Contract Caterers in London – there are many however which are the best?
Contract Caterers in London – Which are recommended for high-end Corporate Offices, Law Firms and Financial Institutions?
Contract Caterers in London offer an enormous choice, from large international catering groups to smaller, independently owned specialists. But which companies should you invite to tender, and what really separates one catering provider from another? Gone are the days when a handful of major operators dominated corporate catering in London. Today, businesses can choose from established international companies, specialist workplace caterers and independent businesses offering a more individual approach to food and hospitality.
There is also something worth knowing before putting together a tender list: several of London’s best-known contract catering companies belong to the same parent groups. We’ve explained these relationships below, with links to the individual companies.
At FRONT, we work closely with Front of House Managers and workplace professionals across London’s law firms, financial institutions and corporate offices. We also asked 50 Front of House Managers about their experiences with contract catering ahead of our next FOH Managers Forum.
Here are some of the companies worth considering, followed by our original industry feedback and ten essential tips for choosing the right caterer. The following companies are not ranked in order of performance. Each has its own strengths, specialisms and approach to corporate catering.
Thomas Franks – Independent, Chef-Led Contract Catering
Thomas Franks is a family-owned catering company with a strong reputation for food-led hospitality and a personalised approach. Its London operation focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients, creative menus and giving chefs the freedom to produce genuinely interesting food.
Thomas Franks caters for corporate workplaces, business dining, events and other sectors, with an emphasis on quality, presentation and individual client requirements. We’ve experienced Thomas Franks’ catering first-hand at FRONT & the CFFMA.org, and the quality of the food was genuinely exceptional. For London businesses looking for a specialist catering partner with a strong focus on food, Thomas Franks is certainly worth including on the tender list.
Website: Thomas Franks London
Compass Group – Contract Catering Brands (they have many)
Compass Group UK & Ireland is one of the country’s largest foodservice businesses. Its portfolio includes several well-known catering brands operating across corporate workplaces, hospitality, events and other sectors.
Restaurant Associates specialises in premium workplace catering, executive dining and corporate hospitality. It is particularly relevant to businesses where client entertaining and presentation are important parts of the catering requirement.
CH&CO brings together specialist catering and hospitality businesses serving workplaces, venues, events and other sectors. It became part of Compass Group in 2024.
Vacherin is a London-focused workplace caterer known for its tailored approach to corporate dining and hospitality. Established in 2003, it operates within CH&CO and therefore the wider Compass Group.
Gather & Gather focuses on workplace food, cafés, restaurants and hospitality, with an emphasis on creating catering experiences suited to the culture of each organisation.
WSH Group – BaxterStorey, Searcys and their 0ther Catering Brands
WSH (Westbury Street Holdings) is a major hospitality group with a collection of established catering brands. The businesses retain their own identities and operating approaches while benefiting from the resources of the wider group.
BaxterStorey is one of the best-known names in workplace catering, providing chef-led food services, staff dining and hospitality across corporate and business environments.
Searcys is an established British hospitality name associated with premium dining, events and distinctive venues. It is particularly relevant when considering high-end entertaining and event hospitality.
BM Caterers, previously known as Bartlett Mitchell, specialises in workplace catering with a focus on fresh food, employee dining and personalised service. Bartlett Mitchell joined WSH in 2020.
Elior Group – Elior and Lexington Catering
Elior UK is an established catering and hospitality provider operating across workplaces and other sectors. Its portfolio includes specialist businesses with different areas of expertise. Lexington Catering has strong roots in London’s corporate catering market and is known for its food-led approach to business dining and hospitality, using seasonal ingredients and menus tailored to individual clients.
Other Contract Catering Companies Worth Considering
Bennett Hay is an independent London workplace catering and guest services business. It offers a tailored approach to food, hospitality and workplace experiences, with particular relevance to corporate offices and professional services environments.
Aramark UK is part of a major international foodservice business, providing catering and hospitality across workplaces, education, sport, entertainment and other sectors. Its scale and operational resources may appeal to organisations with extensive catering requirements.
Remember: A company belonging to a larger catering group is not necessarily the same as another brand within that group. Management teams, menus, service styles and client relationships can be very different. When selecting companies to tender, it’s worth understanding both the individual brand and the parent organisation.
What 50 Front of House Managers Told Us About Their Contract Caterers
Before our Autumn 2018 Front of House Managers Forum, FRONT asked 50 Front of House Managers whether they were happy with their current contract catering company.
