Office workers embrace healthier lunches and communal dining finds Food Trends Report

Office food delivery specialist Just Eat for Business has unveiled its 2024 half year food trends report, which shows a significant rise in desk orders to a continued trend towards healthier lunchtime food options.

The report finds that office workers are increasingly opting for the convenience of using tech-driven solutions to order lunch to their offices. Orders on Just Eat for Business’ platform have seen a substantial rise of 25 per cent compared to the first half of the year in 2023, highlighting the growing trend of in-office food deliveries for lunchtime dining.

Vegan and vegetarian orders have soared, rising by 15 per cent over the last year. This shift reflects a broader trend towards more sustainable eating habits among office workers.

Another trend highlighting the surge towards healthier food options can be observed, with restaurant partners such as Salad Kitchen receiving a 44 per cent growth in orders on Just Eat for Business’ platform between January – July 2023 compared to the same period in 2024.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays have emerged as the most popular days for office food deliveries, accounting for 72 per cent of total orders. This rise in orders reflects a stronger midweek office attendance for UK employees and the popularity of hybrid workers using food to fuel them while they’re in the office.

Buffets and platters are more popular than ever, as the shift to hybrid working means office workers value communal dining on the days they do venture into the office. Both offerings have increased by 21 per cent since the same period last year, indicating the importance of communal meals in fostering social interaction and team collaboration in the workplace.

Office workers have continued to embrace a diverse range of cuisines in the first half of the year, highlighting the desire for variety and different tastes of today’s workforce. The top 5 cuisines include:

• American 37 per cent
• Italian 21 per cent
• Mediterranean 15 per cent
• Japanese 14 per cent
• Thai 13 per cent

Matt Ephgrave, Managing Director at Just Eat for Business: “Our latest trends data clearly shows the vital role that food continues to play in the workplace, not just for sustenance but as a means to improve employee wellbeing and social dynamics. It’s exciting to see the growing trend towards typically healthier options, and workers’ desire to enjoy a diverse range of cuisines at the office, thanks to office food delivery platforms like ours. We look forward to continuing to support the evolving needs of office workers across the UK.”