Why It’s Time To Rethink the Pizza Party

Pizza can still play a role, but using it every time can leave some employees feeling overlooked, especially those with dietary needs, wellness goals, or different food preferences. A more flexible approach to lunch rewards can feel more thoughtful and inclusive, turning “free food” into a meaningful perk that supports morale and productivity. DoorDash for Business aims to give companies of all sizes the selection, savings, and reliability they need to power modern meal benefits, whether employees are in the office, hybrid, or remote.

When employees can choose what they eat and when they eat it, lunch becomes a way to show respect for their time, preferences, and routines, not just a one-off treat.

Start with Your Lunch Reward Goals

Before changing your lunch routine, it helps to be clear on what you want these rewards to accomplish. Different goals may call for different approaches.

Common goals include:

• Encouraging cross-team connection and informal conversation.

• Supporting wellness and focus with food that fuels workdays.

• Recognizing extra effort during busy seasons or big projects.

• Including hybrid and remote employees in the same experience.

DoorDash for Business is built to connect those goals to real programs through expensed meal credits, group orders, catering, and vouchers, so lunch rewards can be tailored to different teams and use cases instead of relying on a single default option.

Creative Lunch Reward Ideas That Go Beyond Pizza

These ideas are designed for HR leaders, people managers, and office admins who want lunch to feel intentional, not generic.

1. “Choose-Your-Own Cravings” Lunch Credits

Instead of ordering one big meal for everyone, give employees a set budget for lunch and let them order what they want. This model supports different tastes, schedules, and dietary needs.

This works especially well for:

• Hybrid teams where some people are in the office and others are remote.

• Regional or global teams with different local restaurant options.

• Teams with a wide range of dietary preferences and restrictions.

How it can work in practice:

• Set a per-person budget and define when and where employees can use it.

• Share simple instructions via email or calendar invite so employees know how and when to redeem their lunch.

• Encourage employees to choose what genuinely supports their day, whether that’s a lighter option before a presentation or a more filling meal ahead of a long afternoon.

Expensed meal credits with DoorDash for Business let employees order meals that match their health and dietary needs, while companies remain in control of budget rules like time windows, location, and spend limits.​

2. Monthly “Around-the-World” Lunch

Turn recurring lunches into something employees look forward to by rotating cuisines. Each month, highlight a different cuisine and invite employees to explore something new.

Practical steps:

• Choose a cuisine theme (for example, Mediterranean one month, Indian the next) and identify restaurants that match that theme.

• Use a group order so everyone can select their own dish from the same restaurant, while you keep billing centralized.

• Include a short note in the invite explaining the cuisine, and point out vegetarian or gluten-free options to make ordering easier.

DoorDash for Business connects companies to a broad mix of local and national restaurants, making it easier to bring global flavors into the office without multiple vendor contracts.

3. Wellness-Focused Lunch Days

For companies that value wellness, lunch can reinforce that commitment in a way employees experience directly. Wellness-focused lunches do not have to feel restrictive; they can highlight options that are both satisfying and balanced.

A wellness lunch might include:

• A mix of salads, grain bowls, and lean proteins in individually boxed meals.

• Clear labeling for vegetarian, vegan, and common allergens to help employees quickly find what works for them.

• Beverages like sparkling water or unsweetened tea instead of sugary drinks.

Implementation ideas:

• Select a handful of “wellness-forward” restaurants and curate a short list of recommended items for faster ordering.

• Position wellness lunches as an option, not a requirement, so they feel supportive rather than prescriptive.

• Consider pairing wellness lunches with lighter meeting schedules or optional break activities like a walk or stretch session.

DoorDash for Business helps companies find and work with restaurants that offer a variety of meal types, including wellness-oriented menus, while keeping the ordering experience simple for admins.

4. Hybrid “Everyone’s Included” Lunches

Traditional in-office pizza can accidentally exclude remote team members. Hybrid-friendly lunch rewards help everyone feel part of the same moment, even if they are not in the same location.

