Hybrid work has changed how offices function. Gone are the days when workplaces were just about desks, meeting rooms and utilitarian canteens. Today's offices need to work harder for their inhabitants – they need to give teams compelling reasons to come in and spaces that help them make the most of being together.
As they say, “the kitchen is the heart of the home”, so too is the communal dining area in your office. What was once considered a functional and basic area to eat has quickly become something far more valuable – a space where teams connect, recharge and find a sense of belonging.
For hybrid workplaces especially, a well-designed dining area can make the difference between an office that brings people together and one that leaves them wondering why they bothered coming in.
Let's explore what makes a brilliant dining space and how you can create one that your team will genuinely value and enjoy.
Why Are Communal Dining Areas So Important for Hybrid Companies?
After years of feeding some of the UK’s most innovative teams, we've seen firsthand how shared dining spaces shape workplace culture. When teams only come together a few days a week, these areas become essential anchors for connection and collaboration.
Here's why they matter now more than ever:
They Drive Social Connection
Let's be honest – those casual chats over coffee or lunch are often where the best ideas emerge and real team bonds form. In hybrid workplaces, where face-to-face time is limited, dining areas can create natural opportunities for these interactions.
We've seen how a well-designed dining space can turn quick coffee runs into impromptu brainstorms and lunch breaks into team bonding moments. It's about creating an environment where conversation flows naturally and colleagues can connect without it feeling forced.
They Make the Office Worth the Commute
Your team can eat at home – they need better reasons to come to the office. A vibrant dining area with great food and comfortable spaces for socialising gives people something they can't get from their kitchen table.
Think comfortable seating areas, great food, and an atmosphere that encourages people to sit (and get away from their desk for a break) and chat. When the dining area becomes a place people genuinely enjoy spending time, it adds real value to those long days spent in the office.
They Support Employee Wellbeing
We all know that working through lunch at your desk isn't healthy (or productive), but many office layouts actually encourage this behaviour, even if it isn’t intentional. A well-designed dining area sends a clear message – taking a break matters.
Natural light, social set-ups, and spaces where people can truly switch off for a while are essential for maintaining energy and focus throughout the day.
They Create Cultural Touch points
When everyone's working different patterns, maintaining a strong company culture becomes trickier. Dining areas can help bridge this gap, creating shared experiences that bring people together naturally.
Whether it's celebrating team wins over lunch, enjoying themed menus that mark special occasions, or simply sharing coffee and conversation, these moments help maintain your culture even when teams aren't in the office every day.
Designing Flexible Office Dining Areas
The days of massive onsite kitchens and rigid canteen setups are behind us. Companies now need dining spaces that can adapt as quickly as their teams do. Here's how to create dining areas that actually work for hybrid teams:
Ditch the Office Kitchen First
Having an on-site kitchen might seem essential, but it often creates more problems than it solves. Fixed equipment, maintenance costs, and inflexible (yet valuable) office space can hold you back from creating the dining area your team actually needs.
Delivered-in office catering for example, can provide all the quality and variety your team wants while freeing up valuable space for what matters most – areas where people can eat, meet and connect.
Design a Space Unique to Your Culture
Your dining area should reflect who you are as a company. If collaboration is a key cornerstone of your culture for example, create a dining space that makes group meals easy.
Perhaps you want to give your team options – a space to socialise as well as an opportunity to break away from the day-to-day stresses of work life with peaceful corners where people can recharge properly.
The key is understanding how your team actually works and socialises. There's no one-size-fits-all solution – the best dining spaces are those that truly match their company's culture.
Build for Flexibility
With office attendance changing day by day, your dining space needs to adapt easily. Think beyond fixed furniture and single-use spaces. The right setup should allow you to host team lunches one day and a hackathon the next.
Create Inclusive Dining Experiences
Today's workforce is wonderfully diverse, and your dining space should reflect this. Interactive menu systems and clear allergen information aren't just nice-to-have features – they're essential for making everyone feel welcome and catered for.
Digital solutions like QR codes and menu filters help employees easily find options that match their dietary requirements, whether they're vegetarian, gluten-free, or have specific allergies. This thoughtful approach to inclusivity shows your team that their individual needs are seen and accommodated.
Future-Proof Your Space
When planning your dining space, think about how your workplace needs might evolve. Your space should be able to:
- Scale up or down based on daily office attendance
- Adapt to changing food preferences and requirements
- Support your team's wellbeing
- Make smart use of helpful technology
- Keep quality consistent as your workplace grows
Practical Tips for Designing Your Ideal Communal Space
We've helped many London companies create dining spaces that their teams love. The secret? Starting with how people actually use the space, not just how it looks. Here's what we've learned works best:
Know Your Team
Before you start moving furniture around or planning layouts, talk to your people. What would make them more likely to use the dining area? What puts them off the space now? Understanding these basics helps you avoid costly mistakes.
