Writing your Boss a Thank You Note for Lunch

Your boss took you to lunch! That’s great. Thanks for lunch boss!

I encourage you to write him a hand written thank you note. There are many possible reasons to write the boss a thank-you note following lunch. This post will cover the when, why, how to, and a few tips.

Examples:

25 Thank-You note examples for lunch with only you and the boss

25 Thank-You note examples for teach lunch with boss

When to write your boss a thank you note for lunch:

If the boss takes you out to lunch individually, follow up with a thank-you note.

There are two exceptions, 1. if the boss is having lunch with you to fire you or lay you off then a thank you note is not recommended.  2. the boss is also a close friend and you go out often together. This would fall under the casual lunch situation.

For a group lunch when the boss takes out the entire team or several people, an email may be fine as described in other Do you write a thank you note for lunch? situations.

If the lunch was a working lunch, and not really the boss taking you out, a thank you note is not needed (unless you want to!).

Why to write your boss a thank you note for lunch:

Perhaps, you were the one on the team that he was able to take out individually. Matt McWilliams has written an article on the boss doing for one what they wish could be done for all.  If it was your turn for lunch with the boss follow up with a thank you.

Perhaps, your boss took you out to recognize you for a promotion or reward. Maybe lunch is part of an award.

Even if the boss is spending company money to cover the lunch, you should still write a thank you. In this case, the lunch is more about the time spent with you than where the money came from to pay the bill.

The boss may have taken you out to impart some wonderful knowledge or give you some advice. Or to notify you of being promoted.

How to write your boss a thank you note for lunch:

Hand write the thank you note and then hand it to him. Or leave it on his desk. Or if your business/office has a mailbox system, leave it in his mailbox. Asking the boss for his home address is not professional.

When choosing the design, pick a theme that you know your boss will like. Or go with a simple classic thank you card that just says “Thank You” or “Thanks” on the front.

On the inside of the card write the note using a pen as pencil markings will fade over time. Also, write the note within a few days of having lunch together.

Thank the boss for the specific reason they had lunch with you and also for their time. If they shared something personal you can mention that as well.

It could be something like this example:

Dear [insert boss name],

Thank you for taking me out to lunch at [insert restaurant name]. I enjoyed our visit and learning about your family. I appreciate the time you take out of your day. I enjoyed learning more about project [insert project name]. I am looking forward to working on it with you.

Thanks Again,

Heidi

More examples: 25 examples specific to when your boss takes only you to lunch can be read here.

Tips:

Remember to not over think it.

Be genuine. And do not make up anything to sound impressive (you won’t)!

If its possible that others will see your thank you note (some bosses leave them on their desk or on display), do not include anything confidential. Do not include anything you would not want your fellow team members to see.

Make your note feel personal by including something specific from the lunch. This could be something from conversation or about the food.

Does your boss ever take you to lunch?

You may also like:

Do you write a thank you note for lunch?

25 Thank-You note examples for lunch with only you and the boss

25 Thank-You Note examples for team lunch with boss

Heidi Bender

Website

Heidi has been writing thank you notes for more than 30 years and is the author of A Modern Guide to Writing Thank-You Notes. Her goal is to help people write better thank-you notes by providing tips and examples.