Creating fun and tasty food options adds to the ambience of any event. And making them easy to grab on the go allows for more efficient networking. As an added benefit, you can also use snacks for company branding. Courtesy of Tracy Stuckrath

Food and beverage (F&B) is on the short list of the most important aspects of an event. However, in today’s environment, standard banquet fare is no longer, well, standard. Instead, planners are charged with providing unique, health-conscious F&B offerings that are tasty, align with attendees’ food allergies, dietary restrictions and preferences, and won’t break the budget.

At the same time, F&B is a great way for planners to get creative. Incorporating local or regional dishes, food, beer or wine tastings, or offsite excursions to iconic restaurants as add-on activities — these are all ways to elevate ordinary F&B while tying the event to the community.

“Planning food and beverage is all about creating an experience,” says Lakesha Moore, events associate with Chiefs for Change, an organization advocating for policies and practices that positively benefit students at the K-12 level. “You’ve got to balance taste with your attendees in mind. Think about dietary inclusivity, sustainable choices and keeping things fresh and fun. And don’t forget the coffee!” Also, Moore notes, the food should help tell the event’s story and match its “vibe” or theme. For instance, a black-tie fundraiser calls for an elegant plated dinner and passed hors d’oeuvres, while for a charity 5K, you would want protein-rich snacks rather than a heavy meal. For an event benefiting children, you might feature a menu for young and old alike, with finger and “fun” foods like mini-pizzas or a “make your own sundae” station. Mix it up and offer some unexpected dishes. “Look at diverse options, use seasonal flavors for some razzle-dazzle and keep the timing smooth to make the food feel like an effortless part of the experience,” Moore says.

Start at the Beginning

Like every other aspect of an event, F&B choices are driven by the budget. It’s important to talk with your client so you are both clear on the goals for the event, which will help with making decisions. “Food and rooms are my two biggest budget items,” Moore says, adding that the industry is in an era of doing more with less. Rather than dwell on limitations and what’s not possible, view budget constraints as another way to show your creativity and resourcefulness. “How creative can I get with break food or breakfast?” Moore asks.

Always have the amount of spend in mind. “The budget is always where planners need to start,” says Sarah Dyerson, global events lead for Cytiva, a provider of top life sciences brands. “Budget is always number one because certain styles or menus are more conducive to budgets — buffet versus plated, for instance. If you know you can only spend $30 per person on a meal, you know your limitations.”

Keep clients informed of costs. Food prices are rising everywhere, so that will have a trickle-down effect on events. Clients need to be aware of what’s being spent and keep an eye on the budget, so there are no surprises. “That’s a tough part for planners right now,” Dyerson says. “Planners are aware, but your client may not be. Prepare your stakeholders for those increases — typically 10 to 15% year over year — so there’s no sticker shock.”

Try negotiating prices to keep costs down. Dyerson often asks for at least a 10 to 15% discount on the current year’s menu. “F&B will increase the next year, so you can always ask for the current year’s pricing,” she says. Another cost-saving tip is to ask the kitchen if they can customize a menu based on your budget rather than using the meal packages they have available. This is a popular option for attendees with allergies or other dietary concerns. Finally, Dyerson has asked to partner with other events going on at the venue. “For instance, if there’s another group having a Mexican buffet, you can ask if your event can have one, to cut costs,” she says.

Always read contracts and review the terms so you clearly understand each expense (service fees, for instance). Only a portion of those actually goes to the servers, so Dyerson suggests having extra cash on hand for tips.

Reducing Waste

Besides getting creative, planners need to be conscious of how much food waste could potentially be generated. A plentiful buffet lunch could eliminate the need for afternoon snacks, while producing less waste. Many of these planning and purchasing decisions come down to speaking with stakeholders about their goals for the event. Look at items that can be cut back or cut out completely. “Remember we’re trying to create an experience,” Moore says.

Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, CMM, CHC is a former corporate meeting planner and founder of thrive! meetings and events. She is also host of the “Eating at a Meeting” podcast. Stuckrath speaks and trains on how to serve safe, healthy and inclusive food at internal and external events. For budgeting purposes, she suggests ordering food — particularly snacks — on demand.

“Don’t order for every single person,” she advises. She also stresses that planners should always read the fine print on contracts or other binding documents, as there may be some hidden costs you (and, by extension, the client) were not aware of. “Download menus and ask for any other ‘planner guidelines.’ Look at the last page for the Terms and Conditions, because they will spell it out — if you don’t turn in your choices by a certain date, they’ll add a fee,” Stuckrath says. Many venues also won’t tell planners if there is a surcharge for an outdoor event. “Pay attention to the budget and those hidden or additional costs. Add them to the concessions and see how you can bring the costs down.”

Sustainability is another major concern. “People do expect things like sustainable utensils or locally sourced food,” Dyerson says. Ask the venue whether it has Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) guidelines, and then find ways to incorporate them into the event. Some examples would be to reduce the amount of food waste, add more plant-based food options to the menu and develop a plan to give any excess food to a local organization. (Food donation should be planned in advance due to food sanitation considerations).

