Business Luncheon Pointers  Back to Events

When it comes to business luncheons, first impressions mean everything. Team with your neighborhood Publix to coordinate a successful lunch that boosts the professional image of your organization:

Setting the Scene
Create a pleasant atmosphere for luncheon guests that will help put everyone at ease:

• Offer a change of scenery with an off-site lunch. Keep in mind unusual settings such as a local park, garden, museum or party room at a local landmark for a refreshing break from typical meeting rooms.
• Keep decorating simple and tasteful so it doesn't distract guests from the business at hand. Start with beautiful floral centerpieces from your neighborhood Publix. Select low-to-the-table arrangements so the flowers don't block the views of people at the tables.
• Make a buffet spread easier to manage by arranging utensils and napkins at each place setting at the table rather than at the end of the buffet. That way guests don't have to juggle multiple items at once.
• Remind guests who is sponsoring the luncheon by printing your company's logo on napkins or tins of mints. For dessert, ask your neighborhood Publix Bakery to create a cake with your company logo.

Delightful Dining A comfortable dining environment allows luncheon attendees to focus on important business matters:

• Serve easy-to-eat foods at a networking event or a luncheon where guests will be taking notes. The less people have to focus on eating, the more they can focus on the conversation or the featured speaker.
• Avoid raw or undercooked foods, which can cause illness. It's best to offer several main-dish options and to stick with tried-and-true foods like chicken, sandwiches or casseroles.
• Adorn the buffet setup with place cards that explain what each dish is and list the ingredients for guests who may have food allergies. Provide meat, fish and vegetarian options, and be mindful of other dietary needs by offering several menu options.
• Set color-coded place cards at each seat so servers can bring guests their requested meals without confusion. For example, a guest who ordered a chicken breast might have a blue circle, while a guest who asked for the vegetarian entrée would get a green circle.
• Keep guests refreshed at a long meeting by serving snacks and beverages throughout the day. Good snack choices include fresh or dried fruit, pretzels and yogurt. Also provide bottled water and coffee.
• If lots of materials will be distributed at the meeting and you'll have out-of-town attendees, arrange to send the documents overnight to guests' offices. Or store an electronic copy of the materials on a low-memory flash drive that they can easily take with them.
• Send guests off with a take-home treat. Wrap snack mix or several cookies in a specialty box or in colorful cellophane paper tied with a pretty bow. Include an item with your company logo to keep your name top-of-mind.

Menu Made Easy 

Here's where we've figured out courses and servings for the party. Scroll down to see the Publix selections we suggest, then add appropriate sizes and/or quantities to your Planning List based on the estimated servings per course (see chart). If you're interested in other options, you may click View All to see everything else available by course. Or, you can use our Plan a Menu tool to build your own menu for the event.

The recommended servings are meant as a guide and not an exact calculator. Please consider that many factors may require you to make adjustments: the mix of adults and children, time of day, length of event, etc.

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