Catering – tips and tricks

It is a good idea to plan catering for the entire conference at once. Catering includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, gala dinners, coffee breaks, snacks, etc.

Consider providing any meals that take place as part of the event programme, as it can be both time-consuming and inconvenient for participants to arrange their own meals, such as finding lunch in one of the campus cafeterias. If the programme does not include all meals, it is a good idea to refer participants to specific places where they can purchase the meal themselves.

If a gala dinner is offered as part of the event, participation may be made optional, with separate registration. It is advisable to ask participants whether they wish to attend the gala dinner when they register for the event itself.

Make sure adequate time is allocated for meals and refreshments throughout the event. You must ensure that there is enough time for all participants to go to the catering area, have their food delivered, eat it, and return.

Please note whether the catering supplier has specific deadlines for ordering special meals, and ensure that all participants submit their requirements before this deadline.

Coordinate with the canteen or other suppliers to determine your exact catering requirements. Do you simply need the catering delivered and plan to handle the setup and clean-up yourself? Or do you need a full-service solution, with the supplier responsible for food delivery, buffet setup, table settings, tablecloths, clean-up, etc.?

Also pay attention to conditions for changing or cancelling orders so that you don’t end up with a bill for catering that you don’t need.

Buffets are often used for events and can be an efficient way of serving meals to large numbers of people. It is important to think about the logistics in advance. A certain number of buffets must be set up based on the number of people and the time available for the meal.

Coordinate this with the supplier of the meal, as they usually have experience with an appropriate number of buffets and entrances based on your number of participants, the duration of the meal and the desired menu.

Technical Services can help set up buffets and other equipment for your event at SDU.

Read more on the page about setups

It is important to take into account the dietary needs of participants, such as allergies or special preferences. This can help ensure that everyone feels their needs have been taken into account.

It is advisable to ask participants to indicate any special requests or requirements when registering for the event.

For some conferences and events, there may be a difference in what participants have paid for and thus have access to. For example, if someone has opted for both lunch and dinner, while others have only opted for lunch, you will need a system to help you manage this.

If you already plan to provide participants with lanyards, these can be used to indicate the type of catering they should receive, for example through colour coding. You may also choose to provide participants with wristbands in different colours to indicate the type of catering they should receive. A third solution is handing out meal tickets. 

It is important that you choose a method and inform all relevant people about the method, for example those who staff buffets. Also make sure to appoint a person responsible for overseeing the event and answering questions from participants and other staff.

As your event is drawing to a close, consider what the participants need to do next.

If participants are heading straight on to their onward transport and have a long journey ahead of them, it may be a good idea to send them off with a to-go option, such as a grab-and-go bag containing a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water. Please discuss this with the canteen.