Rethinking Business Meetings: Why Offices Are Moving Conversations Into Restaurants

Business meetings have long been synonymous with meeting rooms, lukewarm coffee, and screen fatigue. But as workplaces rethink how people collaborate, a quiet shift is happening: more teams are taking meetings out of the office and into restaurants.

And it’s not just about the food.

A change of scenery changes how people think.

Research and lived experience show that stepping out of familiar environments can improve focus, creativity, and engagement. Restaurants offer a more relaxed, neutral setting - one that encourages better conversation and stronger connection, whether it’s a client meeting, team catch-up, or planning session.

The challenge, historically, has been logistics.

Where group bookings usually fall apart...

Anyone who’s organised a group lunch knows the pain points:

• Long waits to order
• Awkward bill splitting
• Meetings running over schedule
• Extra admin falling on PAs, EAs, or HR

That friction often pushes teams back into meeting rooms... even when they know a different setting would be better.

How Rapid makes it work

Rapid removes the friction from group dining by allowing teams to pre-order and pre-pay ahead of time. Everyone knows what they’re having, the restaurant is prepared, and the meeting can start, and finish, on time!