Run informal chats, send out quick surveys, or simply observe how people use your current space. The insights you'll gain will be extremely beneficial as you design a new, fun and engaging environment to eat.
Create Smart but Functional Layouts
Nothing kills a dining area's vibe quite like awkward queues or tables that feel too exposed. We've found that successful dining spaces often include:
- Clear paths to food service areas
- A mix of seating options for different group sizes
- Quieter corners for those who need them
- Easy access to water, coffee, snacks and clearing stations
Think About Your Employees’ Wellbeing
Your dining area can actively support employee wellbeing without turning it into a spa. Simple touches make a big difference:
- Good natural light where possible
- Plants and greenery
- Comfortable seating that encourages people to relax
- Good ventilation and acoustic management
- Using space to reflect your company culture
Use Your Technology Wisely
Tech should make the dining experience better, not more complicated. For example, digital menus and ordering systems can be a wonderful addition to your dining area – when they work seamlessly. Focus on solutions that make life easier:
- Clear and accessible digital displays of daily options
- Simple ways to check allergens and nutritional information
- Easy feedback systems that help your teams feel like they are part of the process
- A functional ordering system with your caterer that actually saves time and helps you monitor fluctuating attendance
Be Thoughtful About Sustainability
There is more to running a sustainability conscious dining space and food programme than good intentions alone – you need the right systems and practical solutions in place:
- Data-driven ordering systems that help accurately predict daily needs
- Detailed food waste tracking that shows exactly where adjustments are needed
- Menus developed with processes and procedures in place to balance variety and efficiency
- Clear labelling systems and signage that help teams make informed choices
- Partnerships with food redistribution programmes for managing any surplus food
When sustainability is built into your hybrid office catering and canteen set-up from the start, it benefits both the environment and your bottom line.
Get Your Caterer Involved from the Start
Bringing your caterer into workspace planning early can make a real difference to how your dining space functions. Our experience shows that early collaboration leads to better results. Here's why:
Your Caterer Can Add Value Beyond Food
Professional caterers bring valuable insights from working across different workplace environments. We understand:
- How to create efficient traffic flows that prevent queuing bottlenecks
- Where to position service points for smooth operations
- What seating arrangements work best for different types of interaction
- How to make the most of available space
- Which layouts encourage natural socialisation
These practical insights can make the difference between a dining space that works and one that doesn't.
Catering That Supports Your Culture
Every workplace has its own beat and way of doing things. Great catering partners understand this and can help you design dining spaces that match your company's style. For instance:
- If your teams prefer casual catch-ups, we might suggest more informal seating clusters
- For offices that host regular team lunches, we can recommend flexible layouts that accommodate varying group sizes
- When quick service is essential, we know how to arrange service points to keep things moving
We've seen what works (and what doesn't) across numerous London offices, and we can help you avoid common pitfalls.
Maximising Value Within Your Budget
Working with your caterer early on helps make the most of your investment in a food programme for your employees. We can:
- Suggest cost-effective ways to repurpose existing spaces
- Help plan efficient storage and service areas
- Recommend flexible solutions that grow with your needs
- Identify where to prioritise spending for maximum impact
- Create practical solutions that don't compromise on quality or experience
It’s good to remember that great design doesn't always mean huge costs – sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective.
How Tech Companies Get it Right
Some of London's biggest tech companies have already set the benchmark for creating dining spaces that authentically enhance workplace culture. Take Netflix and The Trade Desk for example – both have created spaces that encourage collaboration and strengthen team connections.
Netflix's UK office showcases how a dining space can become the heart of workplace culture, with varied seating zones and a welcoming atmosphere that makes every meal an opportunity to connect. One Workplace Manager notes, these spaces help create the "family-style" atmosphere that brings teams together.
The Trade Desk shows how clever design supports hybrid working patterns, with flexible spaces that adapt to changing daily needs while maintaining a strong sense of community. They've created an environment that gives their team more reasons to come to the office.
Want to see these spaces in action? Check out Netflix's UK Offices and The Trade Desk's office setup for inspiration.
Realise Your Vision for a Hybrid-Optimised Office Dining Space
Creating a fun, inviting and engaging dining space goes beyond the right furniture or choosing nice lighting. It's about understanding how to bring people together over great food in a way that works for you, your employees and your office environment.
At Fooditude, we love helping companies create dining spaces that their teams genuinely enjoy. We also know that every workplace is different, and we pride ourselves on finding solutions that match each client's unique needs.
Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to improve your current dining setup, we can help you create a space and food programme that:
- Adapts easily to changing attendance patterns
- Brings your teams together naturally
- Makes office days more enjoyable
- Supports your company culture
Ready to make your office dining area work harder and better for your team? Get in touch.
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