Of all the elements of your brand’s upcoming promotional event that you will be anxious to get right, you might understandably feel least anxious about the catering… at least at first. 

After all, you might reason, in today’s world, good catering is simply good catering, and most caterers probably meet a certain consistent minimum standard… so, whatever food is served at your promo event is relatively unlikely to let you down. Or could it? 

Alas, the complete picture is slightly more complex than that, not least bearing in mind that different audiences can routinely have very different expectations. So, let’s take you through just three elements to account for when you are deciding on a caterer for your fast-approaching event.

The type of catering 

It is not simply the case that “catering, is catering, is catering”. Factors like the exact level of formality of your event, as well as the anticipated numbers of attendees, the seating arrangements, and the kind of venue involved, are all likely to shape your decision-making on the catering. 

With the three main forms of catering service being reception service, buffet service, and tabled service, it is important to fully understand the implications of each type when determining the most suitable caterer. 

It is reception service, for example, that is the least expensive of the three; it is the type that typically entails attendees eating finger foods with drinks, as they stand and talk to each other. 

Slightly pricier than reception service is buffet service, which involves attendees serving themselves, and choosing between options across a broader range of food and drinks. 

Finally, tabled service is relatively self-explanatory; it involves the event guests being seated at tables, and members of catering staff serving them. This kind of service can make a great impression on attendees of your promotional event. However, with it also representing the most expensive option, it might seem an unnecessary indulgence for some forms of promo event. 

The cost

Should this not be the very first thing you think about when trying to decide on a promo-event catering firm? That might well be so, at least once you understand what type of promo event you will be looking to hold, and what kind of service would represent the optimal match for it. 

Knowing your brand’s catering budget for the given event will give you a powerful means of quickly whittling down the options among the catering businesses you may have shortlisted. 

Time, as they say, is money, and you won’t want to waste your time, or that of any catering business. So, you won’t want it to only emerge later that their pricing means you simply cannot use them. By contrast, if you count on our agency to help you hire promotional event staff, the budget is one of the very first subjects we will discuss with you. 

The quality of the food 

You might imagine that even the most impeccable-quality and satisfying gastronomy at your promotional event won’t quite compensate if your brand’s products or services don’t impress attendees to the same degree. 

That might well be true. However, most of us have probably attended events where excellent cuisine put a gloss on an event that might not have otherwise been remembered for remotely positive reasons. And of course, a poor choice of caterer could risk your attendees not giving even a very worthy product or service much consideration at all. 

In any case, whether this would constitute a “fair” situation or not, the food served at your event will inevitably be regarded as a reflection of your brand. So, you should never hesitate to ask for samples from a caterer that you are considering. This way, you will be able to give yourself a literal “gut feeling” on the likely suitability of their food to your event and brand. 

The above, of course, are just three of many factors that will require careful thought when your organisation needs to arrange catering for its next event. But that doesn’t mean it has to be an overwhelming and fraught process. 

Our experience makers at BrandWarriors know a thing or two about how to hire promotional event staff who will make all the right impressions on your brand’s target audiences. So, please don’t hesitate to enquire to our team to learn more about how to tap into our enviable knowledge and contacts with leading promo-event caterers.  CALL US - 020 7702 3600