Employee & Corporate Catering Solutions in Pittsburgh
Elevate Your Corporate Dining Experience with Common Plea Catering
In the age of convenience, corporate catering has become one of the most quietly disrupted industries in America. With just a few clicks, office managers can order lunches for dozens of employees, delivered straight to the office door from any number of restaurants ranging from McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A to local restaurants. National delivery platforms have capitalized on this demand for convenient workplace meals, offering a tech-driven solution to streamline ordering.
Now, as hybrid schedules give way to full-time office returns, employers are now facing a new challenge. They need to make in-office life feel worth it and give employees a reason to want to come in. That growing need is prompting many to rethink how they support and engage their teams. One area getting renewed focus is how food fits into the workplace.
Across Pittsburgh and beyond, companies are quietly rethinking their relationship with meals in the workplace. Many are walking away from aggregators like ezCater and turning back to local catering partners with roots in the community and a stake in the outcome. Not for nostalgia’s sake, but because the consistency of high quality service, and long-term value speak for themselves.
“ezCater was easy, but it never felt tailored,” says Megan L., a Pittsburgh-based operations director at a mid-sized tech firm. “It checked the box of getting food to the office, but the delivery was inconsistent, and the setup felt more like a fast-food drop-off than a proper meal. Our team wanted more than cold nuggets in a foil pan or a stack of unmarked boxes at reception.”
The problem, many corporate decision-makers are finding, is that tech platforms are good at logistics—but not always at hospitality. They can aggregate menus and automate billing, but when it comes to real customization, seamless service, or complex dietary accommodations, the system begins to show its cracks.
That’s where companies like Common Plea Catering, a longtime staple in Pittsburgh’s culinary scene, are gaining traction. Known for feeding everyone from Fortune 500 boardrooms to black-tie galas, the company has been quietly building a new kind of workplace dining model, one rooted in hospitality, not just delivery logistics.
The core difference, according to industry analysts, comes down to service. While platforms like ezCater function as digital marketplaces, connecting offices to a wide roster of restaurants, they rarely offer consistency in quality, presentation, or support. Food is often delivered in bags to a desk, with minimal attention to the experience. In contrast, working directly with a caterer like Common Plea means tapping into a curated menu, a dedicated service team, and a high-touch delivery process that aligns with a company’s brand and culture.
“It’s about more than food—it’s about how food shows up,” says Lina Terpin Director of Business Development for Common Plea Catering. “We’re not just dropping off lunch. We’re helping shape the tone of your meeting, the energy of your team, and the impression you make on a client.”
Cost is another key factor. While ezCater is often framed as the budget-friendly option, many companies are surprised to learn that third-party markups and service fees can account for 15–30% of the bill. And that money doesn’t go toward better food—it goes to the platform. By contrast, working with a caterer directly eliminates those intermediary costs and gives clients more value per dollar, often with greater flexibility in menu planning and service style.
For companies returning to the office, that value goes beyond economics. Recent workplace studies suggest that food is increasingly seen as a critical tool for retention and culture-building. Meals bring people together, promote collaboration, and offer a sense of care. And while a delivery app may feed a team, it doesn’t necessarily build community.
That may be why a growing number of Pittsburgh businesses—from law firms to tech startups—are shifting to recurring meal programs with caterers like Common Plea. These programs provide rotating seasonal menus, accommodate dietary needs without guesswork, and offer a level of consistency that third-party apps struggle to match.
And perhaps most importantly, there’s accountability. “If something goes wrong with ezCater, you’re on hold with a call center,” says Megan. “With Common Plea, I have someone I can text who knows our office, our people, and what we like to eat. That kind of trust is hard to replicate with an app.”
For some companies, the move is as much philosophical as it is practical. In a business culture where personalization is prized and community matters more than ever, the faceless convenience of a national platform may no longer be enough. A warm lunch served on time, from a team that knows your name? That’s starting to feel like a competitive advantage.
Experience the difference with Common Plea Catering’s corporate dining program, and elevate your business events with exceptional cuisine and unparalleled service.
- Flexible Dining Plans & Dining Experience
- Custom Corporate Markets
- Mobile Kitchens
- Grab & Go Markets
- Grab & Go Meals
- Corporate Events
- Delivery
Our Corporate Dining Program
is a Great Fit for Your Team
- Appealing benefit for newly hired employees
- Competitive perk that many other companies are not offering
- Healthy, nutritional meals, matched to your employees’ needs
- Convenient on-site dining helps employees save time
- Tax-deductible for employers as an employee benefit
(please use guidance of a tax professional)
Employee & Corporate
Catering Solutions in
Pittsburgh
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