Convention/ Conference/ Association Meeting Catering

Catering for conferences, conventions, and association meetings is a crucial element that can significantly enhance attendee satisfaction and engagement. Effective catering strategies not only address the logistical challenges of serving large groups but also contribute to the overall experience by offering networking opportunities, supporting the event’s theme, and accommodating diverse dietary preferences. As we all know satisfaction with food and beverage options is among the top elements that drive attendee surveys for large meetings and often will be a significant factor in their likelihood of returning annually.

Our Approach to Large Meeting Catering for Conventions, Conferences, and Association Meetings

We believe that catering at large-scale professional events like conferences and conventions goes beyond merely providing meals. It plays a strategic role in the success of the event, facilitating networking, reinforcing the event's professional tone, and enhancing participants' energy and focus. Thoughtful catering can serve as a reflection of the quality and professionalism of the hosting organization or association.

Our experience shows us that there are a few factors that have the highest potential to create frustration:

1. Long Meal Lines: While large events will inevitably have some lines, a lack of planning can make the attendee experience one of being stuck in long lines with the people who are randomly ahead and behind. A significant chunk of this unstructured time goes to this often frustrating circumstance rather than the free-form discussions that tend to create or solidify bonds. A lunch with multiple food trucks that take orders one at a time can often create this experience. We recommend having pre-prepared options that are able to be served at scale at a pace that is in proportion to guests getting through the line in under 10 minutes. This can often be done with simple things like a fast lane, multiple lunch entrances, pre-ordering via app, boxes lunches, or separation of line-blocking elements into separate areas
2. Lack of In-Session/ Break Availability of Grab and Go Items: For breaks between sessions, attendees are often looking for the presence of food and drink. We've seen too often that not having simple soft beverages (coffee, tea, juice, water) and something to eat (fruit, marketplace options, snacks) can cause attendees to leave frustrated or bring blood sugar levels to dangerously emotional places. Having free simple options can create substantial goodwill. Ensuring that at least paid options like an extra coffee cart or snack vendor can reduce the angry responses that we often see when nothing is available or very limited options have long lines and stock-outs.
3. Mediocre Party Food and Drink: Opening and closing parties are often affairs where people are looking to catch up with the people they just met or the people they're looking to catch up with that they've known over time. If the event is enjoyable, people will stay and hang out. If it's not, then they'll leave fairly quickly. Our experience is that a number of large-meeting parties greet guests with long lines at the bar, loud music, and unfamiliar people who cluster in cliques. It brings back the college bar/ club experience over a nice adult gathering. We recommend adding to the mix a few servers or speed-lines who can take drink tickets and circulate glasses of wine/ bottles of beer or a signature cocktail so that attendees get a drink in their hand in under 5 minutes. We also recommend spreading out several food stations so that there isn't a large cluster that blocks access. And we recommend having at least a couple of options that map to a well-regarded restaurant appetizer if you have attendee demographics that map toward 30+, married, above-average income.
4. Limited choice of food for diverse needs: Especially in California, it's expected to be able to have options that address common dietary restrictions including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and common allergens.

We of course work to initially eliminate the elements that can create frustration and then work to provide other elements to create a fantastic experience based on the needs and expectations of your attendees, partners, and sponsors.