Conference Room Catering Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts for Corporate Hosts

PowerPoint slides, quarterly goals and the awkward silence aren’t the only things that happen at corporate meetings. Food is also a part of them. When trays come into a conference room, everyone looks at them with more interest than the projector screen. But serving food in a business setting is a skill. Welcome to the world of conference room catering, where the line between making your guests happy and making things go wrong can be as thin as a paper plate.

Do keep it tidy and useful.

Your best friend is finger food. For catering in a conference room, mini sandwiches, wraps that are easy to eat and skewers that don’t need any special skills are great. Stay away from anything that drips, splashes or leaves stains on the carpet that are so bad they could be in a modern art show. People still need to shake hands after eating, so sticky wings and curry-soaked naan are not very business-friendly.

Don’t forget the coffee.

A meeting without coffee is like a presentation without PowerPoint slides. If you really want to keep the room awake and interested, make sure there is always coffee and tea available. If you have decaf for people who are health-conscious and herbal tea for yogis, that’s even better. Don’t let your team fight over the last drop in the pot, though.

Do think about what people like to eat.

When corporate hosts remember that not everyone eats the same way, they earn instant respect. There should be gluten-free, vegan and low-carb options on the table. It’s a small detail that stops the classic conference room scene where one poor person quietly eats lettuce while everyone else eats sandwiches. Being inclusive at the buffet is not only polite, it’s also professional.

Don’t fill the table too much.

Catering doesn’t mean seeing how many trays you can fit on one table. Too much food on the spread just makes a mess and spills, and the moment someone hits their boss with an elbow while reaching for a samosa. A carefully chosen and neatly arranged selection looks a lot more professional than a buffet that looks like a food festival.

Do get the timing right.

Timing is the most important thing to remember when catering for a conference room. If the food gets there too soon, it will get cold and taste bad. If it comes too late, the room full of angry executives might start fighting with each other. Make sure the caterer knows when to bring the snacks so they arrive at the right time, preferably during a planned break.

Don’t forget the aftermath.

A clean conference room makes everyone happy. Always plan for a quick clean-up after the food is gone. No one should have to come up with ideas while looking at empty plates and half-eaten pastries. It keeps things professional and keeps the mood fresh for the next talk.

Last Piece of Advice

When you cater a conference room, you shouldn’t worry about impressing people with fancy food. Instead, you should focus on making the meal easy and stress-free.