Lunches at Mentimeter - Harnessing the Power of Together (through Food!)
Eating together really is that important to us, it brings us together, it gives us the feeling of being one unit. It is part of our Power of Together philosophy. As in most homes, the kitchen at Menti really is the heart of the office. It is the meeting point, where you can grab a snack, a coffee and go from small talk to family and personal interests.
12 o’clock Monday to Thursday at Mentimeter is lunch time. But it’s not an office lunchtime like many people might know it, lunch at Mentimeter is a dinner party with friends where we’re all the host.
At Mentimeter we try to use lunchtime to create an atmosphere that fosters curiosity, breaks silos and creates everyday magic. Finding a nutritious and hearty one-dish-fits-all is our goal every lunch. We are inclusive by default: non-vegan/gluten-free as an exception rather than a rule. We go beyond lunch and make sure we have varied snacks available that help us activate throughout the day. Our restaurant is not a corporate canteen, but a venue for dinner with friends. We all aim to be gracious, be tidy, and do our bit to make sure everyone else feels happy and welcome.
Lunch at Mentimeter
One of our core values is Include Everyone, and inclusive eating is about having one family-style dinner. Sitting down together all sharing the same food. It brings a sort of humbleness that no matter whether you are the CEO or an intern everyone can have a chat about whatever springs to mind and no topics are off-limits. Our lunches bring people together, it gives people an opportunity to integrate, to introduce new team members and to make sure that no one has to eat alone.
“It gives me the opportunity to get to know more of my Mentimeter colleagues in a way that wouldn’t be possible without these lunches.” - Johanna, CMO
Having food served in the office of course saves time, but it encourages us to get to know each other on a deeper and more personal level than just work colleagues. It offers a gateway for us to do non-work things together like play a game of ping pong or take the office doggos out for a walk. This time builds our connections and helps us to understand one another better which in turn helps us to improve how we work together. It breaks silos and does wonders with information sharing, problem solving, and innovation. It is the foundation to building our culture that we thrive in today. A culture of feeling safe, appreciated and one that encourages open communication.
“It is great having the possibility every day of sitting down with people that you wouldn’t otherwise interact with on a day to day basis. Often it sparks ideas to get these new perspectives, but most importantly it builds a sense of togetherness.” - Anton, Fullstack Engineer
The Food
The food served at the office always includes a plant-based and gluten-free option. Our dedicated People & Workplace Operations Team work to make sure that no matter what food preferences you have that we can eat together with colleagues and enjoy one family-style meal. We work to be inclusive by default, so non-vegan and non-gluten-free is the exception rather than the rule.
The plant-based food isn’t just about following a vegan trend. It is much bigger than that. It is about lowering our environmental impact, which is something we take seriously at Mentimeter. We track the carbon footprint of the food we serve to track the impact we are having on the climate, then we periodically repay that debt through a process of carbon capture provided by Nordic DAC Group.
We know that people should try and opt for a largely plant-based diet in order to reduce the carbon footprint and we try to follow that guide at Mentimeter. Before we do anything or buy anything, we ask ourselves what effect might this have on the environment? That means no plastic straws, minimising other plastic packaging as well as meat-free meals.
We try to serve lunches at Mentimeter that have a reduced climate impact, but that doesn’t mean compromising on how satisfying, filling, healthy, and seasonal our meals are. In addition to bringing us all together, lunches at Mentimeter are also about everyday moments of joy and magic. They’re about trying new things, exploring other cuisines and ourselves. They’re about personal growth and development.
To discover more culture in practice at Mentimeter, check out our culture page.
