Lunch catering is one of the most popular services for events, parties, and family gatherings. With lunch catering, you will be able to host your guests with a variety of food options that are delicious.
With a proper lunch catering service hired you get to be worry-free about the preparation of the meals for large groups. Whether it is sandwiches, hot entrees, or salads, there are many top restaurants that will offer an extensive lunch catering menu to fulfill the dietary requirements of your guests.
What Is Lunch Catering?
Lunch catering is about the chain restaurants or special catering companies that prepare the meals at their location. They then deliver it to your place of event, party, or office. In our opinion, the biggest benefit of lunch catering is that you are free from the hassle of meal preparation.
With a lunch caterer handling your meals, you can host a large group of people. Catered lunches are best for large groups because these services are focused on serving fresh and delicious meals. You only have to pay an agreed-upon price for the catering and the rest is done by them.
Choosing your Best Lunch Catering Restaurant
When you are out in the market to search for a lunch catering service by going on Google like ‘’top restaurants for lunch catering near me’’ you have to consider some factors. These factors include:
- Variety For Menu: Look for a restaurant that offers a wide range of food items to satisfy your guests’ dietary restrictions and tastes.
- Portion Sizes: Take a look at the portion sizes they are offering for each individual guest.
- Cost: Any lunch catering should offer a cost-effective price. You need to compare different restaurants and their catering packages.
- Service Options: Many of the top restaurants for launch catering in NYC offer comprehensive packages. This includes the delivery, setup, and even the staff to serve at the event.
For your ease, we have already made a list of the 10 Best restaurants for lunch catering below.
Panera Bread
This restaurant is well-known for its various catering services including lunch catering. Their lunch catering menu includes salad bowls, sandwich trays, soups, and boxed lunches.
They also have breakfast items for their lunch catering as well. We have been to some events where they did lunch catering. We found their catering to have fresh ingredients and options. That was an event for the vegan and they served an all-vegan menu with a variety of gluten-free options as well.
Jason’s Deli
Jason’s Deli is also a well-known restaurant and they are known for high-quality ingredients that are fresh. The best thing we like about their menu is that it is an expansive one.
There are items like salad bars, boxed lunches, pasta dishes, and sandwich trays. Their menu has a wide collection of organic and gluten-free options; making them ideal for your events where guests are health-conscious.
Corner Bakery Café
If you are into serving gourmet sandwiches, pasta dishes, and salads for your lunchtime events, Corner Bakery Cafe is the most sophisticated choice. Their catering packages are extensive including combo platters and boxed lunches including side dishes like cookies and chips.
We have viewed their restaurant and the things we find the most interesting are their classic recipes and artisan ingredients.
Potbelly sandwich shop
For hearty toasted sandwiches at your lunch events, there is no better lunch catering restaurant than the Potbelly Sandwich Shop. In their catering, they have items like boxed lunches, soup options, and sandwich trays. This makes it easy to cater lunch at your parties to fulfill the wide range of tastes.
We advised a friend personally for this restaurant to hire them for his casual events and it was a hit. Each and every guest at the event praised the food.
Firehouse Subs
Firehouse Subs is also known for its delicious fulfilling sandwiches to satiate a hungry crowd of guests. Their catering menu introduces a variety of options like salad options, boxed lunches, and sub platters.
The thing that their customers love most is their generous meal potions that make them ideal for large gatherings.
Jersey Mike’s subs
Jersey Mike is among one of the best lunch catering menus with their freshly sliced deli meats and cheese. Their catering menu’s specialty is Subs By The Box which includes 2 or 4-foot lengths; making it an ideal sharing meal. They also have boxed lunches as well as sub trays which serve up to 12 people; something for everyone to eat.
Jimmy John’s
Jimmy John’s is among the lunch catering restaurant that delivers food freakishly fast. Their best food includes their fresh sandwiches. Within their catering menu, they offer boxed lunches, sandwich trays, and a special Party Box.
This catering menu is great for hosting office lunches and casual gatherings. Other than these items, there are also side options like cookies, beverages, and chips.
Subway
Subway is a world-famous chain of restaurants known for their customizable subs. One thing that most of us didn’t know about them is that they offered lunch catering as well.
For their service of catering, they offer sandwich platters, boxed lunches, and 3-foot subs. They also serve many healthier food options like low-calorie subs and salads which makes them a great choice for healthy food events.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-Fil-A is among the best restaurants for food catering in NYC; serving their signature dishes like nuggets, wraps, and sandwiches. The catering menu At Chick-Fil-A has a large tray of chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and side options such as fruit bowls, salad bars, and Mac & Cheese.
We recommend this restaurant because of its commitment to food quality and its efficient customer service.
Boston Market
You can also get the best home-style lunch catering for your event needs with Boston Market. They have roasted chicken, meatloaf, and turkey. We, ourselves, like their other dishes such as cornbread and mashed potatoes.
In their catering menu, you will get options like large trays for family meals and boxed meals; making it easy to serve delicious and warm food to guests.
How Much Does It Cost To Throw A Lunch Catering Party?
The overall cost of hiring a lunch catering restaurant in NYC depends on factors like these:
- Your total number of guests
- The type of food items you select
- The reputation of the restaurant itself.
The average cost for lunch catering ranges from $ 10 to $20 for 1 person meal with a simple sandwich platter, boxed lunches, and pasta dishes.
For more detailed meals, you can also add combo packages and hot entrées with side dishes and desserts. With additional items, the prices can vary from $ 10 to $30 per person.
You can plan a party of 50 guests with an average budget of $500 to $1000 – still depending on the portion sizes and the food menu.
Most of the lunch catering restaurants in NYC do offer additional stuff like plates, utensils, and delivery. This will charge you a bit more in fees.
What Are The Menu Options Typically Offered For Lunch Catering?
The menu often includes typical items that all the best lunch catering restaurants offer. These are;
- Sandwiches: platter of hot and cold sandwiches
- Salads: garden salad, Caesar salad, or a custom salad bowl with various toppings.
- Boxed Lunches: Contains an individual portion of wrap, chips, coolies, and a drink.
- Hot Entrees: Includes pasta, casseroles, and roasted chicken.
- Side Dishes: You can get coleslaw, fruit bowls, potato salad, and chips.
- Desserts: They include a dessert bar, cookies, and brownies.
Restaurants That Serves Lunch Catering
| Panera Bread: | www.panerabread.com/catering |
| Jason’s Deli: | www.jasonsdeli.com/catering |
| Corner Bakery Café: | www.cornerbakerycafe.com/catering |
| Potbelly Sandwich Shop: | www.potbelly.com/catering |
| Firehouse Subs: | www.firehousesubs.com/catering |
| Jersey Mike’s Subs: | www.jerseymikes.com/catering |
| Jimmy John’s: | www.jimmyjohns.com/catering |
| Subway: | www.subway.com/catering |
| Chick-fil-A: | www.chick-fil-a.com/catering |
| Boston Market: | www.bostonmarket.com/catering |
Conclusion
If you choose the right lunch catering restaurant, your party or event will be a hit because people love food more than the ambiance. With the list of top 10 restaurants we have discussed above, you will be able to find the one that offers the right budget and caters to your dietary preferences.
You can also find Top 10 Chain Restaurants that Offer Catering.
