You found our list of fun team lunch ideas for the office.
Fun team lunch ideas for the office are creative and enjoyable activities that bring coworkers closer together and shake up the usual work routine. For example, you could have an office picnic with blanket bingo, a sushi rolling session, or a themed lunch party. These activities boost morale, encourage teamwork, and offer a refreshing break from daily work. These activities are also called “office lunch ideas for a group” or “lunch theme ideas for work.”
These fun team lunch ideas for the office are similar to office breakfast ideas, fun at work, team building events, and virtual lunch ideas.
This list includes:
- office lunch ideas for a group
- lunch ideas for staff appreciation
- lunch theme ideas for work
- fun team lunch activities
Let’s get to it!
List of fun team lunch ideas for the office
From an Office Picnic Blanket Bingo to a Food Truck Fest, here is our list of the best fun team lunch ideas for the office.
1. Office Picnic Blanket Bingo
Office Picnic Blanket Bingo is a fun and relaxed way to unite employees and is one of the most engaging office lunch ideas for a group.
To set the scene:
- Clear a large area in the office and encourage employees to bring blankets or provide some for seating.
- Set up a casual picnic-style lunch with finger foods, sandwiches, and drinks that employees can enjoy while on the blankets.
- For the Bingo game, distribute cards, use a simple number-calling system, or make it themed by using company-related terms. You could also play mingle Bingo, where teammates talk to each other and mark off squares with descriptions that fit coworkers.
- Offer prizes for winners, like gift cards or fun office supplies.
The mix of lunch and Bingo creates a lighthearted, team building experience that helps folks socialize in a laid-back atmosphere.
You could also play icebreaker Bingo.
2. Progressive Office Lunch
A progressive meal is a fun twist on the usual office lunch. In this activity, team members bring or order different courses, such as appetizers, main dishes, sides, or desserts. Then, participants set up each course in a different office area, and the group moves from place to place while enjoying each dish.
This activity is a great way to shake up the lunch routine while encouraging team members to visit different parts of the workplace and interact with new coworkers.
Get our free team building toolbox
- icebreaker games
- bingo cards
- DIY guides
by teams at FedEx, Amazon, Deloitte and 73,930+ others
3. Lunch Around the World
Exploring global cuisines adds a sense of adventure to coworker lunches. You can encourage team members to bring dishes from their cultural background or favorite countries, creating a diverse and exciting meal. You can also try out different local restaurants.
Tasting new flavors also sparks fascinating conversations about different food traditions.
Lunch Around the World breaks the routine of everyday lunches and offers a creative way for colleagues to connect and enjoy delicious food.
Check out more global team building ideas.
4. Office Iron Chef Competition
You can try an “Office Iron Chef Competition” where teams compete to create delicious dishes. This fun lunch idea encourages teamwork, creativity, and friendly competition among coworkers.
Here is how:
- Choose a theme or ingredient that all participants must use in their dishes.
- Provide a cooking station with necessary utensils, appliances, and essential ingredients.
- Set a time limit for cooking, typically 1-2 hours, to ensure efficiency and excitement.
- Form a judging panel from a mix of employees and executives to taste and score the dishes.
- Announce winners and awards based on creativity, presentation, and taste, and celebrate with a group tasting.
The event allows team members to show off their cooking skills and work together on great recipes. Teams bond over their love for food and cooking while also improving communication and camaraderie.
Check out more office cook-off ideas.
5. DIY Sushi Rolling
Hosting a team-building lunch with DIY Sushi Rolling at the office is one of the most fun team lunch activities. This activity lets colleagues get creative by making sushi rolls with ingredients like rice, seaweed, vegetables, and fish.
Be sure to provide bamboo mats for participants and encourage them to try different fillings for personalized rolls. You can bring in a facilitator to guide the activity, live stream a virtual workshop, or follow an online instructional video.
This fun experience offers a tasty lunch and boosts teamwork and unity. Team members connect while sharing unique sushi creations while having an enjoyable and memorable time at work.
Learn more about virtual sushi-making classes.
6. Food Truck Fests
Food Truck Festivals are an excellent choice for a team lunch outing and one of the best lunch ideas for staff appreciation. These events offer a variety of tasty foods so that all team members can find a dish they enjoy.
Trying different cuisines and discovering new dishes makes the experience fun and helps build team spirit. The lively atmosphere of these events boosts morale and strengthens team relationships.
Food Truck Festivals also support local businesses and provide a convenient way to enjoy many food options in one place, perfect for busy workdays. These events offer a refreshing break from the office, letting teams relax, socialize, and enjoy great food together.
You can achieve a similar experience by visiting a food hall together. Or, you could book different food trucks to visit your office throughout the year.
7. Build-Your-Own Bars
Build-Your-Own Bars are a fun addition to team lunches. These spreads let participants pick their own ingredients or toppings to customize their meals.
Examples include:
- Tacos
- Burgers
- Charcuterie
- Breakfast
- S’mores
- Gourmet Mac & Cheese
- Salad
- Pizza
- Grilled Cheese
This setup suits different tastes and dietary needs and helps team members bond as they create their perfect meal together.
8. Themed Lunch Party
Organizing themed lunch gatherings at the office can add excitement and creativity to the workday, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. Whether you plan a Hawaiian party or a ’90s-themed event, these lunches provide a fun break from work and help staff bond. Team members can get creative with outfits and decorations, creating memorable moments.
