Count the diners behind the registrations
Registration totals may include speakers, exhibitors, event staff or people attending only part of the programme. Establish who is expected to eat the buffet and when. If different groups have different breaks, show them separately so that food quantity and the service plan can be discussed with a clear picture of demand.
The venue and catering team need the actual room and menu details. This website does not publish a delegate capacity, serving speed or guaranteed queue time. A sensible plan depends on more than the total headcount.
Describe how groups reach the food
- Does a whole session finish at once, or do parallel sessions release at different times?
- Will delegates eat in one room, several rooms or a separate hospitality area?
- Who directs guests and keeps the agreed routes clear?
- Do speakers or event staff need food at another time?
- Who can authorise a change if the programme runs late?
| Decision | Discuss with the relevant team |
|---|---|
| Meal window | Agenda changes, start and finish, and the booked service period |
| Serving arrangement | Menu, food points, furniture and agreed staff roles |
| Guest information | Where to go, when to eat and who handles practical questions |
Keep the venue and caterer working from one brief
Combine the running order, meal counts, venue access and room layout in a current event pack. Include any venue requirements for outside catering, unloading and equipment. Ask for each responsibility to be explicit rather than assuming an event venue supplies every item needed for a buffet.
Food information should come from the agreed menu arrangements. Do not treat a dietary label or a separate table as an allergy guarantee: we cannot cater for food allergies. Expressly agreed intolerance requirements need discussion and portion counts before booking.
Once the programme is settled, compare proposals using the same food and service specification. Changes to attendance, timings or rooms should be confirmed through the booking conversation.