Got a big event planned? Looking after your guests and making sure everyone has an enjoyable and memorable experience is your number one priority. Event catering plays a big part in that. Whether you’re looking at snacks and light refreshments for a short seminar or more substantial catering options for conferences, business lunches or gala dinners, the food and drink you serve can make a big difference to how your event goes down.

Food helps people relax. It encourages them to mix and converse and it gives them fuel for the rest of the event. It’s a talking point and a form of entertainment in its own right.

For all of these reasons, choosing the catering service for your event is one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make. Corporate event catering is a specialist field. An experienced, reliable caterer can add significant value to your event. Both by taking on a big slice of the organizing burden and by delivering something that will make your guests smile.

There are lots of event catering services out there. How do you choose the right one? Here are some key things to look out for.

Flexibility

Corporate events come in all sorts of guises. Often with very different catering requirements. They can be as far apart as a formal five-course meal for an industry awards evening and drinks and canapes at a brand launch. Or they could be food hall-style catering for a trade show and a breakfast buffet for a networking event.

At the same time, corporate event organisers often have specific ideas for how they want catering to fit in with and complement the rest of the programme. It’s therefore important to look for a catering service that is flexible about menus, service, timings and more. Pick a caterer that is willing to listen to what you want and deliver a bespoke solution.

Experience in corporate events

The fact that corporate event catering covers so much ground makes it stand out from other types of catering. There are different challenges and requirements across all the different event types. To be sure you are getting a premium service that is just right for your event, it’s a good idea to go with a provider that has a proven track record in corporate hospitality.

Menus

A good catering service will be happy to work with you to build a bespoke menu that is just right for your clientele. But you can get a very good idea about their capabilities from the fixed menus they advertise. In particular, look out for three things:

Do they have fixed or sample menus available?

How many different types of menu are there?

What is the choice like on each menu, especially with regards to dietary requirements?

A good catering service will want to show off what it is capable of to prospective clients and will proudly have its menus available for perusal. And if you can’t see a sample menu before you even start a conversation, how do you have any idea if they will be able to serve the kind of food you have in mind?

The number of different menus advertised will give you a good idea of how flexible they can be. If they only list an a la carte dinner menu, for example, you should wonder if they have the experience or resources to offer buffets, canapes, conference catering, or snacks and light refreshments.

The same goes for the amount of choice on each menu. The key to getting catering right is making sure there is something for everyone, and that means offering variety. Nowadays, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, religious or other special dietary requirements is absolutely essential, as is taking allergies into account. Advertising such choices on their sample menus tells you if a catering service will be able to adapt to specific requests from your guests.

More than just food

Finally, corporate event catering doesn’t end with food. A good corporate caterer will provide a complete end to end service, including drinks, serving/waiting staff, tableware, decor and, if required, mobile kitchen facilities (or delivery of pre-prepared food). Don’t leave any of these things to chance, or assume they are part of the service – ask specifically what a caterer does and does not provide at the outset.

Ready to have a conversation about your next corporate event? At Humdingers, we have extensive experience working with corporate partners on events of all types and sizes, including conferences, seminars and brand launches. We provide a complete catering service with an extensive choice of menus to suit every occasion. Our specialist catering planners will work with you to bring your vision to life, whatever the event. Contact us today to get the ball rolling.