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You’re planning your next corporate event. You want to host a day-long event that will be a hit with your colleagues. Here are 8 tips for catering your next corporate event.
Count Heads
Prepare an estimate of the number of people to be served to a caterer, or to give to a planner to help them start planning menus. As your corporate event approaches, provide regular updates. For those in need of professional assistance, corporate catering services in Auckland can help ensure your event is well-organized and meets all your catering needs. Most venues require 35 guests to host a buffet.
Head Count Catering Tips
Overestimate the number of guests to allow for those who arrive at the last minute. Many venues will substitute menu items if the number of guests increases on the day.
Set A Budget
Do your executives want steak and lobster, but you’ve been given a budget for hamburgers and hot dogs? Clarify what should be included in your budget, and discuss it with the management team before you give it to a caterer. Do not forget to include linens, china and flowers on the tables. You can budget for and plan everything with the help of event planners.
Theme Meetings
What is the theme or focus of your corporate event. A buffet is a great way to thank employees for their hard work. Buffets are not the best choice for corporate events that aim to thank the sales team as they were the top earners in the fiscal year. Plan your menu based on the mood you want to create.
Stick To A Schedule
Are you planning to have multiple speakers or presentations at your corporate event? Work with an event planner or caterer to plan the food service according to the schedule of the day.
Buffet Or Wait Staff Service?
You’ll need to decide how busy the corporate event is to determine if you want a self-serve or full service wait staff to take plates and serve them. A full-service wait staff will keep attendees seated longer if you want to focus on the corporate speaker. You can break the day up by scheduling a buffet that will allow attendees to mingle.
Select A Menu
Choose your catering menu for corporate events by following these tips:
- On a weekday, breakfast functions should include a main course, two sides, and fruit juices. Pastries are also available.
- Lunch should include a 5-ounce entree, 2 to 3 side dishes and 2 to 4 appetizers.
- Dinner usually includes three to five starters, soup, salad, and a main course of 7 ounces. Two to three sides dishes are also served. Consider serving two desserts per guest.
- Cocktail functions that do not include dinner require 10 to 15 appetisers per person.
Dietary Restraints
You should have enough variety on your menu to please all of your guests. You should let your caterer know that you are looking for vegan and gluten free options, as many people follow a vegetarian diet or a gluten-free one. It’s vital that any employees who have dietary restrictions RSVP to the event so the caterer can be informed in advance.
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