For A More Productive Business, Buy Your Employees Lunch

Companies are offering free employee lunches to boost productivity, morale, and well-being; at the same time they’re helping to fight hunger in Washington, D.C.

Would you buy your employees a free lunch if it meant greater workplace productivity? Lunch is an important meal that holds some serious potential for businesses that seek to boost workplace productivity, culture and teamwork.

At some of the most successful companies in Silicon Valley, like Google, free lunch as a perk has been standard operating procedure for some time and it has enhanced their competitive edge in the market. Simply put, free lunches for their teams translate into increased business success and profitability. Not only does a free meal increases employee happiness, it also becomes one of those braggable benefits, helping to recruit and retain top talent.

Free lunch may sound expensive, but doesn’t have to be, says Shy Pahlevani, founder of HUNGRY.This Washington, D.C. based startup developed a unique office and catering service, that connects top chefs making incredible food to offices across the city.

“Our unique business model enables us to deliver top chef made food, directly to your desk,” Pahlevani says. “We deliver meals that are made daily by local chefs and delivered to offices around D.C.”

With a recurring lunch plan, employees order from menus prepared by top local chefs. The food is then delivered to the office any day of the week. Menus can be customized to meet health and dietary restrictions, including vegan, vegetarian, paleo, dairy-free, and gluten-free options.

After each meal, employees provide feedback to help office managers decide which dishes worked best.

“Think about the last time everyone on your staff got what they wanted from office catering,” Pahlevani says. “Either the order wasn’t easy or it was really expensive. We created HUNGRY to provide companies a better option.”

Free lunches are now becoming a standard workplace perk for some of the highest employee-rated companies nationwide. A free meal can save employees’ time, helping them to work around meetings and deadlines. Office meals also break the monotony of daily routines, like the “lunchtime rush hour.”

Take for instance Washington, D.C. It’s a city filled with plenty of fast-casual options, including up-and-comers like Sweetgreen and Beefsteak. In this market, competing for consumers’ lunch can be tough, and pricey. In fact, diners spend on average a minimum of about $12.29 per day on food.

“We offer companies an ability to provide their teams high quality, healthy meals in a way that helps foster team building,” Pahlevani says. “Rather than have your team leave the office and go in different directions for 60-90 minutes every day, you can provide them an incredible meal from a top chef (which they will greatly appreciate) and instead they will enjoy lunchtime bonding and talking with their co-workers. It also saves everyone time which enables them to accomplish more each day in the office.”

At the same time, this delivery option feeds into the corporate social responsibility of leading Fortune 500 companies. For every two meals purchased through HUNGRY, one meal is donated to fight hunger in the D.C. region via a partnership with the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

“A free lunch is not just a good return on investment for employee satisfaction,” Pahlevani says. “It’s a way to impact the community by supporting local chefs and fighting hunger.”

The preceding promoted post was written and sponsored by Clarendon-based startup HUNGRY.