Free workplace meal toolkit
How to ask about dietary restrictions: office email and RSVP wording
Copy dietary requirements email, Teams and RSVP wording for workplace catering, including reminders, private follow-up and a clear response deadline.
LunchLink Editorial Team
Workplace catering research
LunchLink
Published source and calculation checks; no clinical review claimed
Direct answer
The short answer
Ask employees what the caterer needs to accommodate, identify the meal and response deadline, and give them a private reply option. For example: Please share any dietary requirements or food allergies relevant to our team meal, or request a private follow-up. We will review requests with the caterer before confirming arrangements.
Use the free kit
Collect replies. Prepare the meal count.
Copy questions into your organization’s Google or Microsoft Form, or use the printable sheet. Then enter or import the replies in LunchLink’s private browser planner. No sales email is required.
Copy the questions and invitation wording
WORKPLACE MEAL RESPONSE Event: [name] Service: [date, location and meal] Response deadline: [date, time and timezone] Organizer: [contact] Attendee ID or name Meal date (YYYY-MM-DD) Site / shift Will you eat this meal? Yes / Maybe / No Meal choice (use the organizer’s approved options) Dietary requirements (select all that apply): Vegetarian; Vegan; Halal requested; Kosher requested; Gluten-free requested; Dairy-free requested; No pork; No beef; Jain / no onion or garlic; Other / discuss privately; None Food allergies / cross-contact notes (optional; private organizer follow-up) Please contact me privately: Yes / No Requests are reviewed with the caterer; submitting a form does not confirm accommodation. Please contact [organizer] privately about unclear requirements. Named responses are used for meal planning and shared only with those arranging the meal. Do not post personal dietary details in a public channel. INVITATION Please complete [form link] for [meal/event] by [deadline]. Confirm whether you will eat this meal and use the private follow-up option for any requirements needing discussion. We will review the plan with the caterer before confirming arrangements. REMINDER Responses for [meal/date/shift] close [deadline]. If you have not replied or your plans changed, please use [form link] or contact [organizer]. Changes after this deadline go directly to [organizer]; the supplier’s confirmed final-count cutoff is [cutoff].
Set up Google Forms or Microsoft Forms
Quick setup: create a form in your organization’s account, copy the questions above, choose appropriate response access and add your organizer contact and deadline. For one respondent’s several services, request one response per date/service. The planner does not host a shared response form.
Optional Google generator: download the Apps Script, open a new project at script.google.com, paste the file and run createLunchLinkMealForm. It creates a new draft form and response spreadsheet in your account. It does not publish the form, email attendees or send data to LunchLink. Google asks you to authorize Forms and Sheets access; review the script first. Review questions, sharing, response settings and menu choices before publishing. Organization policies may restrict scripts.
Microsoft Forms: copy the question bank into a new form. Review who can respond and whether names are recorded. Use its response export for Excel; rename columns to match the CSV template before importing into the browser planner.
Keep responses private: do not publish response summaries or a named allergy list. Check whether respondent sign-in is suitable for staff without work accounts. Compare the responses with your invitation list to find non-responders. Use your own email or Teams process for reminders; this toolkit does not automatically send messages.
Google sharing instructions · Microsoft template instructions
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Name the actual meal date, location and service in the message.
- Ask what needs review, without requiring a personal explanation.
- Use a private form or reply route instead of a public channel for allergy details.
Initial email for an office lunch
Subject: Meal reply needed for [team lunch] by [deadline].
We are planning [meal] on [date] for [site / shift]. Please use [form link] to confirm whether you will eat with us and select a meal if choices are listed. Share any dietary requirements or food allergies relevant to this meal, or ask [organizer] for a private follow-up. Please respond by [date, time and timezone]. We will review requests with the caterer before confirming the menu and arrangements.
Use a response form that the organizer controls. Explain who will see the answers and why. Do not ask employees to post allergy details in a shared Teams thread or reply-all email.
Short Teams or Slack message
Planning lunch for [site / shift] on [date]? Please confirm Yes / Maybe / No and your meal choice at [form link] by [deadline]. You can record dietary requests privately in the form or contact [organizer] directly. Please keep personal food-allergy details out of this channel.
For a warehouse floor or staff room, the same short message can sit beside a QR code. Provide an assisted-entry option through a supervisor when a smartphone or company account is not available.
Reminder before the response deadline
Subject: Reminder: [meal] responses close [deadline].
If you have not replied, please confirm whether you will eat at [meal/date/shift] using [form link]. If your attendance or requirements changed, please update your response or contact [organizer]. We are preparing the quantities for caterer review; the supplier's final-count deadline is [confirmed cutoff].
Send a reminder to the appropriate organizer-managed list. The template does not automatically email employees, infer who was invited or give LunchLink permission to market to attendees.
Private clarification and final confirmation
Thank you for your reply. Could we discuss what needs to be reviewed with the caterer for [meal]? We only need the preparation or ingredient requirements relevant to the food; you do not need to explain your diagnosis or personal beliefs.
Once the kitchen has confirmed the arrangement, send the guest the agreed meal and pickup instructions. If the kitchen cannot confirm a request, explain that promptly and discuss an alternative with the guest. Do not write that all dietary needs are covered before checking the actual menu.
Research and limitations
How this guide was prepared
Prepared from the primary references below and LunchLink's workplace meal-planning workflow. Examples and worksheet data are fictional. Template fields and counting rules are original planning recommendations, not a clinical assessment or a claim of legal compliance. Software interfaces and organization settings can change; check the actual form before sharing.
Important limits
- Collect a separate response for each person and meal service. Reconcile duplicate IDs before using totals.
- An allergy or dietary request is not an accepted accommodation. Confirm the complete meal and preparation arrangements with the chosen kitchen.
- Forms and tracker copies remain under the organizer's control. Keep named responses private and share only the information required for the meal.
- LunchLink catering availability, minimums, prices and delivery windows in Toronto and the GTA are confirmed in a written quote.
Sources reviewed
- Tips for food catering
Food Allergy Canada · reviewed 2026-10-28
- Publish and share a form with responders
Google Docs Editors Help · reviewed 2026-10-28
