For years, the contract catering sector has faced the constant challenge of balancing operational efficiency, food safety, costs, scale, and customer satisfaction. We talk a lot—and rightly so—about processes, metrics, productivity, and standardization. But there is one element that, when well developed, elevates all the others: people.
In my experience, over more than 27 years in the segment, I have learned that the true impact of our service is not only in what we deliver, but in how we deliver it. And that “how” necessarily comes from an organizational culture that is alive, practiced, and connected to the reality of operations.
Culture isn’t a speech. It’s routine.
When we talk about culture in the sector, we often think of written values, internal campaigns, or inspiring speeches. All of that matters, but it is not enough if it isn’t connected to the daily routine of those on the front line.
In the day to day of each site, it is people who turn processes into experience. They are the ones who deal with the client, the restaurant user, the unexpected issues, the pressure of peak times, and the repetition of routine. That’s why we believe there is no consistent customer experience without a consistent experience—a journey—for those who serve, one after the other.
People serving people: a strategic choice
In our MENU Experience Planning (PEM), we adopted the concept “People Serving People” as the central path. More than a phrase, it guides leadership decisions, development, communication, and management.
This choice is based on a simple premise that is often overlooked in the sector: the people who serve the customer every day are not in leadership roles, but on the operations floor.
When those people feel heard, trained, respected, and prepared, the service stops being merely correct—and becomes memorable.
The role of leadership in the sector
One of the biggest challenges for contract catering companies is developing leaders who can sustain culture even in complex operational environments. At MENU, we understand that leading is not just about demanding results, but about creating the conditions for results to happen.
That means removing obstacles, clarifying processes, aligning expectations, developing capabilities, and above all, practicing active listening. Leadership stops being centralized and becomes enabling.
Dialogue as a development tool
Within our PEM, we structured recurring rituals called Dialogues, which connect themes such as culture, quality, workplace safety, and operations. These sessions are not designed merely to inform, but to generate reflection, alignment, and real exchange.
When structured and frequent, dialogue becomes a powerful tool to reinforce behaviors, anticipate problems, and build a sense of belonging—something essential in a sector with high turnover and multiple points of contact.
Serving goes beyond the plate
In contract catering, it’s common to measure success through technical indicators—and they are fundamental. But we believe numbers tell only part of the story. Every indicator reflects human attitudes: care, attention, preparation, engagement.
When we look at results, we see people. And when we invest in people, results come more sustainably.
An invitation to the sector
Sharing this perspective in a forum like the We:Food Community is, for us, an invitation to collective reflection. We believe the future of the sector increasingly belongs to companies that understand that processes are executed by people—and experiences are created by them.
Strengthening culture, developing conscious leadership, and creating spaces for dialogue is not just an internal agenda. It is a possible—and necessary—path to raise the level of service, experience, and the sector’s reputation as a whole.
In the end, regardless of the company, the size of the operation, or the business model, we all serve something in common: people.
— Flávio Charles, CEO of Menu.
