96% of workplaces tried a new restaurant in 2025, and 62% of employees later ordered from those brands in their personal lives

ezCater, the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US, today released new data at its 2026 Catering Growth Forum during the Food on Demand Conference. The findings, based on ezCater platform data and survey insights from over 2,300 workplace food stakeholders, show the workplace is a major growth opportunity for restaurants.

“Food has evolved from a perk to a strategic lever for workplace productivity and culture,” said Cindy Klein Roche, Chief Growth Officer, ezCater. “Employee meal programs are now core to organizations’ strategy to bring employees together. For restaurants, that means predictable, high-frequency demand — and a powerful engine for customer acquisition.”

Additional ezCater survey insights and platform data on the workplace food market include:

• Workplaces are increasing their investment in food. 91% of workplaces plan to spend the same or more on food in 2026, up from 82% in 2024. In fact, one in five plan to increase their spending by more than 25% this year.
• Employee meal programs are a strong response to rising in-office expectations. 79% of hybrid employees say employer-provided food would make them more likely to stay with a company with an on-site mandate. Consequently, daily or weekly meal programs have spiked 26% year-over-year. Employers frequently cover the cost, with 81% of meals free to employees.
• Workplace catering is a powerful customer acquisition engine for restaurants. 96% of workplaces tried a new restaurant in 2025. This exposure leads to long-term loyalty, with 62% of employees who first try a restaurant at work ordering from those same restaurants in their personal lives, and 67% recommending them to family and friends.
• Menu design is a make-or-break factor in capturing workplace food orders. More robust, descriptive menus see twice as many bookings on ezcater.com. Top-performing listings feature photos, multiple dietary options, drinks and desserts, and both individual packaging and tray options.

In the past year, restaurant brands like Five Guys, Mendocino Farms, and Mission BBQ have joined the ezCater platform to capitalize on the workplace opportunity. For restaurants looking to acquire new customers and grow their catering business, visit https://www.ezcater.com/company/catering-growth-platform/.

Methodology

The 2026 Workplace Catering Insights Bundle is based on surveys conducted in Q4 2025 with over 2,300 participants, including 714 workplace catering orderers, 616 restaurant operators, and 1,002 employees.

Proprietary ezCater data gathered from millions of transactions across 125,000 restaurant partners was also analyzed.

About ezCater

ezCater is the #1 food tech platform for workplaces in the US. The company makes it easy for any organization to manage its food needs and order from over 125,000 restaurants nationwide. For workplaces, ezCater provides flexible and scalable solutions for everything from employee meal programs to one-off meetings, all backed by beyond helpful 24/7 service and business-grade reliability. For restaurant partners, ezCater helps grow their business by bringing them new high-value customers and large orders. To learn more, visit www.ezcater.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260505698331/en/