A simple office catering plan for Long Beach teams

01

Define the lunch before opening the menu

Start with the meeting, not the food list. Write down the date, meal time, office address, expected guests, a high estimate, budget range, and when the room needs to be ready. That makes the rest of the order much faster.

A team lunch, client lunch, and all-hands meeting may use the same menu but need different handoff and service plans. Decide who owns the final call before anyone starts adding dishes to a cart.

• Expected guest count plus a reasonable high estimate
• Meal start time and the time food must be set out
• Office access, loading, elevator, parking, and a receiving contact
• Allergies, dietary requests, and how food will be labeled

02

Choose online ordering or an inquiry

Use the current Toast catering checkout when your team is ready to choose available items, fulfillment, guest count, and payment. Toast is the source of truth for the cart’s current dates, prices, availability, and checkout requirements.

Use the catering inquiry when you need a person to help discuss a larger plan, service, venue access, dietary complexity, or a custom request. An inquiry is a conversation; it does not place an order or confirm a booking.

Do not submit multiple inquiry forms for the same lunch. Send one complete set of details and keep the confirmation with the office host.

03

Build a shareable menu

A good office spread is recognizable at a glance. Pair a main dish with dips, pita, salad, and a vegetable or side so guests can build a plate without a long explanation. Keep vegetarian and allergy-sensitive items visibly separated and labeled.

Check the current Toast descriptions and ask the team about ingredients when an allergy is involved. Do not treat a dietary preference, intolerance, and medically diagnosed allergy as the same request.

04

Plan the office handoff

The person placing the order should not be the only person who knows where food goes. Put the receiving contact, building instructions, elevator details, and serving location in one message. Clear a table before the delivery or pickup window.

If the office is hosting a long meeting, decide who will watch food temperature, label allergens, set out utensils, and refrigerate leftovers. The practical handoff is part of the catering plan.

1. 1

   One week or more out

   Confirm the meeting, headcount range, budget, dietary notes, and whether the team needs an inquiry.

2. 2

   A few days out

   Review the current Toast menu or confirm the inquiry details with George’s.

3. 3

   Day of

   Clear the receiving area, confirm access, set out labels and serving tools, and assign a food lead.

05

Frequently asked questions