St. Louis is home to an eclectic mix of local staple dishes and unique restaurant offerings, from St. Louis-style pizza to toasted ravioli to gooey butter cake. While this means you have plenty of options when it comes to corporate catering, you won’t be able to leverage them if you don’t select the right corporate catering partner in St. Louis.
Whether you are facilitating a team bonding event, hosting client visits, or running a board meeting, food is an important aspect of many workplace experiences. From feeding a busy team to creating a memorable gathering, the right corporate catering can help make any office occasion feel more thoughtful and seamless.
But it’s a lot to consider, and it’s easy to forget important details. That’s why we’ve put together a quick guide to walk you through qualities you should look for when picking a corporate event catering partner, an overview of different catering formats, and a list of some of the best local options to get you started.
Finding the right corporate catering partner is more than sampling and comparing menus. The right catering partner should be able to accommodate your team, simplify the planning process, and provide an experience that fits your specific occasion. As you look into corporate catering options in St. Louis, consider these factors:
A diverse menu can make a catered meal more appetizing to a group with different tastes and preferences. Rather than relying on the same restaurants and menus over and over, look for a catering service that gives you access to a variety of local restaurants and cuisines. This can help keep your office meals interesting while giving your employees and guests more choices without forcing your admin team to coordinate with a new restaurant every time.
Your corporate catering needs can range from a small team meeting to an all-hands event. Look for a catering partner that can accommodate any headcount, whether you're ordering lunch for a few employees, hosting a client meeting, or planning a large company-wide gathering. Additionally, the right catering partner will allow you to choose the right catering format for your event, whether that’s a drop-off buffet or formal white-glove service.
With a diverse workforce comes diverse dietary preferences and restrictions. If anyone is left without something to eat, they’ll feel excluded and discouraged. Look for a corporate caterer that can provide a variety of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other inclusive options, to ensure everyone can enjoy a meal together.
Planning an office event comes with plenty of moving parts, and organizing catering is one of the most complex items on the to-do list. A corporate catering partner that coordinates ordering, delivery, setup, and other logistics can help take some of the work off your plate, allowing you to focus on other details that ensure your event runs smoothly.
Corporate catering doesn’t have to be traditional, predictable, or boring. St. Louis has a lot of great food to choose from, and employees are used to high-quality, chef-crafted menus. The right catering partner can bring great food from St. Louis restaurants to your events, allowing you to offer engaging, unique and delicious catering spreads every time.
Once you’ve found a catering partner that checks all of your boxes, the next step is deciding how you want the meal to be served. From buffet-style drop-off to boxed meals and white-glove service, different catering formats offer different benefits depending on your event, group size, and desired experience.
With so many delicious spots to pick from, it can be difficult to settle on a restaurant option. To help you narrow down your options, take a look at these five great picks.
A James Beard Foundation America’s Classic Award Winner, Gioia’s Deli is known for the famous hot salami that they have been serving to St. Louis since 1918. Although their menu is packed with sandwiches and salads, Gioia’s lunches will most likely beat the lunchbox sitting on your desk. Choose from classics like The Original Hot Salami Sandwich or Hot Roast Beef or let your team build their own and bring the tastes of the Hill to your office.
A family-owned restaurant, The Vine Cafe can bring authentic Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine to your next office gathering. With a wide selection of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan items, The Vine Cafe is a great inclusive dining choice. From their fresh baked pita, falafel, and stuffed grape leaves to their beef shawarma and baklava, you can easily host a Mediterranean fest within the walls of your workplace.
Focused on healthy and convenient dining, Crushed Red has a wide variety of food for multiple diets, lifestyles, and allergens. They’re known for fresh salads, artisan pizzas, oven-baked sandwiches, soups, and shareables that are crowd favorites. Their menu is also full of classics with fun twists like their “Hail Caesar” salad and “Mona Lisa” pizza.
With six locations across the St. Louis area, Salt + Smoke most likely a go-to barbeque spot for at least a few of your employees. From their brisket smoked for 16 hours to their St. Louis-style ribs, and housemade sides like White Cheddar Cracker Mac and Sweet Pepper Potato Salad, you can ensure your office gets a hearty meal. You can also order their barbeque in bulk for larger events.
Known for having 62 house-made soups on their menu, The Fountain on Locust has an extensive menu to choose from, including seasonal specials that rotate almost every week. If you are thinking about sharing a meal with your coworkers, make sure to save room for dessert. The Fountain on Locust is known for their extensive ice cream menu and sundaes that are covered with toppings made in-house.
There is no doubt that the good food options are endless in St. Louis, but that is just one part of the equation for bringing food into your workplace. A corporate catering partner should be able to lighten your load, and with Fooda, you can do corporate catering hassle-free.
Fooda Catering connects your company with a network of local restaurants in St. Louis, ensuring that every event you host gets the food, variety, and service it needs. Unlike predictable and generic catering services, Fooda Catering brings the same options that your employees and guests would choose on their own.
Fooda also takes the logistics of meal management off of your to-do list, allowing for smooth and easy coordination. For elevated dining experiences, Fooda also offers white-glove services that are great for all-hands corporate events, fundraising galas, executive offsites, and more.
Regardless of your corporate catering needs, Fooda Catering is here to help simplify everything, so that you can relax and enjoy the food and company yourself.
Ready to simplify corporate catering in your office? Talk to Fooda today.
What should I look for in a corporate catering service in St. Louis?
When choosing a corporate catering service in St. Louis, consider menu variety, dietary accommodations, group size, catering formats, delivery and setup, and the overall ordering experience. A corporate catering partner that works with multiple local restaurants can also give your team more variety than a traditional caterer.
What are the best catering options for an office lunch in St. Louis?
The best office lunch catering option depends on your group size, budget, dietary needs, and the type of meeting or event you’re hosting. Buffet-style catering works well for larger groups, while boxed meals can be convenient for meetings and lunch-and-learns.
How much does corporate catering in St. Louis cost?
Corporate catering costs in St. Louis vary based on the number of guests, menu, service style, delivery, and event requirements. Buffet-style drop-off and boxed meals are typically more budget-conscious options, while full-service or white-glove catering generally require a larger budget because of additional staff and services.
Can Fooda provide corporate catering from local St. Louis restaurants?
Yes. Fooda Catering connects businesses with a network of local restaurant partners, giving you access to a variety of cuisines and catering options for meetings, team lunches, client events, all-hands gatherings, and other workplace occasions. Fooda also handles catering logistics and offers elevated services, including white-glove catering for more formal corporate events.
