What Should a Christmas Lunch for Hospital Staff in Northwest Arkansas Include?
Food that people can eat on different schedules: individually boxed lunches, sandwich trays and bite-size desserts, delivered in insulated carriers ahead of the break window. Rx Catering NWA delivers across Northwest Arkansas from Fayetteville on 24 hours' notice, though December fills up, so booking earlier is wiser.
Jay Ramsey founded Rx Catering in 2001, and the company says its team brings "60+ years of combined experience" to every order. AY Magazine listed Rx Catering as a "Best Caterer" finalist in 2024. The Fayetteville kitchen handles the sourcing, prep, delivery and set-up for Northwest Arkansas itself.
Anyone who has run a church potluck knows the pattern. The food arrives, and the people who need it most are stuck in a room somewhere else. A hospital unit lives with that every shift.
This guide is for whoever is organizing the meal: a pharmaceutical rep thanking the clinics on their route, a unit coordinator, or a family feeding the crew working Christmas week. Check two rules first. Each facility sets its own policy on outside food, and reps answer to their employer's rules on meals. Ask before you order.
Which Foods Suit Staff Who Eat in Shifts?
Individually packed meals suit staff who eat in turns, because each person takes one and goes back to work. Rx's menu lists several that fit:
- Box Lunch, $13.49: a wrap sandwich, chips, a cookie and a fruit bowl, packed in individual portions. Minimum of 10.
- Assorted Sandwich Trays, $11.29: croissant, wrap and hoagie sandwiches (Turkey & Swiss, Ham & American, Chicken Salad and Veggie Wrap) with chips and pickle spears. Minimum of 10.
- The WORKS Platter, $13.49: an assorted sandwich tray, chips, cookies and a fruit tray in one order. Minimum of 10.
- Fresh Fruit Platter or Vegetable Tray, $82.99 each: the fruit platter comes with dip, the vegetable tray with Buttermilk Ranch.
- Brownie Bites and Mini Cheesecake Bites, $24.99 per dozen: a sweet that needs no plate.
- Java Boxes, $25.00: each serves 12, in Regular, Decaf, Caramel Pecan, Snickerdoodle or French Vanilla, with sweetener, half & half and cups packed in.
A Decaf Java Box suits a crew winding down after a night.
When the unit wants a true holiday meal, the Smoked Turkey dinner is the classic. It comes with dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce, plus one holiday vegetable, one holiday side and bread, at $18.95 per person with a 10-person minimum. Hot catered meals come with plates, napkins, cutlery and serving utensils, so there is nothing to wash in the break room afterward.
Mixed diets are normal on a unit. Gluten-free hot entrées are marked GF on the printed menu, and vegetarian dishes such as Veggie Lasagna and Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms are on the regular menu.
When Should Lunch Arrive Around Shift Change?
Aim for the middle of a shift, not the handoff itself. The American Nurses Association describes the 12-hour shift as standard for many hospital nurses, "typically from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m." That means two handoffs a day and two crews to feed.
Handoff is when one crew briefs the next, so food that lands then may sit untouched. Facilities vary, so the unit's own schedule beats any rule of thumb. Ask the charge nurse or unit manager which hour is quietest. Pick a delivery window, give the driver a name and a room, and tell the unit what time to expect the food.
A unit with two crews has two lunches to plan, and one big drop rarely serves both. Ask Rx whether a second delivery can cover the next crew. Rx's kitchen keeps its own hours, listed below, so a night-crew meal is a question to raise early.
How Does the Food Arrive, and Does It Stay Ready to Serve?
For office-style lunches, Rx's food arrives in insulated carriers, ready to serve. Larger events get chafing dishes set up on site instead. Tell Rx at booking whether yours is a break-room lunch or a bigger gathering, and the kitchen can say which setup applies.
The clock matters once the lids come off. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service puts the Danger Zone at 40 °F to 140 °F. It advises that perishable food not sit out more than two hours, or one hour above 90 °F. Staff on staggered breaks drift in over a long stretch, so that window closes fast.
Boxed lunches simplify this, since each person takes one individual portion instead of serving from a shared pan. A hot meal is best served promptly, with the next crew's portions arriving on a second delivery.
What Does Lunch for a 24-Person Unit Cost?
Take a unit with 12 day-shift and 12 night-shift staff, a size chosen only to keep the arithmetic plain. At the listed store prices:
- 24 Box Lunches at $13.49 each: 24 × $13.49 = $323.76.
- Two dozen Brownie Bites: 2 × $24.99 = $49.98.
- Two Java Boxes, one Regular and one Decaf: 2 × $25.00 = $50.00, enough for 24 cups.
The food total is $323.76 + $49.98 + $50.00 = $423.74. A hot Christmas meal for the same 24 people, Smoked Turkey dinners at $18.95 each, comes to 24 × $18.95 = $454.80. For anything past the menu, call the kitchen and ask.
Where Does Rx Catering NWA Deliver, and How Do You Book?
Rx delivers to the Fayetteville area, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and the towns around them, plus Fort Smith, Van Buren and Harrison. Hospitals and clinics in those towns sit inside the delivery area. Drivers bring the order to the office, church hall or venue you name.
Booking is short. Rx Catering NWA asks for 24 hours' notice and can deliver the same day if the schedule allows. Book early for a Friday lunch or a Saturday party in the weeks before Christmas. Have your headcount, the date, the delivery address and any allergies ready when you call.
Rx Catering NWA is at 121 West Township Street, Fayetteville, AR 72703, and answers at (479) 502-9879. Listed hours are Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 7 AM to 3 PM, with Sunday closed. Ask about holiday-week scheduling when you call.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice does a Christmas lunch order need?
Rx Catering NWA asks for 24 hours' notice and can deliver the same day if the schedule allows. December fills up, so ordering earlier is wiser.
Can one order feed both shifts?
Individually packed Box Lunches suit it, since each person takes their own. Tell Rx when each crew eats and ask how delivery can be timed around them.
What about allergies and special diets?
Gluten-free hot entrées are marked GF on the printed menu, and vegetarian dishes are on the regular menu. Rx's menu invites requests: "If you don't see something listed, just ask." Give your allergies when you call.