A more inclusive setup could look like:

• In-office: Use catering for platters or individually boxed meals delivered to your office.

• Remote: Offer expensed meal credits or one-time vouchers for remote employees to order from their local favorites during the same time window.

• Distributed: For teams across time zones, set a broader window so people can choose lunch or early-dinner meals that match their day.

DoorDash for Business supports both on-site and remote scenarios through catering, group orders, and meal credits, so teams can share the same experience without needing separate processes for each group.

5. Team Milestone Lunch with Flexible Rewards

When a team hits a major milestone — launching a product, closing a project, or wrapping a busy season — a tailored lunch can help the recognition feel personal.

Options could include:

A “favorites only” group order where each person picks a go-to dish.

• Vouchers that employees can redeem on a day that makes sense for their schedule, especially helpful for shift-based teams.

• A mix of on-site catering for those in the office and meal credits for remote colleagues tied to the same celebration message.

• DoorDash for Business Vouchers allow companies to send one-time meal rewards and only pay for redeemed spend, helping budgets go further while still offering meaningful recognition.

6. “Focus Friday” or “Launch Day” Lunch Support

Some days are inherently more intense than others. Instead of last-minute pizza on late nights, planned lunch rewards can help teams stay focused and feel supported during high-pressure periods.

You can:

• Schedule group orders in advance for key days such as product launches or quarter-end close.

• Pre-select easy-to-eat options like wraps, bowls, or bento-style meals that fit around meetings and work sessions.

• Use catering for large teams to limit individual ordering time while still offering variety.

DoorDash for Business supports group orders placed in advance and includes proactive monitoring for large and catering orders, helping ensure that food arrives on time so busy teams can stay on track.

​How DoorDash for Business Supports Creative Lunch Rewards

Lunch rewards can be powerful, but they also require coordination—budgets, approvals, timing, and dietary needs. DoorDash for Business is designed to simplify that work while giving employees more choice.

Selection Employees Actually Want

With 500,000 local and national merchants, DoorDash for Business offers access to a wide range of cuisines and restaurant types, from familiar brands to local favorites. This breadth makes it easier to run themed lunches, wellness days, or “choose-your-own” rewards without juggling multiple vendors.

Savings, Controls, and Visibility

Feeding teams regularly is an investment, and leaders often look for clarity on cost and usage. DoorDash for Business offers:

• Flexible controls that let companies decide when, where, and how much employees can spend.

• Expense and reporting tools that provide insight into spend and usage, helping support compliance and budgeting.

• Options like vouchers where companies only pay for meals that are actually redeemed.

These tools can help administrators and HR teams stretch their budgets, manage policies, and demonstrate the value of their meal programs.

Reliability and Support

When food is tied to recognition or important meetings, reliability matters. Late or missing orders can undermine an otherwise thoughtful gesture.

DoorDash for Business provides:

• Dedicated business support with white-glove onboarding.

• Proactive monitoring of large and catering orders.

• Dedicated account management for qualifying accounts.

For high-traffic times like lunchtime at larger offices, Onsite Support is available to manage logistics in the building, from receiving deliveries to organizing orders in a central location, creating a smoother experience for employees.

Turning Lunch from “Nice-to-Have” into a Real Benefit

Creative lunch rewards do more than swap out pizza for another menu item. When they’re designed with intention, they can:

• Help employees feel recognized as individuals with different preferences and needs.

• Support wellness, focus, and productivity with meals that truly fit the workday.

• Include hybrid and remote employees in shared experiences that build culture.

DoorDash for Business helps companies offer these kinds of lunch rewards with flexible meal benefits built around selection, savings, and reliability, all through one easy program.

If you are exploring ways to move beyond the traditional pizza party and build a more flexible, inclusive lunch program, learn how easy it is to get started or contact a member of our team today.