There are a number of different elements that go into making an event especially memorable, regardless of the occasion or goal of the event. From venues to decorations, activities to entertainment, party favors to networking opportunities, the most memorable event experiences often feature a combination of personal touch, innovation, and thoughtfulness toward the guest experience as a whole.

Whether it is working with your caterer to include fun or innovative ideas for food display or unique branding integration, developing a menu that offers exciting and interesting options that go beyond the standard event catering fare, or simply working to make food service a seamless part of the event (and not just a buffet line on the periphery), 

Reason #1: People will always remember the food

Think about weddings, corporate events, holiday parties, family gatherings, or any of the other events you’ve been to recently. Can you remember which ones stood out for being especially tasty or creative? Which ones were particularly boring or, in the worst case, poor? 

Well, you’re not alone – every caterer will tell you that food is one thing that always stands out in guests’ minds, whether it’s good or bad. There are a few specific reasons that this is the case:

• At events where networking or mingling will play a major role, food often offers a convenient and comfortable talking point for strangers to break the ice.
• With social media becoming omnipresent for most, good food offers an easy and popular topic for guests to share and comment on while attending your event
• Because people often have preconceived notions about what “event food” usually entails (a buffet line, the same few entrees or appetizers), doing something unique will stand out for your guests for giving them a different and fun experience

Reason #2: With creative catering, your food becomes part of the overall event experience

With more and more fun event catering ideas emerging every day, event hosts have rapidly learned that there is no end to the possibilities for providing fun and innovative dining experiences for guests, no matter how formal or informal the tone of the event itself. The Bay Area is known for disrupting industries, and event catering is no different. 

By “disrupting” your own event with unique food service ideas, interactive food displays, creative dessert or appetizer stations, or even hands-on elements of your food catering, your food becomes integrated with the entire event experience for guests, instead of just sitting on the sidelines.

Reason #3: A good food catering partner can help you come up with memorable food service ideas, so you don’t have to!

The best catering services are always eager to try out new and fun methods for serving great food and giving event attendees a food experience that stands out from the pack. That’s why finding a good food catering provider is essential – instead of simply serving as a vendor who gives you a menu of pre-set options, your caterer can work with you to help integrate the theme of your event, the tone you’d like to set, and even the goals of the event experience into the menu itself. 

Here are a few other reasons you want your caterer working as a partner during your event planning process:

• Your caterer can also offer advice and experience on ideas you were already thinking about trying – there’s a good chance they will have tried something like it before (if not the specific idea you have for your event)
• They can give you valuable background on what works and what doesn’t. Again, it’s about making sure your guests remember your food service for the right reasons!
• If you are working with a set budget, but want to include some creativity to your food service, your caterer can help you find reasonable options that still preserve that innovative focus for your event

Reason #4: Good food is comforting, which is essential for many events

Especially true for corporate events, meetings, conferences, or social events where most attendees are meeting each other for the first time, the event experience can be overwhelming for many guests. This is especially true for introverts, who can find themselves getting lost in the crowd, especially at a larger event.

This is where food comes in – while everyone has heard the term “comfort food” before, there is actually plenty of research to back up the fact that food actually does comfort and soothe us when we need it the most. Specifically, good food can actually simulate the same feelings that people with strong social and emotional skills experience in a crowd, a feeling of connectedness. If your goal for your event is to get people up, moving, meeting each other, and even brainstorming or collaborating, letting your food help you get the wheels in motion is an easy trick to help make your event even more successful.

So what should you do to ensure you are making the most out of working with your catering company?

Here are three simple tips to help ensure that your event benefits from its catering:

• Let your caterer know exactly what the goals, hopes, and expectations for your event are early in the planning process, so they can provide you options for integrating catering seamlessly
• Be open to new ideas and innovations in food service that you might not even have thought about yet – if you can be the first event to pull off a creative new food service idea, that’s one more reason your guests will remember your event in the future!
• Do some research – there are a number of useful articles and guides on the web with great food ideas
• Consider your caterer a partner in helping your event be a success – they take just as much pride in seeing guests happy with their experience as you do, and a good collaboration can be the key to a great event.

Hire a Leading SF Catering Company for Your Next Event

Need to hire a top-quality SF catering company for your next event? Contact Left Coast Catering today and discover how we can enhance your big day with elegant, interesting, and delicious foods and event management!