Step 1: Decide How Hands-On You Want To Be

Start by deciding how much of the process you want to manage yourself.

• DIY (Do-It-Yourself): If you have time and are comfortable coordinating logistics, ordering from a local restaurant and setting everything up yourself can be a fun challenge. You'll be responsible for pickup, setup, cleanup, and everything in between.

• Full-Service: If your day is already packed—or you just want to enjoy the meal too—partner with a service like Spork Bytes. We handle logistics, restaurant coordination, dietary accommodations, delivery, and setup so you don’t have to lift a finger.

Step 2: Decide What Kind of Food Fits Your Event

Before you choose how it’s served, figure out what kind of food makes the most sense.

• What’s the occasion?
  A weekly lunch-and-learn, a board meeting, and a fundraiser all call for very different food vibes. Matching the cuisine and style to the tone of the event makes everything feel more thoughtful.
• What does your team usually enjoy?
  Are they a burrito-and-bowls crowd? Or would they get excited about sushi, Korean BBQ, or upscale grain bowls? It’s okay to keep things casual—or to switch it up and surprise them.

Want to support local restaurants?
Meals are a powerful (and easy) way to do just that. Spork Bytes works with over 70 Portland-area restaurants and often combines multiple menus into a single meal, helping you support more than one local business at a time.

Step 3: Choose Your Food Service Style

Now that you’ve chosen the type of food, think about how you want it served.

• Self-Serve Buffet: Most common, easy to manage, and generally budget-friendly. Works well for casual lunches or recurring meals.

• Served Buffet: Adds a touch of polish. Staff dish out portions, which can help with pacing and presentation.

• Plated Meal: Great for formal events. Meals are pre-portioned and served to guests seated at tables.

• Family-Style: Shared platters are placed at each table. It’s intimate and communal but best for smaller groups or seated events.

Choosing the right format helps set expectations and ensures guests feel comfortable and cared for.

Step 4: Choose the Right Time

The success of your meal isn’t just about what’s served—it’s when it’s served.

• Consider meal type: Breakfasts are great for morning kickoffs, lunches are easy crowd-pleasers, and happy hour meals pair well with casual networking or celebration events.

• Think about alcohol: If you're serving drinks, plan the food for after people have had time to mingle.

Be specific with your caterer: Don’t just say “arrive by noon”—say “food should be ready to eat at 12:15.” That helps ensure perfect timing.

Step 5: Pick the Right Setup Location

Where you place the food is just as important as what you serve.

• Room to move: Make sure there’s space for people to line up and circulate around the buffet.

• Group size matters: For 50+ people, a double-sided buffet is ideal. For 100+, consider two separate stations.

Avoid traffic jams: Don’t place the buffet too close to doorways or office desks.

Step 6: Know Your Crowd

The best meals are inclusive and responsive to your team’s needs.

• Dietary restrictions: Always plan for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and allergy-safe options. It shows respect and care for your team.

• Eating habits: Light lunchers? Bottomless appetites? A mix of both? Choose a menu that balances variety with practicality.

• Track preferences: You can build a recurring program that learns what your team loves and rotates new options to keep things exciting.

Spork Bytes helps you manage this with feedback tools and custom meal planning.

Step 7: Explore Catering Options

With your details locked in, it’s time to decide who’s going to bring it all together.

• Spork Bytes: We manage every detail—sourcing from local restaurants, customizing menus, and setting up on-site. You just show up and enjoy.

• Direct from Restaurants: Good for smaller teams or one-off meals, though often more DIY.

• Full-Service Catering Companies: Great for formal events but typically require more lead time and budget.

• Potlucks: Fun for very small groups, but unpredictable and often more work than they seem.

Compare providers based on service quality, communication, and how well they understand your needs—not just the price per person.

Step 8: Prepare The Space

A little planning ahead of time will ensure the meal runs smoothly once the food arrives.

Surfaces

• Choose a sturdy, level table that’s wide enough to hold full-sized trays and has enough length for guests to serve themselves without feeling crowded.
• Avoid lightweight or unstable folding tables unless you’re absolutely sure the legs are locked and secure.

Covers & Presentation

• For formal events, consider renting linens through a local vendor like Arden Event Collective.
• For everyday office meals, Spork Bytes provides recyclable butcher paper that keeps things clean and polished with minimal waste.

Buffet Flow

• Think through the entry and exit points. Will lines form in a natural, non-blocking way?
• For larger teams, setting the buffet up so it’s accessible from both sides can cut wait time in half.

Signage

• Consider posting clear labels for dishes, especially those that are vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free.
• You can also use signs like “Vegans first, please” or “Allergy-safe section” to guide guests respectfully.

Supplies

• Take inventory of what you already have: reusable plates, napkins, utensils, serving tools.
• Spork Bytes provides all the essentials by default—disposable and compostable when possible.
• If you’d prefer reusable serviceware or rentals, we can work with you to coordinate.

Step 9: Spread The Word

The food’s ordered. The space is set. Now it’s time to make sure people show up excited—and hungry.

• Announce the meal with intention. Use Slack, email, text, or a calendar invite. The more visibility, the better the turnout.

• Include the menu if possible. A quick glance at what’s coming can spark anticipation (and fewer people asking, “What is this?” at the buffet).

• Use a menu link. Spork Bytes gives you a simple, shareable menu URL you can post in internal channels or include in invites.

This step sets the tone and gives your team something to look forward to—even on a Monday.

Step 10: Enjoy The Day

The big moment is here—make sure you’re part of it.

• Don’t micromanage. If you’ve prepped well, everything should unfold smoothly. If you’ve partnered with Spork Bytes, our team handles setup and service while you eat with your team.

• Make time to eat. You’d be surprised how many organizers forget to grab a plate for themselves. Don’t be one of them.

• Take a moment to connect. Mealtime is a built-in opportunity to casually catch up, celebrate, or just decompress as a team.

Whether the event is casual or formal, your presence helps reinforce that this meal is about more than just food.

Step 11: Gather Feedback

One of the easiest ways to improve your next meal is to ask about this one.

• What did people think? Was there enough food? Was it fresh and on time?

• What could be better next time? More variety? Less spice? Lighter dessert?

• Any requests for future meals? New cuisines, specific restaurants, dietary considerations?

Spork Bytes collects real-time feedback using a QR code at the buffet line—tied to that specific meal. This makes it easy to track trends and spot areas for improvement, all without bugging your team after the fact.

Step 12: Do It Again!

You did it. Now let’s do it even better next time.

• Try something new. Switch cuisines, test a new setup style, or rotate in different restaurants. We’ll help you keep things fresh.

• Make it a tradition. Recurring meals—whether weekly, monthly, or quarterly—build trust, boost morale, and create a dependable rhythm your team can count on.

• Let us keep track. Spork Bytes logs every meal you’ve ordered, along with feedback and dietary notes, so we can continually optimize your experience.

Let Spork Bytes Take It From Here

Coordinating a great office meal doesn’t have to be your full-time job. Whether it’s once a year or once a week, we help you serve delicious food, support local restaurants, and make every step of the process easy and enjoyable.

All you have to do is show up hungry.

• Phone - (503) 821-7709
• Email - hellopdx@sporkbytes.com
• Office - 777 NE 7th Ave, Portland, OR 97232
• Google My Business - https://maps.app.goo.gl/JEZJbAY4dLBoXFwk8