Top 10 Tips To Make Your Next Corporate Catering Event A Success

Whether you need corporate catering for a working lunch, conference, cocktail party, or the office Christmas lunch, there are many things you need to consider. To ensure nothing gets missed, we’ve created this simple guide for you to get the most out of your catering service.

Top 5 Things to Consider Before Choosing One of Our Friendly Catering Experts

Before ordering office corporate catering needs for Melbourne CBD or Sydney or one of our other many great cities, some things you need to consider first include:

Size of your group

• whether it’s a small working lunch of 5 attendees to a large corporate function for 100, the size of your group will determine the type of food ordered and corporate caterer right for

Who will be attending your corporate event or meeting

• will VIP clients be attending or is it just a casual affair with office staff?

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?

How long will the function or event last?

• depending on the duration of your event whether its working lunches, a business day, training sessions would guide catering needs from whether you need finger food, catering boxes, sandwich platters

Your budget

• depending on your budget you may have more varieties available from the catering teams, but even on smaller budget catering can be amazing with prepared fresh individual boxes available from suppliers

Now that you’ve determined these things for your event catering, here are 4 steps to ordering corporate catering from local suppliers to ensure your office lunch or corporate event is a success.

Top 4 Ideas for Selecting the Catering Services Right For You

Set a schedule and take breaks

• 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.
• Don’t let your guests go hungry! Ensure lunch is built into the day’s agenda.
• 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:

Ensure your Corporate Catering Choices are Mess-Free And Easy To Eat

• Pick food items that are easy to eat
• Choose simple and delicious food that won’t leave a mess on their clothes. Spaghetti bolognaise is probably not the best option for a corporate function or event!
• Avoid food items that could potentially get stuck in people’s teeth or make their breath stink

Remember to Cater for Special Dietary Requirements

• Don’t forget to cater for special diets and allergies. Provide plenty of gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian options.
• Have the gluten free and vegetarian food options plated separately and label it so it’s clear
• Go for lighter selections for your menu. You don’t want your guests to fall asleep during the meeting due to a heavy lunch!

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 maximise their time to network, stretch their legs or get a bite to eat without waiting around.

• Consider providing corporate catering outside the meeting room. This will make it easier for you to set up and clear away the food platters and crockery without disrupting the meeting.

Corporate catering style

Depending on the type of meeting, type of guests attending and budget, there are many corporate catering menu options available to suit your needs, including:

• Buffet catering
• Elegant boardroom dining, such as 3 course fine dining
• Breakfast catering
• Morning tea
• Afternoon tea
• Finger food and canapes

• Corporate BBQ catering

• Lunch boxes
• Food platters and grazing tables

The extras

Make your next business meeting or corporate function and event special.

Event planning services

• Staff hire
• Equipment hire, plates, cutlery, marquees, tents, tables, chairs, glasses
• Entertainment and music
• Decorations and flowers
• Theming
• Liquor licenses or council permits

If you need assistance with your corporate function or event, speak to our experienced event planning team at EatFirst. We’ll take care of everything from start to end and ensure your event runs smoothly and is memorable for all the right reasons. There is no easy ordering way for you're thinking to find the caterers near me.

Corporate catering menu flexibility

Looking for something different? We have a wide variety of corporate catering menus to satisfy every taste. From Mexican catering to pizza, Vietnamese, sushi catering and Greek, if you’re looking to mix it up for your next working lunch, speak to the office catering experts at Order-In for recommendations and inspiration. We have a range of delicious cuisines that will please every tastebud.

Stay hydrated

Don’t forget to provide plenty of beverages!

• Soft drinks
• Alcohol
• Water
• Juice
• Tea and coffee

If you’re holding a cocktail party or networking event after your meeting, we can also assist with:

• Mobile bar hire
• Bartenders and wait staff

So, whether you’re new to ordering office catering or an old hand, use our handy guide to organise a memorable office event that everyone will love.

And if you’re still unsure or need a suggestion, speak to the corporate catering experts at EatFirst. With over 18 years’ experience, we can recommend a delicious catering menu to suit your needs and budget. Best of all, you'll enjoy convenient delivery to your office in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth or Canberra.

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