Alongside invited guests and the entertainment program, catering holds the highest importance at a corporate event. With the goal of offering employees or guests excellent food of outstanding quality, planning requires both good organizational skill and, on the other hand, a very good caterer. We at heycater! can help both with planning and with finding the perfect caterer!

Which type of catering suits your event?

Catering is particularly important to the success of an event. For many people, a celebration stands or falls with the food. If it's creative, unusual, and tasteful, other things can be easily overlooked. That's why it's especially important to figure out which type of catering suits your event and what's available.

The range of catering options is varied and diverse. A classic business lunch at your company suits a smaller setting well, as does breakfast catering for a department or a certain number of employees or guests.

For larger celebrations, finger food, a BBQ, or a classic buffet are good options. These can be individually assembled in various flavors, including vegan and vegetarian variations.

If you want to create something special, choose a small street food market with small stalls, or food trucks with a wide variety of food offerings. A bit more upscale in nature are fine dining or cocktail evenings that can be organized.

Should a pandemic ever cause restrictions again, even home office packages for employees are bookable with various caterers.

Planning catering in detail

Once the date, location, and catering variant are chosen, it's time for detailed catering planning. The following aspects are important:

• Number of guests: catering naturally needs to be planned for a certain number of guests. A buffet allows for more flexibility in exact numbers, while set dishes require precise matching.
• Type of food: the type of catering already points a bit in a certain direction, but there are numerous variations. Is the focus on regional dishes, or are thematically fitting dishes served (holidays), or is there an international focus?
• Vegetarian & vegan dishes: the share of vegans and vegetarians at companies is continuously growing, so it's necessary to check in advance how many dishes should be served accommodating these criteria.
• Intolerances: another important aspect is giving potential intolerances the necessary attention. The caterer can share a corresponding list of ingredients in advance.
• Quality and innovation: whether as a menu or a buffet, catering can be assigned a certain level of quality. Simple dishes and food are familiar and popular, while innovative, creative meals need a bit more convincing. In combination with the budget, a decision needs to be made for the event.
• Drinks: drinks are, alongside food, the second feel-good factor in culinary supply. Aperitif, refreshments, fruit juices, beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, coffee, the selection is huge and should be chosen to match the event and theme.
• Staff: what staff is needed for execution on-site? Generally, a caterer can help organize kitchen staff and service staff, but individual requirements need to be factored in beyond that. Even security staff, hostesses, coat check personnel, a DJ, and many more need to be planned for the event.
• Equipment: depending on the location, further equipment for a successful event is needed. Tables and chairs, decoration, kitchen equipment, dishware/cutlery, and glasses and cups are all part of the organization.

Getting offers with heycater

Once the budget and framework are clear, and you've decided which type of catering you want, it's time to get matching offers. With heycater!, you can find the right caterer for your event in your city.

You just need to select your city, set the number of people and your budget per person, and heycater! delivers a huge selection of caterers suitable for your event.

Arrange a tasting

If you want to be completely sure, arrange a tasting with the caterer. This is possible in many places, letting you get a sense of the preparation process on one hand, and put the taste to the test on the other. Since we work with select caterers, your expectations should hopefully be exceeded.

The most important cornerstones for event planning

So your event or corporate catering doesn't become a fiasco, basic key data should be clarified in advance. Alongside catering planning, there are important cornerstones for the entire event. Considering the following aspects will help you put together an unforgettable event and catering:

• Purpose of the event: what's being celebrated, or what should the catering serve? (holiday party, conference, anniversary)
• Date: setting a date is essential for planning, but there should be at least one backup date, in case certain components don't align.
• Venue and location: the venue plays a central role in planning. Only with the right location matching the event's purpose can execution succeed. The venue should be bookable on the set date, and ideally the backup date too.
• Theme: does the event need a theme, or a specific focus? At the holidays, the direction is fairly clear, but costume or Halloween parties are also very popular with employees.
• Concept & budget: the budget and concept for the event need to be clarified with management, so the framework conditions can be established.
• Scheduling & task distribution: once the framework is set, the various tasks need to be distributed and matched with respective deadlines for organization.
• Technology, furniture & entertainment: the event requires the necessary technology and furniture, which can partly be provided by the venue, but also by caterers. Arrangements for entertainment also need to be made. (DJ, band)
• Plan arrival/departure: for a successful event, it's advantageous to plan participants'/guests' arrival and departure in good time. Parking and good accessibility by public transit are highly important.
• Guests & invitations: who should attend the event, and how will guests be invited? A classic email, or something more formal with invitation cards, a decision needs to be made here.

Plan your catering with heycater

heycater! doesn't just offer you a large selection of the best caterers in your city. We also support you with the entire planning for your corporate event. Whether you're planning your annual holiday party or a big company anniversary for employees and clients, our event experts are by your side, from the right location to an entertaining, individual program to staffing and catering.

With our years of experience, we have concept ideas ready for you that fit exactly the occasion, the season, and your company. Your guests will remember this business event for a long time. Want to see examples of events we've already organized for our clients? Take a look at our gallery and get a sense of the various themes and occasions, for example a holiday market or a vintage circus party. We'll find the right solution for your event too.

Get in touch with us now, and planning your next corporate event will be a breeze!