To not offer lunch?

[amidsummernightsdream]

I'm self employed in a consulting type role. I usually hold meetings at clients' offices.
Tomorrow, due to logistics, im holding a 3 hour meeting at my house, starting at 10.30.
(However could potentially run a little longer)

Would I be unressonable to not offer lunch?
I feel like I would be but I've left it last min and I cant think what!

If I did, it would need minimal to no prep and something that we could eat while working.

Can I get away with just tea and cake?

@amidsummernightsdream

This is the key thing for me.

If they wouldnt and most places I know wouldnt, then you dont need to offer them.

Dont confuse a business meeting in your home with "hosting". It is still your workplace.

My boss ordered everyone bacon and sausage buns this morning, probably cost him less than 30 quid and made him extremely popular 🤣🤣🤣

Ah don't overthink it. Some bought pre made mixed sandwiches (if halved cut into quarters!), a bowl of crisps, and tea and some biscuit bars or something like that.

I doubt you are a meanie, just knackered, but NOT providing anything will give you a bit of a black mark, and it's for YOUR clients. An army can't march on an empty stomach.

Get the vittles in as my Dad used to say, although I think the posh spelling is victuals actually ahem!

I would get some ready made sandwiches and wraps from m&s, crisps and biscuits.

Do you know their dietary requirements and allergies?

There's always someone who's a gluten free vegan, someone who is aghast at fruit, someone who will keel over if there's a sausage in their presence.

Has the OP got time for all that?

Greggs

People like that (and there are two in my immediate family) cannot expect everything to be catered at short notice just to suit them. If our two thought they'd need a feed they'd have something with them just in case!

Deliveroo / UberEATS would deliver sandwiches, crisps and cakes tomorrow lunchtime. No stress!

But yeah I can’t concentrate beyond midday usually as I get up so early - I’d be lost if I had to wait until 1:30 and then get my own lunch!

I would provide a mid morning break, coffee and pastries but not lunch. My lunchtime is 2 till 2.30 and I have to walk the dog.

Soup? Jesus, no! Might as well give them a huge unpeeled orange for pudding.

Do they usually provide lunch for you if you're at their location. If you met in a neutral location, would you usually stump up for lunch for them? If no to these, then no need to provide lunch just because the location is your office. Suggest you either go somewhere local together or if nowhere suitable, suggest everyone can order their own food in. Or bring their own. Provide water, amd possibly tea/coffee at a stretch.

Less than 10 mins morning prep, 5 minutes toaster?

I would. My husband regularly has meetings like that. He nips to M&S and buys ham, salami, cold meats, coleslaw, cheese and baguettes. Zero prep needed. Once when he’d broken his leg, he did warn people that he couldn’t provide lunch but people were flagging after a few hours so one colleague nipped out and bought a selection of Tesco meal deals. Is that an option?

I would need lunch by then!! So for that reason alone I would be getting food in.

Depends how many people.
If it’s only 2 I just offer to make a sandwich with stuff I’ve got in the fridge.
Any more than that and I’d buy in a sandwich platter.
Ive been to lunchtime meetings in very posh offices in Mayfair where no food was offered other than biscuits so I wouldn’t sweat it too much.
i also had another client who regularly held lunchtime meetings and we brought our own food in.

You should offer lunch but don’t make it. Can you order in sandwiches?
otherwise from the shop just buy some sandwiches, bags of crisps, chocolate bars, biscuits etc. Maybe also get in some cans of pop/bottles of water etc so you only need to bother with making tea or coffee

That is way OTT for a business meeting.
unless your business is catering.

I would personally offer drinks (hot and water) and fruit on arrival

Then Supermarket Sandwiches and a multi pack of crisps / multi pack of chocolate at about 12/ 12.30 with bottles of water

Dont offer soup - Thats just weird

It's only 1 person.
I'm happy to go with shop bought sandwiches, crisps and cake.
I know i could make sandwiches but I really just want to focus on the job in hand and not be buttering bread while making polite conversation.

It's not too far to nip after the nursery drop off.

I just needed to get my head into gear with a plan, which you've all helped with, thank you!

If you have the time and inclination what about a cheese and meat board with fruits and pickles. 3 cheeses, a pack of mixed salami, prosciutto etc. maybe some pate or smoked fish, olives, hummus, tomato/ grapes/figs. Fruit cheese, a nice chutney. Posh crackers and a baguette.

I’d go get 3 or 4 meal deals - egg, tuna, ham, and a vegan one. 4 identical packs of crisps, 4 cans of nice drinks - San Pelligrino or something. Buy a pack of muffins and a few apples and satsumas for the morning. As an aside, I used to work for a group of execs who would judge the quality of a meeting by the quality of the food. If you want to make these people feel a bit special get the good stuff.

I’d do tea / coffee and biscuits at 10.30am. Then at midday I’d serve sandwiches / crisps / grapes. In one job I had I often whizzed to Sainsbury’s last minute because someone had a meeting over lunch. They do platters of sandwiches but failing that I’d buy their Taste the difference sandwiches and wraps (one per person) cut in to triangles, plonk on a nice plate, big bag of Kettle crisps, some grapes, some nice bottles of still and sparkling mineral water.

Then maybe some cake and coffee.

To those horrified at soup, i wasnt planning on offering soup, i was responding to pp who suggested it.
I agree it feels odd (although I can't quite put my finger on why!)
Anyway, the soup was for my tea and i'll be saving it for lunches later in the week you'll be glad to hear

I’m also thinking sandwiches, make sure you get some vegetarian options, I wouldn’t worry about gluten free with the sandwiches but maybe cover the possibility with some frittata or something.

howabout a cheese board/ crackers / grapes ?