Privilege of ordering lunch

I have noticed there is an observable reaction when someone is asked to order lunch for a group in my office. Most people believe the task is beneath them. Often people are offended that someone would request them to perform such a belittling duty.

When I was hired I was told ordering food would be one of my jobs. Seeing other reactions to this made me feel a little shameful that this was expected of me, but I quickly changed my attitude. I decided to turn this around, and consider it a privilege. I made the decision I would become an expert in this field, and as such, people seek me out to cater their business lunches, meetings and events.

Being in charge of lunch is a huge responsibility and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. Success or failure reflects solely on you, wether its your fault or not, so here are some helpful hints.

1. Research the restaurants in your area. Look for reviews on the internet. Ask people around the office where they like to go. If you see someone with carryout that looks and smells good ask them where it came from.
2. Almost everyone delivers. Between Door-dash and Grub-hub the options are limitless. Be wary of delivery minimums and what delivery fees are. I have passed on restaurants that have a high delivery fee.
3. Use an option like EZ-Cater. You can create an account, save your information and re-order a previous order. They also keep track of your receipts and give you credits to use towards future catering or for amazon gift cards.
4. Use old standbys. Panera, Jimmy-Johns and your local pizza joint are always good choices. When ordering Panera, I try to order at least the night before or the morning of, as their delivery time can get long when ordering at lunch time.
5. Mexican is always a hit. I love Q’doba taco bar for a group and everyone loves Chipotle burritos for a change of pace.
6. Be mindful of peoples diets preferences or allergies. If possible, make sure you have vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb, and peanut free option.

Remember that you have control of where the food comes from, the correct orders (or not so correct for the person you might be mad at), payment, and delivery time to name a few. You hold a lot of power in your hands, and when executed professionally, it will reflect on you immensely.