10 Money-Saving Recommendations In Event Catering

Existing dining trends allow taking the focus off expensive meat meals for the main course. We’ve asked the professionals from our corporate catering company for recommendations how to stay within budget when planning the menu for your event. Here are their pieces of advice:

1. Make it shorter. You need to control the duration of your event and remember that you’ll reduce the costs considerably, if you arrange a cocktail reception with some action stations and not a cocktail hour with a seated dinner afterwards.

2. Use the word “promotion” and you won’t need to hire staff. Suggest some local cafes or restaurants to participate in your event for free, in order to promote their products. In such a case they will serve foods by their own forces, and you’ll be charged just the cost of the products and the time.

3. Exclude labor costs. Small celebrations like an executive dinner or a boardroom meeting usually don’t need any servers. All the food can be prepared beforehand, and you won’t pay servers. This is how one can cut down on labor (and labor is one of the biggest expenses here).

4. Cut down on expensive brand drinks, offer something creative instead. Whether it is a local beer selection, or a lesser-known wine, or a seasonal cocktail that you’ve invented, doesn’t matter – this all can be appealing for the guests and not too costly for you.

5. Don’t rent a variety of glasses; use just one type of glass that works for all. Otherwise it’ll be too much per one guest.

6. Control the size of portions. A sit-down dinner is expensive, because staff is required to serve it, but food stations and buffets can also cost you a pretty penny, as you’ll need larger amounts of food. And, let’s admit, they don’t look very appealing to one when many guests have dug their way through. But there is a solution: just pass appetizers at the cocktail hour. It will be neat and less costly.

7. Your friend is paella, not filet mignon. It would be a smart and interesting decision to prefer some farm-to-table, unique ethnic or charcuterie-focused meals with vegetables, braised meats or curries to the traditional steak.

8. Reduce expenses where they are unnecessary. Professionals in corporate catering in Toronto prompt: many people don’t touch coffee. So you can serve it at the bar and save on costs for sugar, creamers and cups for each table.

9. Choose the venue well. If there already is a kitchen there, and they are flexible when load-in and load-out times are concerned, it’ll be reflected in your bill positively.

10. Make it simple and relaxed. In summer it’s easier, of course. Then one can use a minimum of decorations (for example, inexpensive charming flowers or finds from flea-market to decorate the stations). Make it more informal and save on staff: for example, place a wide-mouth bowl with homemade limeade, and also beer and vodka nearby. A sangria station is a good idea, too.