Seasonal

A sporting summer

Organising events in your business during major sporting tournaments can be a fantastic opportunity for businesses and chefs to showcase their culinary skills, attract new customers, and create memorable dining experiences. Here are our top tips if you’re looking to put on successful events this summer:

• Plan ahead

Event calendar:

Familiarise yourself with the schedule of the sporting events you want to align with, so you can plan your events accordingly and attract fans looking for places to watch the games.
Browse our Caterers Calendar where you'll find upcoming awareness days, weeks and months, as well as holidays and major events for the months ahead.

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Advance planning:

Start planning your event well in advance to ensure everything runs smoothly. Consider factors like menu development, staffing, marketing, and logistics.

• Create a theme-based menu

Global flavours:

Reflect the international nature of the sporting events by creating a menu that features dishes from the countries participating in large multi-national sporting events. Check out our World Foods campaign if you’re looking for a little inspiration on different cuisines.

World Foods

Bar and snacks:

Offer a variety of themed cocktails, beers, and snacks that fans can enjoy while watching the games. And don’t just think about the traditional ambient snacks, think warm bar snacks, tapas style to try to encourage increased spend with your customers. Check out our top bar snack ideas in our summer seasonal magazine.

Summer magazine

• Promote your event

Marketing and promotion:

Utilise social media to promote your event and attract sports fans. Local groups on Facebook are a great way to inform and engage with your local community. You can also use email marketing and local advertising to promote your event and attract sports fans.

Collaborate with influencers:

Partner with local influencers or sports personalities to help promote your event and reach a wider audience.

• Create a comfortable viewing experience

Big screens:

Ensure you have large screens or projectors set up so guests can comfortably watch the games.

Seating arrangements:

Provide comfortable seating arrangements with clear sightlines to the screens, and consider creating designated areas for groups or parties.

• Offer special packages or deals

Game-day specials:

Create special food and drink packages or promotions for game days to encourage customers to choose your venue for watching the games.

Group packages:

Offer group discounts or special packages for parties or larger groups looking to watch the games together.

• Consider dietary restrictions and preferences

Menu options:

Ensure your menu includes a variety of options to cater to different dietary restrictions and preferences, including; vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options.

Allergen information:

Clearly label menu items with allergen information to help guests make informed choices.

Helping you with allergens

We are here to help you cater for customers with allergies and intolerances safely.

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Bidfood Direct MyRecipes labelling tool

To support you and your business when it comes to Natasha’s Law and the Calorie Labelling England Laws, we have developed a feature in our Bidfood Direct MyRecipes and Menu Planning tool that allows you to generate a download which will enable you to easily create labels for your recipes.

Find out more

• Provide entertainment and activities

Live music or DJs:

Consider booking live music or DJs to create a lively and festive atmosphere during your events.

Trivia or games:

Organise sports-themed trivia games or other interactive activities to engage guests and add to the fun of watching the games.

• Ensure service excellence

Staff training:

Make sure your staff is well-trained and prepared to provide excellent service during your events, including handling large crowds and managing busy periods effectively.

Efficient operations:

Streamline your operations to ensure quick service and minimal wait times, especially during peak hours.

• Create a memorable experience

Décor and ambiance:

Enhance the ambiance of your venue with themed decorations, banners, and lighting to create a festive and immersive experience.

Special touches:

Consider offering special touches like complimentary welcome drinks, branded merchandise, or photo opportunities to make your event stand out.

• Collect feedback and learn

Guest feedback:

Encourage guests to provide feedback on their experience to help you identify areas for improvement and make future events even better.

Review and reflect:

After each event, take the time to review what worked well and what didn't, and use this information to refine your approach for future events.

By following these tips and focusing on creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for sports fans, you can successfully organise and execute events during major sporting occasions, attracting new customers and enhancing your reputation as a top dining destination and a key part of the local community.

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