I’m a legend in my own lunchtime. Over my working life, I’ve probably travelled at a luncheon speed of £500 a month. That’s not tens — no, it’s hundreds of thousands of pounds spent over the years.
It shows just how much I enjoy a business lunch. However, the days of frequenting a members’ club to devour whatever’s on the trolley, trawling my way through the extensive wine list, and slumping in a wing-backed armchair when it’s almost home time have long gone.
I’ve always advocated for the business lunch and for workers to be forced out of their offices and into our great dining establishments. Not because I’m a fatty who is stuck in the halcyon days of business past. Nor because I want to return to booze-fuelled eating. I rarely drink at lunchtime unless I’ve something to celebrate. It’s simply a great way to get to know people better, explore new ideas and win new business.
As a freelancer, decisions over where to go or how much to spend are governed by WWA (my wallet and whether it’s worth it, my waistline and my accountant. Will he qualify what I spend as a justifiable expense?)
When I started work, we were actively encouraged to widen our network and do so at the company’s expense. These days, companies are far more vigilant on spending. And I no longer have a corporate card to burn.
The financial crash, combined with the pandemic’s legacy of fewer days in the office, spelled the end of the 1990s-style power lunch. Networking has often become something one does electronically or at conferences. Or with in-house meetings powered not by inspiration but sandwiches with filling combos that defy taste and decency. Whatever happened to the art of lunching? And what are the new rules when it comes to spending or picking up the bill?
The easiest cost for any business to cut is expenses. Lunching with your colleagues and sticking the bill on the company card isn’t the best use of company cash. Which explains why companies often provide in-house catering.
In the 1970s and 1980s it was the bosses who benefited. Partnerships, in particular, typically had a “partners’” dining room, offering a full silver service lunch, with plenty of fine wines to slosh down whatever delights the chef had produced that day.
These days, lunch has been democratised: many top firms offer all staff a fine array of food offerings. First, to entice them into the office and second, to keep them there. Particularly in the tech and financial services sectors.
If you’re budget-constrained or have to pay the bill yourself, and you’re lunching with someone from a big firm, ask to go to their in-house dining facility. Not only is it the best way to ensure they pick up the tab but some of these facilities are world class.
Recently I was invited to lunch at Apple’s new Battersea HQ. Its offices are beyond cool, stuffed with people clutching tech and looking important. Today, everyone’s ultimate boss is dressed in a T-shirt, jeans and a funky pair of trainers. They do that very well. Lunch offerings were spectacular. Serving stations offered every style of dining at subsidised prices. Why would you even bother to go out? That, one assumes, is the point.
The sushi and sashimi were some of the best I’ve eaten, and the salad combos highly inventive. All served in a state of the art dining facility that’s as chic as some of the world’s best restaurants. OK, so it’s not table service and there’s no wine, but who cares?
If that’s not an option, don’t be tempted by a pub or a trendy street food purveyor just because you saw an amazing dripping burger on your Insta feed. They’re for your personal time. Nor a chain. I’m never going to do business with the person who invited me to “go Nando’s” because it fitted their client entertainment budget.
I’m well aware that I’m London focused, as are my recommendations. The capital has been the scene of many a fine lunch, including the deal closing celebration for a massive securitisation. Starting at noon with a Michelin starred chef and finishing many thousands of pounds later at a chic drinking spot with the corporate Amex behind the bar.
Ask ChatGPT for your area and it will list suggestions. For me, The Ivy, Sushi Samba, Smith & Wollensky or The Ned popped up. OK — these are options, but if you want to do lunch properly — by my book and if I’m paying — you’ll need to find somewhere more interesting.
You’ll never go wrong by picking a restaurant in the Caprice Holdings group, but be sure to choose a “one off” venue in the group. If your wallet is deeper than the Grand Canyon, there’s Sexy Fish on Mayfair’s Berkeley Square, or 34 Mayfair just off Grosvenor Square. At the latter, stick to the set menu — £28.50 for two courses. Veer into the a la carte and you’ll get stung — £52 for Dover sole or £130 for the Wagyu sirloin. Don’t pick those if you want to be invited out again.
Another favourite is the Arlington in St James’s. The menu is insanely good and the service on point. If you’re not drinking you can escape for less than £50 a head, including service. It’s perfect for doing business, on a budget that’s sensible.
If I want style without the gilding, I’ll pick a local or old established restaurant, such as Da Paolo near Goodge Street — an authentic Italian, tucked out of the way. Quiet and secluded meetings are perfect in a venue like this.
Whatever you do, lunch should be an important part of building relationships. Always offer to pay or, if you want a second meeting, agree to do the next one. And don’t trust anyone who hasn’t got time for lunch. If they’re so busy that they cannot step away from their work for an hour or two, they probably won’t have much time for you either.
James Max is a broadcaster on TV and radio and a property expert. The views expressed are personal. X, Instagram & Threads @thejamesmax
