December 2021

Dec 08

How to Easily Order Lunch for Work Groups

When you want to treat your work team to lunch, there are many ways to make sure you get it right. Whether lunch is a spontaneous idea for a work project or planned well in advance of an important meeting, fresh, delicious lunches are possible.

Ordering Food for Large and Small Groups

Start by considering catering style. Do you want buffet-style catering, prepared trays or another method? Boxes lunches are a great option if you’re not sure, and you can accommodate both large and small groups.

Boxed lunch catering allows everyone to get the food they like, individually wrapped for freshness. There isn’t the mess and complicated setup of a buffet or sit-down catering.

What Should You Order for a Team Lunch?

Each member of your team is as unique as the talent they bring to the table. Their tastes, food preferences and dietary needs are not the same. One member of your team may need to watch their sugar while another may be vegetarian. Considering your team’s tastes and restrictions lets you choose the right lunch for everyone.

Letting each team member select a sandwich from Apple Spice is a simple way to accommodate everyone. We have many sandwich combos, and our nutritional information is on our website, so everyone can choose the foods they want to eat. Instead of ordering from multiple providers, get the food you need for any team with Apple Spice.

How to Get Orders Right for Lunch Team Meetings

One of the best ways to get lunch orders right for team meetings is to ask for feedback. Ask your team:

What works with lunch catering?
What food would you like to see?
What’s important to you in a team lunch?
What type of lunch interferes least with the meeting?

Soon, you’ll know the foods every team member likes and how to order a lunch everyone will love.

How Apple Spice Can Help

At Apple Spice, we’re the corporate catering experts. With an extensive menu of sandwiches, sides and more, we let everyone on your team customize their order to their tastes, and we always include a fresh-baked cookie as a treat. Teams love our boxed sandwich catering. It’s a no-mess way to enjoy a delicious meal with minimal disruption to the workday, and every box is packed with care to deliver maximum flavor.

Browse boxed lunch catering services or check out our menus in your area to find out for yourself!

Dec 07

How to Organize a Business Lunch Meeting

By Alexa Biscotto Events

Lunchtime can be a great time to hold an informal meeting with your team. Before you book a conference room, make sure you prepare for success. Providing lunch for your team can help you prepare for success.

Cons of a Business Lunch Meeting

There are a few advantages and disadvantages of business lunch meetings. Some of the drawbacks include:

Some team members may prefer to get a break for lunch.
Food and casual chatter can be distracting.
They require planning for food.

But, the benefits of a well-organized catered lunch far outweighs the possible negatives, especially when it comes to employee morale.

Pros of Business Lunch Meeting

Lunch business meetings have these benefits for businesses:

Lunch puts everyone in a good mood and can fuel your team to get down to work.
Buying lunch for your team is a nice treat for your hard-working group.
Lunch meetings tend to be more open for creativity, brainstorming and new ideas.
Lunch meetings can foster casual conversation, which can build your company culture.

Planning a Lunch for Business Meetings

To have a business team meeting that incorporates lunch, you’ll want to have a plan in place. Here a few business meeting lunch ideas to keep in mind:

Create a meeting space for eating and work. A conference room or area where people can eat their meals can be ideal, but outdoor meetings can also work, weather permitting. Make sure you have power if you need devices during the meeting.
Consider food first. Catering can impact the meeting’s tone and flow. If you have a buffet, you will need more space. If you choose boxed lunch catering, you can meet at a conference room easily. In any case, make sure to choose a reliable provider who will deliver good food on time.
Tell team members about the meeting. Give team members plenty of time to let you know about allergies or dietary restrictions, browse the menu and select a meal.
Create a meeting plan. Before the meeting, create a goal and an plan. Since food is involved, consider when you will eat. Eating beforehand may make sense, so food will not interrupt your work. You can also arrange catering towards the end of the meeting as a closing treat. Try to keep the meeting schedule flexible to allow people to use the washroom, eat at their own pace and enjoy the casual feel of lunch meetings.

How Apple Spice Can Help With Your Working Lunch Meeting

Apple Spice can streamline box lunch catering with meals delivered fresh to everyone’s specifications. Business teams of all sizes across the country await our sandwich and lunch combos. We take extra care to prepare every boxed lunch with premium ingredients and amazing flavor combinations, making your lunch box meeting delicious and productive.

We help your meeting run smoothly by delivering food correctly and on time. Browse our boxed lunch catering options and find a location near you for your next meeting.

Dec 07

Top Things to See in Austin, Texas

By Alexa Biscotto Places

Whether you’re visiting on a business trip, seeing friends and family or exploring just for fun, Austin, Texas, is the new place to be. From classic barbecue joints to trendy oyster bars, you might not find a better city for foodies. Of course, you can’t forget all of the museums, bars, theaters and parks that “keep Austin weird,” either.

If you’re looking for some recommendations for your next trip to the state’s capital, keep reading for our list of the top things to do in Austin, Texas.

Things to Do in Austin

No visit to Austin is complete without checking out a few of the city’s best attractions:

The Continental Club

The Continental Club is a small dive bar that’s been around since 1955, famous for its live music every night of the week. The club helped launch the careers of several notable musicians, and books acts that play a wide variety of musical genres including roots, rockabilly, country, swing, rock and blues.

Barton Springs Municipal Pool

Within Zilker Park is one of the most fun things to do in Austin, Texas. The Barton Springs Municipal Pool is a large natural spring that maintains a comfortable temperature of 68-70 degrees. Austin is notorious for its sweltering heat, so the pool feels amazing during peak summer days.

