Catering to Change: Recipes for Business Dining Success in a Hybrid Work World

The ‘new normal’ presents both challenges and opportunities for restaurants

After surveying more than 200,000 U.S. employees since the start of the pandemic, Gallup recently declared, “The Future of the Office Has Arrived: It’s Hybrid.” The data shows that workers are settling into this new normal, with 8 in 10 “remote capable” employees now expecting to work hybrid or fully remote.

Since 2020, Dinova has analyzed how the shifting business landscape has impacted business dining spend (measured by the BDIndex) in the State of Business Dining Report. The BDIndex has hovered between 85% and 92% of pre-pandemic levels for the past 12 months, likely reflecting a permanent shift to hybrid work. 

Business dining remains an essential tool for companies seeking to encourage face-to-face engagement. Restaurants have an opportunity to tailor their strategies and operations around new trends shaping the work week — for example, more midweek business diners as opposed to Friday (the most popular work-from-home day). 

What other developments should be on restaurants’ radars as they seek to bring business diners to the table? Three words: conferences and events. Now the top driver of corporate travel, meeting volume has risen steadily as COVID fears have waned. Companies view these events as an investment in networking and business relationships and are pulling out all the stops to make these events successful.

Understanding the trends shaping the meeting and event landscape can help restaurants appeal to corporate event planners making catering and dining decisions. Here’s a quick look at those trends and how restaurants can adapt.

As inflation persists, event planners seek added value.

One way restaurants can provide added value (without slashing prices) is to be flexible. Offer custom corporate catering and private dining packages to meet event planners’ budgets and requirements. Be sure to advertise this on your website.

Businesses need to make every meeting count.

Companies view in-person conferences as a precious opportunity to bring decentralized workforces together. If your restaurant offers networking-focused packages that encourage business diners to linger, like cocktail receptions or passed hors d’oeuvres, be sure to promote this.

There’s a heightened focus on attendee wellbeing.

Event planners will want to provide healthy, balanced meal options to power attendees through their day. Consider offering healthy items on your catering menu and even highlighting these items to make planners’ jobs easy.

Event planners cater to dietary preferences.

As planners seek to ensure conferences and events are inclusive and accessible, they’re looking for restaurants that can accommodate food restrictions and special diets. Be sure to call out these items explicitly on your menu.

Companies are looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

The appetite for sustainable business travel and dining is growing along with the number of companies pledging to take steps to reduce their carbon footprints. Make it easy for event planners to learn about your restaurant’s sustainability initiatives, like eco-friendly packaging, waste reduction programs, and local sourcing.

Businesses want more visibility into event spend.

Because Dinova’s program gives companies complete visibility into their food and beverage spend, corporate partners look for restaurants and caterers in the network. Tools like Dine Assist connect planners to the ideal restaurant for their event.
For a detailed look at the state of remote and hybrid work, in-person meetings and events, and how restaurants are adapting their strategies, download our latest State of Business Dining Report.