Catering for conferences and organisations: what to plan for

Organising a conference is already enough work without the food turning into a problem on the morning itself. This is the checklist we use ourselves when organisations, co-operatives and community centres call us.

How much notice to give

Two weeks is comfortable. One week is usually doable. Three days is tight but possible if the format is simple. What really makes the difference isn't the food, it's staffing: if you need table service, diaries have to line up.

If the event falls in a busy season (late June, December), allow more margin.

The headcount, which never quite adds up

This is mistake number one. People register and don't show, or people show who never registered.

• Use confirmed registrations as your baseline, not expressions of interest.
• For free events, expect 15–25% no-shows.
• For paid events, no-shows drop a lot.
• Agree with the caterer how late you can adjust the number, and what minimum still gets billed regardless.

The venue

Tell us everything, even if it seems irrelevant:

• Is there a kitchen? Water? Power? A fridge?
• Can you park nearby to unload, or is it stairs with boxes?
• Are tables available, or do we need to bring them?
• Standing or seated? It completely changes the menu format.
• What are the venue's hours? If it closes at seven, collection has to happen before that.

A venue with no water or power sockets pushes the price up and limits what we can offer. That's not a problem if we know in advance; it is a problem if we find out on arrival.

Diets

Ask for them on the registration form, not by email afterwards. Useful questions: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, allergies and other restrictions.

Send us the final numbers two or three days ahead. We include dietary adaptations in the price, but we need to organise the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination, and that can't be improvised the same morning.

The format, depending on the event

• Short breaks between sessions. Standing finger food, nothing that needs a knife.
• Lunch followed by discussion. Shared casseroles: they get people talking and need less staff.
• An institutional event. A served menu, with the staffing cost that comes with it.
• A long assembly. Breakfast and a light lunch. A heavy lunch kills the afternoon session.

The details people forget

• Drinks. Often left out of the budget and show up as an afterthought the day before.
• Who clears up. Make clear whether that's the caterer or the organisers.
• Waste. If the venue has nowhere to dispose of it, someone has to take it away.
• A contact person on the day, reachable by phone and physically in the room.
• Leftover food. Decide in advance who takes it. Leaving it to the last minute usually means food in the bin.

Invoicing

If you're an organisation or a public body, say so upfront: there are invoicing requirements and payment terms worth agreeing beforehand, not after. We're a co-operative with tax ID F66502881 and issue electronic invoices without any trouble.