Food trucks. They're all the rage. Everyone loves the food, the convenience, and the menu selections. So if you're a corporate meeting planner, how do you break away from the traditional catered lunch (b-o-r-i-n-g) and offer your guests an exciting menu prepared fresh? Consider having a food truck (or two or three, depending on the number of guests) cater your next corporate meeting.
When food trucks provide the catering, it brings a new twist to the tired old plated chicken lunch. True story – we attended a networking event recently where half the table ordered a vegetarian meal. Not because they were actually vegetarian but because they couldn’t eat another plated chicken lunch!
But what venues will host your next meeting and allow you to bring in your own catering? Here are some ideas to consider when selecting a location for your next meeting.
Social Event Venues
Do you know what places are really quiet on a Tuesday from 9a-4p? A venue that hosts weddings on a Saturday evening. These are the ideal location for your next business meeting because they have the space, equipment, and likely availability. You might be able to negotiate a great deal, too. Many social venues allow outside caterers and would probably be pretty excited to welcome weekday business.
Need a list of social venues that allow outside caterers? Then, check out the BYO Catering section for your area on the website, Here Comes the Guide. Here you'll find an extensive list of venues with large spaces that accommodate outside caterers.
Cultural Centers/Museums
Museums, performance, and cultural centers are all potential locations for corporate meetings and events. Many have large spaces within their facility that could be ideal for your next meeting. Most of these places are busier in the evening and on the weekends, making them ideal for midweek corporate business. And because most don't have large catering kitchens, they would welcome outside caterers. Because these facilities host large numbers of people, they likely have access to extensive parking areas that would easily accommodate multiple food trucks.
Alternative Event Space
Craft beer breweries are big in my home city of Atlanta. They are popping up all around and offer great space and exceptional staff in a relaxed environment—all the beginnings for a successful corporate meeting or event. Add in a few food trucks, and you're on your way.
We love to partner with our friends at Spirited Event Group, who specialize in connecting venues with clients to ensure your meeting or event is one to remember. Whether you're planning a team meeting, fundraiser, holiday party, or corporate event — they will book the right venue for the ultimate experience. In addition, they offer an array of customized service packages, ranging from providing venue consultation to connecting you to the best event professionals in the industry.
Your Office
We know - it’s not new or different, but you can save your company some serious money by having the meeting at your office. And with a potential recession looming, saving a few bucks will help cement your position as a value-based planner. Obviously, hosting it on-site depends on whether you have enough space to accommodate everyone, but it's the ideal option if you have the room.
One of the reasons companies want to go offsite is to not lose employees who go back to their desks and get caught up in work. But who are we kidding? Most everyone uses a laptop these days, so the simple solution = have everyone leave their laptops at home!
As to where to park those food trucks? Look no further than the parking lot or if you have a large area outside your front entrance. Then, attendees can get their food and bring it back to the meeting room, or you can rent tables and chairs and set them up in your lobby or adjacent to the trucks.
Corporate meetings and events have made a strong resurgence. But planners need help finding availability and some creative menus that will WOW their guests. These venues provide a unique experience and allow you to work with creative caterers that will have your guests singing your praises that you didn't serve them plated chicken. Again!
