How Americans Returning to Work Unlocks New Doors for Restaurants

For restaurant operators, the growth playbook is constantly changing. In one of the most competitive sectors in the economy, great food and strong execution are no longer enough to guarantee long-term success. As customer acquisition and retention continues being expensive and margins remain tight, restaurants are being forced to rethink how they attract guests.

Historically, most restaurants have focused their engagement efforts on the guest experience inside their four walls, immediately after a visit via digital marketing, or through third-party delivery platforms that often mute branding and limit direct connections. Increasingly, operators are asking a more strategic question: how do we make it easier for guests to choose us, and choose us again? One simple answer is showing up where they spend most of their time—the office.

Workplace dining market

The Workplace: A Gold Mine for Restaurants

As the return-to-office movement accelerates, a familiar but newly energizing opportunity is emerging for operators: the workplace dining market. Today, more companies with hybrid or in-office policies have formal expectations that bring employees back onsite at least part of the week. As routines normalize, the workplace has once again become a core dining location. Lunch at work is no longer an afterthought, but it is a consistent, high-frequency opportunity for restaurants to reach new customers.

The opportunity is big. The domestic food at work market that isn’t already flowing to restaurants is estimated to be at least $75 billion. Restaurants are already responding.

Through Fooda alone, the number of restaurants participating in the marketplace has doubled since before the pandemic and the average restaurants add $80,000 in sales per year. Restaurants that use workplace dining to tell their story, don’t just serve a meal, but also turn first-time diners into loyal guests. National brands such as Chick-fil-A, Jersey Mike’s, Potbelly, BIBIBOP Asian Grill, and even more local concepts like 5411 Empanadas in my neck of the woods in Chicago have generated success in the workplace.

A key reason for that is storytelling both how it’s told and where it’s told. Guests return to restaurants they feel connected to. Research consistently shows that authentic brand storytelling drives stronger recall, greater trust, and more repeat visits than transactional marketing. In an industry where menus can be replicated, and trends move quickly; showing, not just telling, the story becomes one of the most powerful differentiators a restaurant has.

Profit enhancer

Not Just a Revenue Generator, but a Profit Enhancer

The workplace is more than a distribution channel; it is a relationship-building environment where restaurants can engage guests in meaningful, memorable ways. From an operational standpoint, it is also a high-value dining occasion. Employees represent a built-in, repeat audience who eat multiple meals each week while at work. Workplace dining is habitual and predictable, and unlike rushed off-premise orders, it is often more social. When dining becomes part of an employee’s routine, guests are more open to discovering new brands and learning about the people behind them.

The economics are equally compelling. When food is readily available at work, employees are not leaving the office and they are less likely to bring food from home. For workplace dining, the average order size to restaurants regularly exceeds $500. This doesn’t just drive revenues but enhances profitability.

Deeper guest connections

Lunch in the Workplace: Deeper Guest Connections and Free Marketing

The truth is, work can be intense, and food often plays an emotional role, serving as a pick-me-up, a bright spot between meetings, or something employees genuinely look forward to. Restaurants that become associated with that moment build goodwill quickly.

Workplace dining is inherently communal. Meals spark conversation, create buzz, and get employees talking about what they tried and what they plan to order next time. That organic, peer-driven word-of-mouth can accomplish what traditional marketing often cannot, creating awareness and credibility at the same time. For example, employees can experience the food, ask questions, and remember the brand in a way banner ads or third-party apps cannot.

Importantly, workplace dining provides access to new guests who value discovery, paired with consistent exposure that builds familiarity over time. It offers restaurants a platform to share their brand purpose, culinary perspective, and craftsmanship all without relying on deep promotions or costly ad spend. For independent and mom-and-pop operators without large marketing budgets, the workplace can be a level playing field, allowing great food and authentic stories to do the work.

Mutual benefits

Restaurants Win, and Employers Do Too

Employers and employees also benefit from elevated workplace dining options. In fact, 80% of employees view food as a top onsite perk, showing that quality food enhances workplace culture, increases engagement, and reinforces the role shared meals play in bringing people together. As companies navigate hybrid and in-office strategies, food is increasingly viewed as a tool for recruitment, retention, and culture-building, not just a perk.

As restaurant loyalty strategies evolve beyond apps and discounts, those that prioritize experience, connection, and relevance will stand out. Growth is increasingly driven by where guests encounter a brand and how that experience fits into their daily lives. And right now, that means the workplace. Restaurants that win engage with their guests beyond the confines of their establishment and show up where they need your brand the most.

Orazio Buzza is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fooda, a Chicago-based workplace dining platform he founded in 2011. Fooda partners with companies and office buildings to bring meals from local restaurants directly into the workplace, reimagining corporate dining with flexibility and variety. Under Buzza’s leadership, Fooda works with more than 2,500 companies and 4,000 restaurant partners across 38 U.S. states, serving offices, hospitals, distribution centers, and other workplaces across the country.