A meal allowance for employees is a set amount you fund for meals. What companies budget per person, how it differs from per diem, and how to set one up.

Woman in office space with salad and water ordered from DoorDash

DDfB - Blog - Meal Allowance for Employees

Global

Meal Allowance for Employees: How Much Companies Budget

Meal Allowance for Employees: A Practical Guide

Work Culture

Employee Benefits

Subscribe for insights to help you run a great business, delivered weekly to your inbox.

This site uses our own and third party cookies and similar technologies to ensure our site and services function, personalize user experiences, analyze and improve website performance and content, and for advertising purposes. For more information please review our <a href="{{privacyLink}}" target="_blank">Cookie Policy</a>. Click “Essential only” to reject non-essential cookies, or “Close” to continue without changing your preferences.

 for Meal Manager and other meal solutions.

Running recurring meal programs instead?

Place one order for your next company event, with everything delivered together.

We partner with top local favorites and trusted national brands.

Top local restaurants

Skip the phone calls and get personalized recommendations from our catering assistant.

Effortless ordering

Choose your delivery window. Your order arrives on time, or your money back.*

On-time, guaranteed

Every catering order comes with $0 delivery fees, so you stretch your budget further.*

$0 delivery fees, every order

Feed your event,

guaranteed on time*

Meal allowances

Meal Budgets

For in-office meals

Meal Manager

For one-off meals

Meal Vouchers

Currently available

in select cities

team lunch, client meeting, or company celebration.

Your next event,

handled

Corporate Catering

One account, every meal program your team needs 

Gift Cards

Group orders

business

solutions from DoorDash

Discover more 

Explore our enterprise plan, which includes a specialized invoicing, volume based rebates and a dedicated concierge help, 

a real person as your point of contact, from planning through delivery.

Need extra support

for a bigger event?

For recurring orders or meals across your team, 

makes it easier to keep everything organized.

Your questions,

answered

Feed any size group

 recommend personalized bundles for your event.

Personalized suggestions

 from kitchen prep to drop-off, so you're never left wondering.

Track your order live

Less time planning,

more time enjoying

Order trays or individually boxed meals for your next team lunch, client meeting, all-hands, or corporate gathering. 

Grow your catering business with DoorDash

Are you a restaurant that caters?

Catering you can count on,

every time

Corporate Catering demo

Just open the DoorDash app, place your order, and get food delivered for your office event.

If catering is available in your market, the catering icon will appear in your DoorDash app's top menu bar, on the far right.

1. Open your app and add your address

Filter by cuisine, headcount, and dietary need, or use our AI catering assistant for more personalized recommendations.

2. Browse catering restaurants

Enter your headcount, then check out in minutes. 

3. Simple checkout

 keeps you informed from start to finish.

Your order arrives on time and ready to serve. 

4. Order arrives, you relax

Order catering today,

in 4 easy steps

Plan your event and place your order up to 14 days in advance.

Schedule ahead

We partner with top local favorites and trusted national restaurant brands.

Top local & national restaurants

From everyday team lunches to full company events, all in one place.

Every occasion, one place

One place to plan

every company event

Golden State

Workplace experience and operations manager · Amy Macrae

every workplace food need, from recurring lunch programs to one-time client gifts.

A recurring meal program for in-office teams.

Order trays or individual boxed meals for your next corporate event.

Send a one-time meal to anyone. Pay for what’s redeemed.

Set a budget, your team orders from any restaurant and location.

One restaurant, everyone picks their own dish.

Group Orders

A gift card for anyone, redeemable across DoorDash.

and reduced service fees on eligible orders, as well as 5% credit on eligible pickup orders. *

DoorDash for Business platform demo

Platform Demo

and start building a meal program your team will actually look forward to.

Custom pricing, invoicing, a dedicated account manager, and tools for large organizations.

Recurring meal program, for in-office teams.

Order trays or individual boxed meals for your corporate event.

Set up a Business Profile directly in the DoorDash app.

Recurring meal programs for in-office, remote or hybrid teams.

Feed my team regularly

From small team lunches to large client meals and offsite events.

Cater meetings & events

One-time meal vouchers and gift cards for celebrations & recognition.

Reward clients & employees

$0 delivery fees and reduced service fees for eligible orders with DashPass.

Save on every order

Simplify your meal management

DoorDash for Business

Discover local, on-demand delivery or pickup from restaurants, grocery, convenience stores, and more.

I'm a Customer...

Our signup process takes just a few minutes, and most Dashers can start earning within days.

I want to Dash...

Grow your business and reach new customers on the DoorDash App or on your website by partnering with us.

I'm a Merchant...

Welcome to your new favorite lunch spot, the place to learn bite-sized tips from office heroes about creating a great place to work. Subscribe for weekly updates on the latest HR and People Ops news and trends!

Setting up an employee meal program? Here's how to pick the right model, plan for tax changes, include every team, and measure what's working.

DDFB Blog How to Build an Employee Meal Program That Actually Scales

US & Canada

How To Build An Employee Meal Program That Actually Scales

Work holiday party planning, simplified: a week-by-week timeline, catering tips for in-office parties, and a free checklist you can download and share. 

Dasher delivering a meal to a Christmas decorated office

DDfB - Blog Image - Work Holiday Party Planning

Work Holiday Party Planning: Your Timeline, Catering Plan, and A Free Checklist

Learn how a DoorDash group order works for teams at work: set a per-person budget, share one link, and get every meal in one delivery with one bill.

