The guide to corporate lunches in Brussels: menus, formats and quantities
It is ten to twelve. The meeting is not over, but their stomachs have already left the room.
Around the table: 25 colleagues, three veggies, two vegans, one person who follows a halal diet and another who follows a gluten-free diet. There is no need to open a spreadsheet. You simply need to ask the right questions before ordering.
IN SHORT
For a corporate lunch, PICKLES recommends five mini sandwiches per person. The platters are prepared according to the number of guests and adapted to different dietary requirements.
Order at least 48 hours in advance, excluding weekends. If there is no refrigerator at your office, choose a delivery close to lunchtime, at around 11 a.m. if you plan to eat at noon.
NO SAD PLATTER FOR THE VEGGIES
The classic mistake is not running out of food. It is getting the balance of choices wrong.
Three vegetarians should not have to defend their platter from 22 colleagues who have suddenly developed a passion for burrata. Allow the right quantities and make sure each selection is clearly identified.
PICKLES offers fully fledged vegetarian and vegan recipes: muhammara, grilled aubergine and pine nuts; burrata, pesto, peas and mint; confit portobello, gem lettuce and olive oil…
Special dietary items are labelled. Everyone can find their lunch without dismantling five sandwiches to work out what is inside.
PICKLES does not offer dedicated halal meat. For a halal request, the team therefore recommends a vegetarian or vegan selection.
Gluten-free bread and dishes prepared without gluten are also available. As the kitchen is not entirely separate, the possible presence of traces of gluten cannot be ruled out. In the case of a severe allergy, always contact the team before ordering.
PLATTERS OR BUFFET?
Sandwich platters are made for days that do not slow down: working meetings, training sessions, workshops or client presentations. Set them down, share them and let everyone eat at their own pace.
A buffet works better when lunch has a proper place in the programme. More convivial and generous, it also requires more space and a little more time. PICKLES offers hot and cold buffets from 15 people, with set-up, equipment and service available on request.
The rule is simple: if lunch accompanies the meeting, choose platters. If it becomes a moment in the day, opt for a buffet.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BUDGET?
Allow €15 to €18 per person excluding VAT for a sandwich package.
PICKLES sandwich packages range from €15 to €18 per person excluding VAT. For a more generous lunch with a side salad and one or two petits fours, allow around €25 per person excluding VAT, excluding delivery.
A large fresh fruit salad to share can replace individual desserts. It can also be served alongside them if the meeting has been particularly long.
DELIVERY WITHOUT A TREASURE HUNT
Lunches are prepared in the PICKLES kitchens in Schaerbeek and delivered throughout the 19 municipalities of Brussels.
To make sure the order reaches the right place, specify the building entrance, floor, room, any access codes and the number of the person receiving the delivery.
Those details may seem secondary. Much less so when 125 mini sandwiches are waiting by the wrong lift.
TO SUM UP
For 25 people:
A standard order can be put together directly in the webshop. Several dietary requirements, a buffet or special logistics? The PICKLES team is here to help.
