences, and finger food or canapés for networking events. The right choice depends on the time of day, event format and your guests' dietary needs. 

Whether you regularly host management meetings, welcome clients, launch products, or hold office celebrations, food is an important part of the experience. The best corporate caterers offer on-time delivery, high standards of food hygiene, flexible options for dietary requirements, and menus tailored to the way staff and visitors enjoy eating at work. 

In this guide, you'll discover which foods are best suited to different types of corporate events. We'll share practical menu ideas for corporate catering and provide tips based on years of experience catering events throughout London.

Good corporate catering is defined by five things: on-time delivery, correct food temperature, portion accuracy, inclusive dietary options and clear food-safety traceability. Everything else builds on those fundamentals. While delicious food is always our focus, consistency and operational details are equally important. 

At Owen Brothers Catering, we have been catering corporate functions around London for over 50 years. Through those years we’ve learnt that when it comes to events, sometimes less is more. Delivering food on time, ensuring it remains the correct temperature, catering to the timeframe of the event and giving enough choices for all guests are the keys to successful catering. 

So, when you’re next searching for a caterer, look for these basics: 

• On-time delivery that works around your event timeline 
• Menus tailored to your event style 
• Clearly labelled dietary options 
• Portion-per-head planned around your guest list 
• Robust food safety plans 
• Consideration for sustainable packaging 

The operational elements of catering are often dictated by time. For breakfast, we may be delivering to venues before your staff arrive. Conference lunches can be particularly tight with set serving times between sessions. Knowledgeable caterers will work backwards from these time constraints when preparing, packing, transporting and serving your food. 

Food safety is another consideration. Temperature controlled food must stay cold or hot during transport and every step of the process should be traceable with solid food safety plans in place. 

Here in London these aspects of catering are even more crucial when catering larger events. Let the caterer work with you to create an event that runs without a hitch – because we know that if one meal is late or forgotten it can throw off your entire event. 

Lighter, energising fare is almost always ideal for morning events. Ensure breakfast is varied enough to cater for all appetites, but not too filling before the working day begins. 

Functional foods that are easy to eat and satisfying are best for working lunches. Aim to minimise interruption, so your guests can focus on discussions or presentations instead of complicated table service. 

Lunch is by far the most diverse meal when it comes to corporate catering menu ideas. There are numerous options because events range from casual to formal. 

Lighter meetings commonly serve: 

• Artisan sandwiches 
• Loaded wraps 
• Gourmet baguettes 
• Personal salads 
• Fancy boxed lunches 

These can be served quickly to minimise disruption, and portions are simple which reduces waste. 

Hot buffet lunches work well for big meetings and conferences since there are more options for customisation. 

Popular buffet items include: 

• Roast chicken 
• Seasonal vegetarian mains 
• Pastas 
• Rice dishes 
• Salads 
• Vegetable sides 
• Desserts 

An important but often overlooked aspect of catering is portion planning. Caterers who are experienced in corporate events know that lunch for executive meetings should have lighter portions than afternoon workshops where attendees may be spending the rest of the day at the event venue. By aligning portion sizes with the itinerary, you can limit waste and your guests will feel more comfortable. 

A good rule of thumb for corporate events is that variety is more important than size. It’s better to serve many small dishes than one large one. 

Whether you’re looking for office catering ideas or tried-and-tested recipes, inclusive meals are ones that everyone can eat together. Diets shouldn’t be an afterthought - they should be considered from the start when you’re planning your menu. 

Guests with food sensitivities, allergies and dietary preferences are common in today’s offices.  

Menus should easily include options that are:  

• Halal 
• Vegetarian and vegan 
• Gluten-free 
• Dairy-free 
• Nut-free 

All dietary dishes should be prepared separately and with care to avoid cross-contact. Professional office caterers have protocols in place to safely prepare these dishes, from ingredient handling to clear labelling so guests can easily see what they can eat. 

Menu diversity is also something to consider when planning your menu. Instead of one “other” dish everyone else is avoiding, try building a menu with multiple dishes that every guest can enjoy. 

Looking impressive is just as important as tasting great. 

Try:  

• Gourmet sandwiches 
• Sophisticated canapés 
• Fresh Danish pastries 
• Premium coffee service

Provide guests with multiple opportunities to snack throughout the day. 

Ideally you will offer:  

• Breakfast sweets 
• Morning snacks 
• Hot or cold lunch 
• Afternoon tea 
• Available drinks throughout the day 

Spacing meals will ensure guests have steady energy while avoiding prolonged disruptions.

Casual events work well with a relaxed catering style. 

Ideas include:  

• Finger foods 
• Share platters 
• Canapés 
• Desserts 
• Drink packages 

Ensuring food quality protects both your guests and your business. Implementing sustainable practices also showcases your company values. 

What guests don’t see is the meticulous operational work that goes into making sure catering is delivered successfully. 

Attention to detail comes into play when professional caterers like Owen Brothers track how food is prepared, stored, transported and delivered. 

Owen Brothers Catering runs a digital HACCP food safety programme which tracks temperature-controlled storage and delivery checks throughout the catering production process. Along with its 5-star food hygiene rating awarded by Wandsworth Council, this gives peace of mind for businesses hosting corporate events. 

How your food is delivered also affects quality. Temperature-controlled deliveries made using a Euro 6-compliant GPS tracked fleet help Owen Brothers ensure food arrives on time and in perfect condition for events across London. 

Eco-friendly practices are becoming more important to consumers too. 

Some ways to implement sustainable catering include:  

• Using Vegware compostable packaging 
• Avoiding single-use plastics 
• Turning used cooking oil into biofuel for transportation 
• Sourcing locally grown, British ingredients 
• Delivering daily supplies of fresh milk, fruit and vegetables 

While these efforts may take place behind the scenes, they can help you to provide a high-quality service that aligns with your company values.

Corporate catering is more than just cooking good food. Meeting the demands of clients means delivering on logistics, planning and reliable quality which comes from experience. 

Since 1974 Owen Brothers Catering have been providing corporate catering services to businesses all over London. We’ve catered for small offices of 10 employees to large businesses with over 500 staff members. Our clients cover sectors such as financial services, telecoms and entertainment. In all of these industries, punctuality and professionalism are key. 

This experience has taught us that everything from portioning and delivery timelines to recipe development and dietary requirements matters. Using farm assured British chicken, responsibly selected beef and fresh daily ingredients helps us cater consistent food, while robust systems ensure reliable service from start to finish. 

From breakfast meetings, to working lunches, networking events and conference catering, serving food appropriate to your event will always yield a better result than simply serving the highest quantity of food. 

Need reliable corporate catering in London? Owen Brothers delivers to offices across all 32 boroughs with 5-star hygiene-rated, temperature-controlled service. Request a quote or call +44 2086752905 to plan your menu.