There are many ways to take lunch while working in a city like Chicago. Sometimes you’re scrambling to pack something together before you miss the train, sometimes you settle on a nearby chain restaurant, and sometimes, when you’re lucky, your company provides on-site dining options.
At The Chicago Collection, each building offers something different while contributing to Irvine Company’s broader notion of creating vibrant workplace experiences. While across the three there are upscale food hall options, 300 N LaSalle is also home to Chicago Cut Steakhouse, an exceptionally rated restaurant overlooking the Chicago River. At One North Wacker, One North Kitchen & Bar is conveniently located for customers to use for post-work drinks or business lunches.
In the article “Here’s Why It’s Important to Get Along With Your Co-Workers” on Glassdoor, Julia Malacoff writes, “the higher a person’s social identification at work, the better their health and well-being.” When we think about the best ways to socially engage with friends, we immediately think about food. It could be a dinner party cooked at home, or planning a weekend brunch outing. Either way, we bond over food and drinks. At 71 S Wacker, where the cafe at The Exchangeprovides an array of menu options, all easy to order from by using one of the kitchen’s computers, along with Italian coffee bar Caffè RōM and The Taproom, a self-pour bar that serves artisan coffee in the morning and beer & wine in the afternoon, co-workers find time to catch up in a more casual setting. It is a perfect way to both relax and strengthen social relations in the workplace itself.
These spots also provide the option to have comfortable business meetings. The reviews on One North Kitchen’s website rave about how great it is as a lunch spot, and how the service is efficient without making customers feel rushed. In an article on Entrepreneur, author Murray Newlands observes about business lunch meetings, “The right venue ensures all parties are comfortable and the meeting achieves its objectives. The wrong venue can lead to stress, discomfort, hunger and poor decision-making.” The perfect solution for removing another step from the planning process is meeting at a location you are already familiar with, in a restaurant you know provides great service and food or in a serene and spacious lounge where food is available nearby, like The Exchange.
The general managers and chefs involved in these restaurants and cafes are all dedicated to making the work experience smoother and delicious. Food enhances the experience of socializing, whether it’s breaking the ice with a new boss or brainstorming with colleagues.
