What Can Food Deliveries Reveal About Work Culture?

Doordash has released its 2026 workplace delivery trends report, revealing significant shifts in employee habits across companies, particularly in fast growth industries. 

The report, which analysed orders across more than 700 hundred companies at over 4,800 offices, finds that group and late night orders are increasing, signifying a broader return to the office and shifts in traditional 9-5 working. 

It also recommends companies implement employee perks, such as a meal programme, to improve healthy behaviour in the workplace.

Workplace mealtime collaboration

Doordash finds that large workplace orders have grown 30% faster year-over-year when compared to regular delivery orders – suggesting a large-scale return to offices across organisations. 

Research from Hays mirrors this, finding in a 2026 Salary and Recruiting trends guide that 45% of professionals are now hybrid, 38% are fully in-office and just 17% are remote. 

Many leading companies are beginning wider return to office initiatives – such as Microsoft, which has said employees living within 50 miles of its headquarters must return to the office three days a week as of February 2026. 

This is the start of a three phase approach, which will expand to other US locations before applying to staff globally, with plans for all employees to return to the office. 

Amy Coleman, EVP, Chief People Officer of Microsoft, said to employees in an email that the company’s return to office was to help it innovate better. 

She wrote: “In the AI era, we are moving faster than ever, building world-class technology that changes how people live and work, and how organisations everywhere operate.

“If you reflect on our history, the most meaningful breakthroughs happen when we build on each other’s ideas together, in real time.”

Meals may be playing a key role in this work, according to Doordash, with the research finding that large work orders see the most significant increases over key planning months – with large work orders increasing 33% in March, 30% in September and 34% in December.

The eating habits of fast growing industries

According to Doordash, employees working for companies in fast growing industries are ordering after hours more frequently.

The research shows that 62% of AI startup employees have placed delivery orders after 6pm, with those in the banking industry holding 2nd place at 48%.

While most industries were likely to order food at 12pm, the busiest delivery times for AI startup employees were between five and seven, suggesting a shift to later working. 

These longer hours come as many AI companies look to scale rapidly. Andrew Feldman, CEO of AI chip startup Cerebras, shared on the 20VC podcast in October that he believes that working longer hours is instrumental for success. 

He said: “This notion that somehow you can achieve greatness, you can build something extraordinary by working 38 hours a week and having work-life balance, that is mind-boggling to me. It’s not true in any part of life.”

The importance of meal perks

Doordash's report suggests that companies should implement meal perks to improve the healthy habits of their employees. 

For example, offering a sponsored meal programme can encourage better eating, particularly during late-night working hours where employees might otherwise opt for less healthy, quick options. 

Research from the Lunch Report also found that businesses that provide lunch perks are likely to see higher employee in-office attendance, with 58% of hybrid employees saying they would work at least three days on-site if offered free lunch.