Allens Boots

Allens Boots is a favorite among locals and tourists alike. With over 4,000 cowboy boots in the store, you can smell the leather from the outside. Allens also sells belts, hats, leather jackets and other accessories you can pair together to make an entire outfit. Even if you don’t intend to buy anything, you may want to go just for the experience.

Lady Bird Lake

Kayaking, paddleboarding, walking your dog, fishing and bat-watching are only a few of the fun activities you can do when visiting Lady Bird Lake. This lake sits along the Colorado River, and its stunning view of the city makes it popular year-round. Whether you enjoy relaxing or want to do something active, Lady Bird Lake is a perfect place to visit.

The Moody Theater

The Moody Theater hosts Texas’s most famous concert series, Austin City Limits. Before the show, you can grab a drink or some food at the venue. Once you’re inside, you’ll get to see famous musicians play their music up-close and personal. Check out the performance calendar here.

Wimberly Glassworks

If you’re more interested in seeing creative and crafty attractions in Austin, Wimberly Glassworks will probably be one of your favorite stops. Wimberly Glassworks is a hand-blown glass lighting and art glass studio. Feel free to enjoy their outdoor patio, tour their art installations or watch a live glass blowing demonstration.

Sightseeing Tour

A tourist favorite in any city is sightseeing. These tours come in all shapes and sizes, including double-decker bus tours, boat tours or self-guided walking tours. The Austin and Hill Country Sightseeing Tour covers 30 miles with over 50 attractions in 90 minutes.

Top Sights to See

If you don’t have enough time to participate in Austin’s best activities, you should try to fit a few sights into your schedule while you’re in town:

Congress Avenue Bridge

This bridge sits above Lady Bird Lake and is one of the top things to see in Austin, Texas. It’s a famous scenic spot for viewing Austin’s urban bat colony. Approximately 1.5 million bats fly out from underneath the bridge each night from the months of May through October.

Blanton Museum of Art

The Blanton Museum of Art is located at The University of Texas and has an extensive collection of art. A prominent part of the museum experience is walking through the front doors and seeing Teresita Fernandez’s “Stacked Waters” covering the entire atrium, making it feel like you are submerged in water.

Rainey Street

Rainey Street may not seem special from the outside, but you’ll want to head here when looking for a place to party with friends. The homes on Rainey were renovated and turned into bars and restaurants, making it the place to be after dark. There are tons of great nightlife spaces and food trucks to keep you up all night long.

Mount Bonnell

If you love hiking and the outdoors, Mount Bonnell of Covert Park has stunning views. A staircase leads up to the overlook that views Lake Austin. This walk is perfect for all ages and skill levels, making it a wonderful way to spend a nice afternoon.

“I Love You So Much” Mural

One of the top attractions to see in Austin, Texas, is the famed “I Love You So Much” mural. If you love mural art, you may want to consider doing a whole mural tour, stopping here along the way. It’s turned into the most famous street corner in Austin, with people lining up down the street just to get a picture.

Cathedral of Junk

The Cathedral of Junk, completely invisible from the street, is a structure built from used furniture and other miscellaneous items. It’s estimated to contain over 60 tons of junk, making the structure a unique art installment.

Best Places to Eat

What’s a trip to Austin without grabbing a bite to eat? Here are a few of the best places to eat in Austin, Texas:

Franklin Barbecue

Franklin Barbecue is arguably Austin’s most famous barbecue joint. The line is typically out the door, so if you want to stop here, you’ll have to come early. Luckily, you can now preorder up to six weeks ahead of time as long as you order at least 3 pounds of food, so you may want to do that if you’re in a rush.

Guero’s Taco Bar

Guero’s Taco Bar is a popular Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin. If you want a table, you’ll have to show up early — a two-hour wait isn’t unusual on the weekends. However, they have a self-serve salsa bar you can enjoy with a margarita while you wait.

Odd Duck

Odd Duck is known for serving traditional Texas dishes with a twist. Two of Odd Duck’s most popular dishes include their pork belly sandwich and their goat chili Frito pie.

Justine’s Brasserie

If you’re looking for a late dinner, Justine’s Brasserie is the place to be. The kitchen doesn’t close until 1:30 a.m, serving classic French dishes. This could be the perfect place to end your night out.

Slab BBQ & Beer

Slab BBQ & Beer is known for its huge barbecue sandwiches. This restaurant is completely casual, so if you’re looking for a nice, chill place to relax during a long day of work or sightseeing, Slab is the place to be. Check out their delicious selection of smoky barbecue sauces that go great with their smoked meat sandwiches.

Barley Swine

If you like trying new things, you should add Barley Swine to your list. Barley Swine uses local ingredients to create unique dishes on a constantly rotating menu.

la Barbecue

la Barbecue is yet another fantastic Austin barbecue spot. This restaurant specifically specializes in Central Texas-style barbecue, so if you’re doing a barbecue tour of Austin, you’ll definitely want to include it in your experience.

Clark’s Oyster Bar

Clark’s Oyster Bar is a trendy spot that always has people visiting for a meal. It’s perfect for a wide variety of events, whether a business meeting or a late-night date. The oysters are flown in daily, so even though Austin is a few hours inland, you can enjoy a delicious seafood spread.

Order Apple Spice in Austin for Your Corporate Team

Whether you’re visiting Austin, Texas, on business or hosting out-of-town team members in your Austin office, we at Apple Spice can help you and your team make lunch a snap. For more than 30 years, we’ve been delivering individually wrapped, boxed lunches for offices throughout the United States. Order corporate lunch for your company with peace of mind. Find a location to start your order today!