what is your corporate catering style
With everyone heading back to work again now, it’s time to start planning your office events.
Whether you need corporate catering for a working lunch, conference, cocktail party, or office Christmas party, there are many things you need to consider. To ensure nothing gets missed, we’ve created this two-part guide to help you determine which corporate catering style suits your needs and provide ‘how to’ ordering tips
Tips for ordering corporate catering
Before ordering office catering, some things you need to consider first include:
- Your budget – this will determine the style and amount of food selections you can include in your order. We can assist and advise you on per head costs. Tell us more about your event.
- Size of your group – whether it’s a small working lunch 10 attendees to a large corporate function for 100, the size of your group will determine the type of food ordered.
- The time of day of the meeting or event – will it be held in the morning, lunchtime, late afternoon or will it run all day?
- Who will be attending your corporate event or meeting – will clients and senior management be attending or is it just a casual staff meeting?
- Will you require staff and equipment? – you may be able to order online using Express Catering rather than choosing from our corporate catering menus that incur additional hire costs.
- How much time do you have to plan your event? – eg. if you have limited time, Express Catering might be the best option, offering next day delivery if your order is confirmed by 2pm.
Now that you’ve determined these things, here are four steps to ordering corporate catering and ensure your office lunch or corporate event is a success.
Set a schedule
- If you’re holding an all-day meeting, training or conference, include short breaks throughout the day to allow your attendees to refuel. This will ensure they stay focused and productive.
- Ensure lunch is built into the day’s agenda so you don’t let your guests go hungry.
- Provide plenty of tea, coffee, juice, water and healthy snacks to keep your guests hydrated and focused.
Choose the perfect food for your event
- To ensure your meeting or corporate function is a success you should pick food items that are easy to eat, won’t leave a mess on clothes or get stuck in attendees teeth.
- If you choose lighter selections for your menu your guests are less likely to fall asleep during the meeting due to a heavy lunch!
- Always cater for special dieteries and allergies. We recommend plenty of gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options. It’s always a good idea to plate these food options separately and label them so it’s clear. A link to understand special dietaries and allergies in more detail can be found here.
- “We’re with the band”. Don’t forget your crew meals! Often overlooked when booking your catering, event planners should consider allocating meals for the crew and/or event suppliers that are staying onsite during your event. Chat with us about the many options available that will satisfy their tummies too.
Preparation and clean-up
- Food should be set up and ready when the break begins. It can look unprofessional if you’re still setting up platters, plates, cutlery and drinks when guests come out of the room for their break.
- Having the food ready when the break begins also means guests can make the best use of their time to network, stretch their legs or get a bite to eat without waiting around.
- If space allows it, consider providing catering outside the meeting room. to make it easier for you to set up and clear away the food platters and crockery without disrupting the meeting. Our Express Catering items come ready to serve in eco-friendly boxes and we offer additional packaging and equipment hire if required.
Choosing your catering style
Depending on the type of meeting, the type of guests attending and the budget, there are many corporate catering menu options available to suit your needs. We offer two very different catering styles which are clearly explained in our next blog, along with how to start ordering and making a booking!
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