Know your attendees — how do they want to use their time to get the most out of the event? For example, a sandwich buffet could replace a multicourse meal so attendees can spend less time eating and more time networking.

Planning Challenges and Pitfalls

Planners need to be sensitive to attendees’ food limitations and “get more information from the venue” about menu options, she advises. If there is an attendee with considerable food allergies, what type of menu would make them feel comfortable? What would help them fully participate in the proceedings?

“Look at the historical data of dietary needs when pitching properties. Can they accommodate certain things? Will they work with you to design menus?” Stuckrath asks. Healthy food options are highly coveted — and people also want to know where that food is coming from. “COVID really opened up that door. People are asking: ‘What’s in my food?’ [and] ‘Where is it sourced?’” she says. “We don’t want to give up our sweets and snacks, but we want to be more focused and aware of what we’re eating.”

A venue’s attendee data can be helpful in other areas of F&B planning — namely, flight arrivals and departures. Stuckrath cites one instance of an event she worked on the West Coast which typically drew 750 attendees. Based on historical data, the client anticipated 450 people attending the closing luncheon, but it turned out there were only 300. “Many from the East Coast were hopping early flights to go home,” she says, and by paying attention to previous years’ attendance data, the client cut back on meals for that last event and ended up saving significant money.

Another pitfall many planners fall into is simply not asking enough questions. Venues cannot anticipate every need that every group will have, and planners often hesitate to even ask whether a request can be fulfilled. This goes both ways, as facilities’ catering departments often don’t think through an opportunity, so they might just automatically refuse, thinking they just can’t handle the request.

“Instead of just going through the CSM, talk to the food-and-beverage manager about what’s possible,” Stuckrath says. “Even on the sustainability side, venues are still saying: ‘We can’t donate leftover food or beverages.’ Discuss what the opportunities are for donating items.” The chance to succeed is lost when planners don’t even ask the question, or they fail to push back on the venue to find a workable solution.

And don’t lose sight of the “B” in “F&B,” as there are a lot of opportunities that often go overlooked when it comes to beverages.

Non-alcoholic drinks are a growing trend. Attendees want a selection of alcohol-free beers and cocktails, not just juice or soda. It’s a great chance for the venue to expand its menu selections and boost its bottom line. “Provide options as upscale as everything else being served,” Stuckrath says. “Why would you not take the opportunity to sell a $15 cocktail rather than a $5 soda?”

A Taste of the City

When all budgetary and dietary considerations are factored in, it’s time to think creatively. Moore says attendees are tired of the same old, same old when it comes to F&B. “One big thing attendees expect is something new — they don’t want the same old cheese platters or fruit platters. How can you get creative and still stay on budget?” This is where excursions to local eating and drinking establishments, or finding other ways to showcase local dishes, can be a perfect solution. “If you have the budget, go on a local food tour. Focus on ways to incorporate the city and its food into your F&B budget,” she suggests. CVBs and chambers of commerce are excellent resources for finding new, under-the-radar or iconic bars and restaurants in a particular region. CVBs or chambers often find these organizations have ready-made food, winery or craft beer tours in place, or they will work with planners to customize an F&B experience for a group.

When Mistakes Happen

Even with the most careful and thorough planning, meal fails can and do happen. “The biggest pitfalls are not ordering enough, missing the mark on dietary needs or not aligning mealtimes with event flow — no one wants a meal that’s rushed, delayed or cold,” Moore points out.

The best thing a planner can do is own up to the mistake and act quickly to fix it. Dyerson assigns a member of the event staff to handle F&B and act as the point person for any meal concerns. “The hotel or venue staff can go right to that person for the solve. Or that person is the only one communicating any changes. If things go wrong, it’s just best to say you’re sorry and try to find a way to fix the problem,” she says.

An issue such as not having a kosher meal prepared for an attendee who requested one might be a tougher solve. “Kosher and halal are the most difficult,” Dyerson says. “Kosher is especially difficult, so if there is a mix-up or mistake with meals, the staff can’t magically make a kosher meal.” As a last resort and quick fix, find a kosher deli nearby and run out for a meal.

When the event is wrapped up, an after-action meeting is a must, says Michael Gloekler, corporate communications and PR manager at McKee Foods Corporation, whose team organizes and executes internal events. “You will have key learnings for your team and … for your partners to mitigate any issues going forward,” Gloekler says. “Accept that nothing is ever perfect, but be willing to own mistakes and work to limit those going forward.”

It’s never a bad idea to keep a list of local restaurants or bars in your list of resources. That way, on the off chance an attendee was unhappy with the food, they can still have a good meal. The role of F&B at events cannot be overstated — so much so that Moore points out: “Attendees won’t remember if the bed was hard or the flight was late, but they will remember the food — that’s how important it is.” C&IT