DDfB - Group Ordering - Header

How to Place a DoorDash Group Order for Your Team

Get 20 Halloween potluck ideas for work that travel well and feed a crowd, plus easy potluck themes and a free sign-up sheet to keep the table balanced.

Coworkers sitting down an lunch in a Halloween themed potluck

DDfB - Blog Hero - 20 Halloween Potluck Ideas for Work

20 Halloween Potluck Ideas for Work + a Free Sign-Up Sheet

Looking for catered lunch ideas? Here are 20 office lunch ideas for a group, from boxed lunches to build-your-own bowls, plus tips to plan and budget.

DDfb - Catered Lunch - To Go Boxes

Catered Lunch Ideas: 20 Easy Office Lunch Ideas for a Group

Boss's Day ideas for your team: breakfast spreads, team lunches, thoughtful gift ideas, and easy ways to celebrate your manager this October, 2026.

DDfB- Gift Cards- Boost employee engagement and morale

Boss's Day Ideas: 13 Ways Your Team Can Celebrate at Work

Need Thanksgiving potluck ideas for work? Here are 25 dishes that travel well, plus how to organize the sign-up, cover dietary needs, and keep it easy.

DDfB_Employee Lunch_Interim

25 Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas for Work (and How to Plan the Day)

Learn how a meal stipend works, where it gets hard to manage, and how it compares to managed meal options for remote, hybrid, and in-office teams.

DDfB - Meal Stipends vs. Employee Meal Program - Header

Employee Meal Stipends: How They Work and When They Make Sense

Learn how to set up a DoorDash for Business account, from configuring users, to budgets, and expense syncing.

DDfB - Blog - Laurel Case Study - Header

How to Set Up Your DoorDash for Business Account

What food is Austin known for? Breakfast tacos, Texas BBQ, and a huge food truck scene. Here's what to know before you order for the office.

Tex-Mex food, breakfast tacos, bbq served in platters in an office in Austin

DDfB - Blog Hero - What Food Is Austin Food Known For

What Food Is Austin Known For? Local Favorites for Your Next Team Lunch

What food is Chicago known for? Deep dish, Italian beef, and tavern-style pizza. Here's what makes each one local and how to bring them to your office.

what-food-is-chicago-known-for

What Food Is Chicago Known For? Five Iconic Dishes For The Office

Express gratitude to your team with gift cards for employees.

DDfB - Help Employees Make Time for Lunch Again - Header

Corporate Gift Cards: Food for Any Appetite at Work

Learn what employee wellness programs are, the benefits for employees and employers, and how meal benefits support workplace wellness in 2026.

DDfB - Meal Stipends vs. Employee Meal Program - Coworkers

Employee Wellness Programs: A Complete 2026 Guide

Free lunch sounds too simple to work as a return to office incentive. It outperforms most of them. Here's why, and six setups you can run next week.

DD27204 DDfB Shot 17 2203 1- social

Return to Office Incentives: How Meal Benefits Can Support Office Attendance

Elevate the remote work experience with fast and easy lunch orders delivered to employees.

how-to-buy-lunch-for-remote-employees

Tips for Ordering Lunches Your Remote Team Will Love

Wondering when is HR Professionals Day? It falls on Sept 26. Discover genuine ways to recognize their hard work with fun team building activities and perks.

hr-professionals-day

HR Professionals Day 2026: Meaningful Ways to Celebrate

Discover virtual lunch ideas, from icebreakers to lunch and learn, that help remote teams beat isolation and strengthen company culture in 2026.

virtual-lunch-ideas

Virtual work lunch ideas to bring your team together

Beat the blues after summer with fall employee engagement ideas, decision-fatigue tips, and a restarted team meal program.

back-to-work-blues

 Beating the End of Summer Blues: Fall Employee Engagement Ideas for Teams

Get real ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at work, from trivia and lunch and learn authentic catering ideas your team will love.

hispanic-heritage-monthjpeg

How to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Work

Looking for Halloween office ideas? From costume contests to decorating and virtual games, here's how to celebrate with any team, in office or remote.

halloween-office-ideas

Halloween Office Ideas: Costumes, Decor, Games and More

Need last-minute catering ideas for the office? Discover quick, budget-friendly options for sandwich platters, taco bars, and more.

last-minute-catering-ideas

8 last-minute catering ideas for the office

Discover the best Armenian dishes, from dolma to khorovats, and get ideas for bringing this flavorful cuisine to your next office catering order.

armenian-dishes-at-work

Armenian dishes and catering ideas for the office

Explore taco bar ideas with topping lists, portion tips, and full setup steps for any group size, including how to make office taco bars simple to pull off. 

taco-bar-ideas

Office Taco Bar Ideas: What to Order and How to Set It Up

Planning vegetarian catering ideas for the office? Get plant-based menu ideas, portion tips, and how DoorDash for Business simplifies dietary needs.

A table with vegetarian and vegan catering options.

vegetarian-vegan-catering-ideas

Vegetarian and vegan catering ideas for the office

Learn what halal certification means, how much to budget per person, and how to order for any corporate event.

halal-catering-workplace

Halal Catering for the Workplace: A Practical Guide

Planning kosher catering for the office? Learn what kosher certification means and how to budget and order for business meetings and corporate events.

kosher-catering-trays

Kosher Catering for the Workplace: Certification, Cost, and How to Order

Get 20 office party food ideas by format, group size, and budget, plus how to order office party catering or a Group Order without the stress.