If you’re looking for opportunities for your CEO to connect with employees, you've come to the right place. Lunches where the CEO, or senior leaders, can break bread with team members is a win-win for everyone at the table. Here, we share the benefits of a company-wide lunch and learn and top tips to make yours a lasting success.
The benefits of a lunch and learn with the CEO
A CEO’s calendar is often packed with high-level strategy meetings, investor calls, and critical decision-making. But some of the most impactful moments of leadership happen in more informal settings—like a lunch and learn. These gatherings create a unique space where employees can engage directly with company leadership, ask questions, and gain insights they wouldn’t typically get in a boardroom setting. For both CEOs and employees, it’s a valuable opportunity to connect with each other on a deeper level, share challenges and potential solutions firsthand, and foster a culture of transparency and collaboration.
Here are a few other benefits of hosting a lunch and learn with the CEO:
1. Increase employee engagement
Engaged employees drive high performance and innovation while helping the organization move forward. A Gallup report found that only 33% of workers are engaged, and that not engaged or actively disengaged employees represent approximately $1.9 trillion in lost productivity.
Executive leadership can be a defining influence here, as they directly account for 70% of team engagement. A lunch and learn involving leadership gives employees more opportunities to connect with them directly, which can boost learning and collaboration, and bridge engagement gaps at your organization.
2. Retain top talent
According to LinkedIn, 88% of organizations are concerned about employee retention in 2025 — citing learning opportunities like career development programs and leadership training as their number one retention strategy.
Lunch and learns, especially those centered around professional development, can help retain 73% of employees who are looking for skill-building opportunities. The bonus here is that lunch and learns are an easy, cost-effective way to kickstart learning and development programs.
3. Foster a company culture of openness
In 2025, Chief Executives Council reports that CEOs are strengthening bonds, motivation, and loyalties among teams by "bringing more of themselves" into the workplace.
Regular CEO sessions with employees encourage a company culture of openness, respect, and two-way communication where feedback from both sides is listened to and acknowledged. These lunches can also be the origin of the next great idea that moves your company forward.
4. Encourage team-building and networking
Your wider team may not typically get the opportunity to interact with the CEO, senior leadership, or certain departments. If they do communicate, it's typically through internal messaging systems, which aren't the most personable.
Lunch and learns can inspire teams to interact cross-functionally, and help employees connect with colleagues they wouldn't otherwise.
5. Efficiency
Especially for small-to-medium-sized businesses and grassroots organizations, individual and small-group training and development sessions may be unrealistic. Subbing for voluntary lunch and learns can help employees learn new information in a relaxing environment, without sacrificing productivity.
CEO lunch and learn topics and ideas
From professional development to personal interests, there are several suitable and interesting topics that a CEO can cover during a lunch and learn.
However, keep in mind that an employee's lunch hour is theirs. It is not the best time for intensive presentations or discussions around sensitivity training, company reorganization announcements, or constructive feedback sessions. A lunch and learn is better suited for lighter topics, especially if scheduled around the lunch break.
Here are some topics — for virtual, hybrid, or in-person sessions — for a lunch and learn with the CEO.
1. Navigating industry changes
No matter your industry, its landscape is ever-changing. A lunch and learn can be a positive environment to discuss the current landscape, and what the company is doing to adapt and succeed.
2. Lessons learned from personal or professional failure
Whether it be the CEO's unconventional career path or a time they had to pivot, a lunch and learn can be a time to inspire employees and relate to them with personal and professional anecdotes.
3. Building a culture of feedback
A feedback-rich workplace where employees feel comfortable asking for and receiving feedback is a strong indicator that employee growth is valued. A worthwhile lunch and learn can focus on the importance of feedback from a growth perspective, and how team members can incorporate it constructively into their daily workflows.
4. AMA (Ask Me Anything) session
An informal Q&A session, where employees can ask the CEO anything, is inherently rooted in connection. From asking get-to-know-you questions to sharing team pain points the CEO may not be privy to, this low-lift format can motivate employees to speak up and have their voice heard. Depending on the company's preference, you can also consider anonymizing questions in advance to be discussed during the lunch and learn.
5. Case studies of success
Present case studies of departmental or company-wide projects and initiatives, and discuss what made them successful. This can motivate employees to excel in their work and double as onboarding material for future team members.
6. Future vision workshop
Engage employees in a workshop to envision and discuss the company's future goals and strategies. Topics like this can increase collaboration and visibility across the organization — especially when employees work together to set goals and objectives to succeed.
Tips on hosting a lunch and learn with the CEO
After coordinating with your CEO, or other senior leaders, it’s time to plan that first lunch and learn. Here are top tips to keep in mind:
Create an open environment. Speak with leadership about whether department managers should attend the CEO lunch with employees. If it could inhibit employee openness during the conversation, consider scheduling a separate managers-only lunch with the CEO.
Involve employees. Collect anonymous questions employees want to ask during lunch with the CEO in advance, if relevant, to comfortably brief desired subjects. Welcome feedback after the fact too, to improve future events.
Create an agenda, if you’re using one. When you invite employees, include a copy of the agenda or expected talking points to help them prepare in advance.
Determine frequency. Does the CEO want to participate monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly? If their schedule is jam-packed, recurring office hours with the CEO can work, too.
Consider other names for lunch and learn. Connect with managers to understand how your team views the term "lunch and learn." An employee's lunch hour should be synonymous with how they want to spend it. Other terms like "show and tell" might be more suitable if the event is voluntary and more casual in nature.
Provide meal options. You want this CEO meeting with employees to be a memorable and engaged occasion, so provide them options for lunch.
Group Orders are perfect for informal lunches and specific dietary needs. Employees can easily add their items to the shared cart, and food can be delivered promptly at whatever time you choose. Good for groups of 10-15.
Catering provides a seamless solution for feeding larger groups. Meals are selected by the admin, and are delivered in either classic large tray formats or easy-to-distribute boxes.
DashPass for Employees is an added benefit that lets team members order lunch with reduced service fees and $0 delivery fees — whether they're in-office or enjoying the lunch and learn virtually.
Feed your team and employee engagement
With these tips and DoorDash's 500,000 local and national food options in your back pocket, your team is on track to creating a worthwhile lunch and learn program.
DoorDash for Business provides flexible solutions for lunches that bring team members together. Whether virtually or in person, sharing food is a proven way to enhance team culture and engage employees beyond the lunch hour.