Examples include:
- Retro 80s
- Parisian Café
- Carnival
- Tropical Escape
- Country Western
- Italian Trattoria
- Garden Party
Lunch theme ideas for work break up the routine, offer a chance to relax and strengthen personal connections while boosting morale.
Be inspired with theme day ideas for work.
9. Potluck Party
A potluck party at the office is a great way to build team spirit. All team members bring a dish to share, which helps team members connect over homemade food, show off their cooking skills, and swap recipes. The gatherings also inspire camaraderie and community.
Here are a few fun themes and variations on potlucks you can try at work:
- International Potluck: Dishes from different countries or cultures.
- Comfort Food Potluck: Favorite hearty and nostalgic dishes.
- Family Recipe Potluck: Employees make recipes inherited by relatives.
- Cheese Lover’s Potluck: Cheese-focused dishes, including cheese platters and cheesy casseroles.
- Hometown Eats Potluck: Teammates bring a dish unique to a region they grew up in or once lived.
It is a good idea to sign up for food and flatware before party day to ensure a variety of dishes. Be sure not to forget cups, utensils, plates, and drinks!
10. Food & Drink Pairing Lunch
Lunch with food and drink pairings can be fun for colleagues as they can enjoy new flavors together. These fun team lunch activities make the meal more hands-on and memorable.
Matching dishes with drinks, like cheeses with wines or chocolates with coffee, makes the meal more interesting and educational.
You can invite an expert to guide the tasting or find pairing suggestions online and DIY.
To make the activity more fun and interactive, pair up teammates and have participants swap partners every time you move to the next pairing.
11. Food Tour
Food tours are a fun way to bond over meals, explore local restaurants, and enjoy new food experiences together. This activity breaks up the usual office lunch routine and helps team members connect by sharing dining adventures.
Food tours are an especially great way to explore a new city your team visits, but you can also book a tour in your home city. If your city does not offer food tours, your team can DIY your own tour by picking a neighborhood and suggesting different places to visit.
Trying different cuisines broadens team member’s tastes and creates lasting memories with coworkers. The tour encourages casual conversation and teamwork in a relaxed setting outside the office.
12. Which Dish Wins
Office team lunches become more fun with friendly food competitions. These contests, like chili cook-offs or dessert challenges, let colleagues bond over their favorite dishes. Participants show off their cooking skills and enjoy each other’s creations. The competitions unite team members, boost teamwork, and make lunch more exciting.
You can do the activity as a one-day event or create a bracket-style tournament that lasts over a week or month. In this format, team members try different dishes, and the recipes with the most votes progress to the next round.
13. The Great Guac Off
The Great Guac Off is a fun team lunch event in which coworkers compete to make the best guacamole. A host brings the ingredients, handles all setup and cleanup, and facilitates the fun.
The 90-minute event starts with avocado-themed trivia and mini-games, during which teams have the chance to earn mystery ingredients. Then, teams work together to create the perfect bowl of guac.
Participants get to taste each other’s guacamole, adding excitement and laughter to the lunch hour.
Learn more about The Great Guac Off.
How to hold a team lunch at work
Here are tips for holding team lunches that produce a good turnout and have a lasting impact on team camaraderie.
- Pick an unconventional theme: Decide on a theme like “Build Your Own Poke Bowl” or “Around the World Potluck.” Send out a clear invitation with theme details, including specific ingredients or cuisines people should bring, dress code, and icebreaker activity prep steps.
Why it’s important: A unique theme creates excitement and ensures the lunch feels different from regular meals, boosting engagement. - Create a prep schedule: Plan the logistics by assigning a 30-minute prep window. Plan where to set up food, arrange utensils, and organize the space for a smooth setup. Be sure to leave buffer time in case of unexpected delays, since folks often have short windows for lunch.
Why it’s important: Having a clear setup plan prevents chaos, and allows you to focus more energy on engagement and connection. - Organize team contributions: Assign food categories (main dish, dessert, drinks, etc.) to team members based on their preferences or cooking skills. Encourage those not into cooking to bring non-food items like plates, napkins, or beverages.
Why it’s important: This step ensures every team member feels included and contributes in a way that suits them, creating a shared experience without added pressure. This step also helps account for folks with dietary needs or preferences. - Set up interactive food stations: Arrange different stations with small bites and drinks. Rotate team members to different stations every 10 minutes to encourage interaction.
Why it’s important: Rotating stations fosters mingling and conversation between different team members, promoting collaboration and reducing workplace silos. - End with a fun group activity: After eating, lead a 10-minute team trivia game related to the food theme or play a quick icebreaker where everyone shares their favorite part of the meal.
Why it’s important: Closing with a light activity builds a positive atmosphere, leaving everyone on a high note and reinforcing team bonds beyond the meal.
Final Thoughts
Trying different fun team lunch ideas can greatly improve the workplace environment by adding variety and helping colleagues connect. These creative lunches make mealtime more enjoyable and boost job satisfaction and teamwork. Offices that use these ideas often see better communication and collaboration among staff. These lunches are important social events that enhance the company’s culture.
Next, check out our posts on diversity and inclusion activities, and national fun at work day.
