How to Cater an Office Lunch From Gustavo’s, With a Real Order for 20

Most catering questions we get at the register come down to three things: how much notice do you need, what does it cost, and will it show up on time. Here is how it works when you order a corporate lunch from Gustavo’s Mexican Grill, with a real order for an office of 20 priced from our current catering menu.

How much notice does Gustavo’s need for catering?

At least 24 hours. That is the minimum, and it is the honest one. We buy meat and produce fresh and the salsa gets made in house every morning, so a day’s notice lets the kitchen at your nearest location fold your order into a normal prep day instead of a scramble. For a large order, or anything on a Friday, more notice is better. For a Monday morning meeting, please do not call Sunday at 9:30 pm. We will try, but the person who makes the tortillas has already gone home.

What does catering from Gustavo’s cost?

Three numbers to know before you call.

• A 30 percent down payment reserves your date.
• Delivery is a flat $25 within 10 miles of any of our five locations. Farther out, call and we will figure it out together.
• Per-person pricing on the main dishes runs from $13.99 for the Taco Bar to $19.99 for the Taquiza (tacos al pastor or asada). Dips, sides and desserts are priced by the quart, the pan or the person.

One thing to know right now: our online catering payment is temporarily down, so the form on our catering page is a menu to read, not a cart to check out. Call the location closest to your office and a manager will take the order and the deposit over the phone or in person.

A real order for an office of 20

Say you have 20 people, a noon meeting, and an office near our Hurstbourne location at 401 S Hurstbourne Pkwy. Here is what we would put together, using the prices on our catering menu as of this writing.

• Taco Bar for 20 at $13.99 per person: $279.80. Chicken or beef, flour or corn tortillas or both. The minimum is 10 people, so 20 clears it comfortably.
• Two quarts of Guacamole at $22.99 each (a quart serves about 12): $45.98.
• Two quarts of Cheese Dip at $22.99 each: $45.98.
• Delivery within 10 miles: $25.

That comes to $396.76 before tax, just under $20 a head, and the 30 percent deposit to hold it is about $119. Want dessert? Churros or Mexican Flan are $5.99 per person, which adds $119.80 for 20 and, in our experience, ends the meeting on time. Nobody argues with a churro in their hand.

If your group has bigger appetites, the Fajita Bar at $16.99 per person (steak, chicken or a mix, add shrimp for $1.50 more per person) is the upgrade people notice. The Build Your Own Protein Bowl at $15.99 per person, with chicken or steak and black or pinto beans, covers the lighter-lunch crowd without anyone feeling singled out.

Buffet or plated, and who sets it up

For corporate orders we do buffet style or individually plated meals. Buffet works for a conference room with a side table. Plated is the right call when people are eating at their desks or you are feeding a board that does not want to stand in line. Either way, our catering team handles delivery, setup and presentation, and we can handle the cleanup afterward. Tableware can be disposable or reusable, your choice. If you need service staff on site, ask when you order.

Vegetarian and gluten-free at the office

Both are on the catering menu. Corn tortillas on the Taco Bar, the Protein Bowl, the House Salad ($7.99 per person, add chicken or shrimp for $2.99) and the Spinach Salad with Avocado and Orange ($8.99 per person) cover most of what an office asks for. Tell us the count of each when you order.

Timing and drop-off

Give us the time you want people eating, not the time you want the van in the lot, and we will work backward from it. Add the delivery address and a phone number that will actually be answered at the front desk. Drinks are simple: Jarritos, aguas frescas (horchata or jamaica) and Coke products are all on the catering menu.

Why order from a restaurant instead of a catering company

Because it is the same food. The Taco Bar that shows up at your office is cooked in the same kitchen, from the same recipes, as the Tacos Al Pastor somebody ordered for dinner at our Crestwood location last night. Gustavo opened the first Gustavo’s in Crestwood in 2010, and five locations later every kitchen cooks to the same standard.

Tastings and repeat orders

If you are lining up catering for a recurring meeting or a big annual event, ask about a tasting session. It is the fastest way to settle the chicken-versus-steak debate in your office.

How to place the order

Call the Gustavo’s nearest your office and ask for a manager: Hurstbourne (502) 420-1100, Crestwood (502) 243-6950, LaGrange (502) 610-2403, Norton Commons (502) 690-7070, Prospect Village (502) 434-7266. Have your head count, date, time, delivery or pickup, and a rough idea of the menu. We will handle the rest, including the part where someone in accounting asks for the receipt twice.