If you are in charge of planning a corporate party, you want to put together an event that is going to be fun and professional. You are going to want to put together food that your co-workers and clients will enjoy. The best way to do that is by hiring a catering company.
Know Your Headcount
To get the catering process started, you are going to need a general headcount for the event. A general headcount will allow the catering company to plan for how many people they will need to work and manage your event. Then, about two weeks before the event, you are going to need to provide the catering company with an exact headcount. This will allow the catering company to purchase the supplies to make your food.
Know Your Budget
Second, you need to make sure that you know your budget. Your budget will really impact the type of food that you are able to pay for. When coming up with your budget, you need to make sure you account for the full expense of serving food, such as the cost of renting tables, chairs, linens, and china. Correctly accounting for all food-related expenses will give you a better idea of what you can spend on the actual food. If you plan on serving alcoholic drinks, you may want to allocate a certain amount of money for the drinks.
Know the Tone
Third, you need to think about the tone that you want to set. Some companies, like Marians Island Wide Catering, know that the way you serve the food can impact the overall tone of the event. For example, if you are going for a more casual, fun vibe, a buffet, or food stations with different types of food may be the right way to serve the food. Or if you are going for more of a cocktail party approach, you would want the food served by catering waiters. Or if you are hosting an awards banquet, a sit-down meal may be best. Work with a catering company to create the right serving tone for the event.
Account for Food Restrictions
When planning the catering for a large corporate event, you may not know everyone's dietary needs, but you should plan to account for basic food restrictions or diets. Make sure you have some vegetarian and vegan offerings on the menu. These types of healthy foods often meet the standards for other diet restrictions. You may want to have some gluten-free offerings as well.
When it comes to planning catering for a corporate event, you need to know your headcount and your budget to really get into the planning. Carefully consider how the serving of the food will impact the overall tone of the event and be sure to account for food restrictions and preferences in your menu as well.
