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?

I bloody love soup and would be delighted if you offered me some with crusty bread.

Aah OP, bet you wished you'd never asked now 😅 and I seem to have committed a major faux Pas as I've served soup at a meeting for 10 people 😳If you have time to get sandwiches, get them. Otherwise offer hot drinks, fruit, biscuits, whatever you can muster from your cupboards. It will be fine

No, 1.30 is not a perfect time for lunch. I would be beyond hungry, and like @mynameiscalypso I would be clock watching in the hope of getting some food and not able to concentrate.

Thing is, most people (adults) eat lunch about 1/1.30

No, they don't. Most adults I know tend to eat lunch at 12 - 12.30.

Meetings that start at 10.30 and finish at 1.30 aren't lunchtime.

It seems that a lot of mumsnetters eat a very late lunch.

I wouldn't offer lunch at that time personally. I would want to get the meeting/work done and get my own lunch afterwards. Most adults can manage with eating lunch at 1.30.

Tea/coffee and a plate with some cereal bars & biscuits, croissants and grapes if I was feeling fancy!

I work in education though and suggestions of soup, salads, meat selections with crusty bread and falafel etc. are blowing my mind 😆

@amidsummernightsdream could you start and finish the meeting earlier?

Classic Mumsnet.

If self-emp, you could put the receipt in to claim it as an expense?
is money or time the issue here?

Would make the op look like a total cheap skate in front of her client

I love the assumption that the OP lives somewhere where there are loads of food delivery options or plentiful sandwich shops.

As suggested, sandwiches and crisps/biscuits with tea/coffee

Just message in the morning saying 'grabbing sandwiches for later, any preference'. I can't eat normal bread and I would feel super awkward if you'd bought sandwiches specially for me and I couldn't eat them. Alternatively just a bowl of fruit and some biscuits is fine (if someone can't eat the biscuits they can hopefully eat the fruit).

If you do go for a selection of things as suggested by some people, don't put them all on one plate or else if anyone has an allergy to one thing you risk them no longer being able to eat any of it.

So just for two of you

Don't need a platter of 20 sandwiches

3 meal deals of different sarnies and cut all into 4 from each pack

Maybe cheese , ham and a chicken /tuna

Ha. I see what you mean. I was thinking clients and just being able to go into a shop, buy it, put it on a plate and be done. It really depends on how important the clients are I suppose.

Go on the app and order a selection of Greggs sandwiches …not stylish but easy to do.

Went to London for a project, and one of the Directors, went out at lunch time and bought us all M&S sandwiches and crisps.

Sadly it all weighed a lot, ( he had a bit of a walk to get it ) so he didn’t buy us drinks too, so we made do with the tea and coffee machine all day.

Not the delicious lunch we’d hoped for, but much appreciated by all.

I would actually do like a coffee/tea break 1 hour in with some scones and tray bakes from M&S.

Not everyone can easily pop out in the evening- shops may be closed/ children asleep in bed etc

Yup....

Missing the point... But it is only ONE person!

Also Im a fan of caitlyn Moran school of thought...

'would this be a problem for a man'? (of not it's pure sexism...

Men would either chuck money at it (M&S platter /pub... Or get someone else to do it...

Like hell would they be advised to whip up salads!! 😁

And make assumptions about what is available - great if you’re a big city like London or Birmingham; not so much if you’re in a provincial town with limited resources available!!

We are in a town of around 6,000 people but not got a Subway, Costco, Deliveroo, supermarket selling sandwich platters or the like (don’t they usually need 72+ hours advance ordering for them to prepare?) Anyway, round here it would be petrol station or the only supermarket individual sandwich meal deals and hope that people weren’t picky eaters!! I’d happily have the soup - so long as it was boring veggie without celery or highly spiced - but would turn down sandwiches as I avoid bread/wraps.

All these grown adults ( without health conditions) that can’t stretch until 1.30 for lunch!! Wth? Like grumpy toddlers.

Yep. When I am very hungry I stop concentrating and would want to rush the meeting to the end so I could get some food. I am the same if I am very cold.

If I didn't want to provide lunch I would start and finish the meeting earlier.

Most people eat before or around then and it would be seen as lazy and tight not to provide for a paying client/guest.

Sure they are worth £2.99 - £3.99 for a meal deal

Hopefully a good client who will earn you lots

What did you decide to do op?

These are important clients of the OP who she relies on to make a living. Offering a bit of hospitality is simply good business sense.