While your food and drink choices may not be the center of your upcoming event, they make a lasting impact on your guests. Your food choices are a way to infuse both style and personality into your event, and the success of event catering can often make or break the mood of the occasion at hand. To ensure you don’t fall victim to a less than perfect meal arrangement, remember these tips and tricks for planning the ideal business event catering menu.

Determine Your Budget

First and foremost, you have to nail down the budget you are working with. Number of courses, number of guests, cocktails, dinnerware, and even the serving style you choose can impact the overall cost of your business catering services. Therefore, it is essential to establish a budget right away to make sure you stay on track and to avoid overspending.

Start Your Search as Soon as Possible

The perfect menu starts with the right caterer, and to ensure you get your first choice, you need to book them as soon as possible. Each caterer’s individual workload and booking policies will determine how far in advance you need to book them. By starting your search early, it will not only help you to find the right caterer for your event but will also give you time to shop around before selecting your choice.

Ascertain and Regulate the Number of Guests

While your guest list may not be the simplest thing to figure out, it can make a significant impact on your menu choices. For example, if you are planning a more impressive menu, you may need to limit the number of people at your event. However, if you can’t imagine your event without at least 100 business associates, corporate executives, and other influential clientele, you may need to consider cutting costs, changing menu styles, or being creative with your other catering options.

Choose a Catering Style

Are you looking for a formal, sit-down style dinner, a scrumptious gourmet dinner, or a less formal dining experience with appetizers, burgers, and other finger foods? Choosing the serving style for your meal can determine not only the type of foods you will have but also the overall feel of your event.

Know the Preferences of Your Guests

When determining a business catering menu for your event, you should always take the time to consider the preferences of your guests. For example, attendees may have allergies or are sensitive to specific foods, health or fitness guests may prefer a vegetarian or seafood cuisine, and older groups may prefer a milder tasting menu selection. The entire idea is to consider what will be most enjoyable by the guests who will attend.

Avoid Risky Situations

In order to ensure your business event is memorable for the right reasons, always steer clear of “risky” food choices. Risky food choices are foods like shellfish or dairy-heavy dishes to which a higher percentage of people are allergic.  In addition to being careful about dietary needs of your guests, more complicated to prepare dishes need to be carefully planned. Otherwise, it could result in a less than stellar experience.

For more tips and tricks on planning the ideal business catering menu for your event, talk to the skilled artisans at Waterfront Gourmet today by calling 267-227-1994. Creative, inspired food is their specialty, and they work with clients on a daily basis to help take the stress out of designing your event menu.