Many were extremely satisfied and had only positive things to say about the service they received. Others were considering changing suppliers or had already begun exploring their options.
Interestingly, the same catering company could be performing brilliantly at one London law firm while receiving considerable criticism at another.
This raised an important question. Was the difference down to the people delivering the contract, the quality of local management, the relationship with the client, or simply different expectations?
Whatever the explanation, it demonstrated that the name of the catering company alone cannot guarantee a successful contract.
Keeping the Food Interesting
One of the points raised by Front of House Managers was how to keep chefs motivated when they are regularly asked to produce sandwiches, meeting-room lunches and other relatively repetitive items.
Some catering companies appeared happy to keep the same menus for six months or even a year. Others were introducing completely new menus every month.
Regular changes, seasonal ingredients and opportunities for chefs to be creative can make a considerable difference to the quality and variety of food being offered.
Does Senior Management Stay Involved?
Another concern was how involved senior catering management remained after winning the contract.
It’s one thing to send an impressive team to a tender presentation. It’s quite another to maintain that level of interest once the contract is signed.
Do senior managers visit regularly? Do they bring new ideas? Are they proactive when problems arise, or do they only respond after receiving complaints?
These are questions worth asking before making an appointment.
These observations come from FRONT’s original 2018 forum research and are not presented as a current survey or ranking of catering providers.
10 Essential Tips for Choosing a Contract Caterer in London
- Value for money. Compare the overall service, not simply the headline price. Look at food quality, staffing levels, management support and additional charges.
- Sustainability. Ask about local sourcing, food waste, packaging, environmental policies and what the company actually does to reduce its impact.
- Senior management involvement. Find out who will manage your contract and how often senior representatives will visit or meet with your workplace team.
- Proactive or reactive? Does the company bring fresh ideas and suggest improvements, or wait until something goes wrong?
- Menu development. How often are menus updated? Are chefs encouraged to introduce seasonal dishes and respond to changing tastes?
- Comparable clients. Ask which other law firms, financial institutions or corporate offices the caterer serves. Can you visit one of those sites and speak to the client?
- Employee satisfaction. Consider looking at Glassdoor reviews and asking about staff retention. Unhappy or frequently changing teams can affect continuity, although individual online reviews should be assessed carefully.
- Don’t rely entirely on awards. Industry recognition is welcome, but direct client references and visits to working sites are far more useful when assessing day-to-day performance.
- Recruitment and training. How does the caterer recruit chefs and hospitality staff? What training is provided, and what happens when key team members leave?
- What makes them different? Ask for real examples of improvements they have delivered for clients, rather than accepting the usual promises about quality, creativity and exceptional service.
Why the Relationship with Your Reception Team Matters
In London’s corporate offices, the contract catering team often works closely with reception, meeting-room and Front of House staff.
From arranging client lunches and refreshments to managing dietary requirements and last-minute event changes, the relationship between these teams can have a significant effect on the visitor experience.
When the teams work well together, everything runs more smoothly. When communication breaks down, small problems can quickly develop into frustration and the familiar blame game.
It’s therefore worth involving your Front of House Manager in the catering selection process. They may have practical questions about service delivery, communication and day-to-day operations that are easily overlooked during a formal tender.
For more on this subject, read our article about when catering teams and reception teams clash.
Which Contract Caterer Should You Choose?
There is no single catering company that will be the best fit for every London business.
A large corporate headquarters with extensive staff dining requirements may need a different solution from a smaller law firm where executive dining, client lunches and private events are the priority.
Our advice is to speak to several providers, visit comparable client sites and meet the people who will actually be responsible for delivering your contract.
Ask other Front of House Managers and Facilities Managers about their experiences. They can often provide a much more realistic picture of what working with a catering company is like after the tender presentation is over.
Above all, remember that the people managing and delivering your catering contract can be just as important as the company you choose.
Front of House and Hospitality Recruitment in London
FRONT specialises in recruiting professional corporate receptionists, Front of House staff and management professionals for London’s law firms, financial institutions and corporate offices.
We provide temporary and permanent reception staff and also recruit Front of House Managers and General Managers across selected hospitality environments.
If you’re looking for a polished corporate receptionist or an experienced Front of House professional, visit our Receptionist Recruitment Agency.
You can also explore our Hospitality Management Recruitment services.