Catering for a Training Day in Bydgoszcz - Cost Factors and Menu

When you compare catering quotes for a training day, it quickly turns out that “per person” rates are hard to compare. One company quotes coffee and biscuits only, another a whole day with lunch and staff. Below we show what makes up the price and how to write an enquiry that gets comparable quotes.

What affects the price of training catering

The number of breaks in the day

The biggest difference is the scope. Typical options are:

• one coffee break - coffee, tea, water, biscuits or fruit,
• two coffee breaks and lunch - the standard for a morning-to-afternoon session,
• all-day service - coffee available all the time, lunch and afternoon snacks.

Serving style

Finger food and a buffet are usually cheaper and faster than lunch served at the table. At a training day where a break lasts 30-45 minutes, a buffet also means nobody waits for a waiter.

Staff and clearing up

Check whether setting up, refilling the buffet and clearing after breaks are included. Catering “with delivery” often means delivery only, and then someone from your company has to handle the rest.

Diets

Vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free meals are prepared separately. Give their number up front, because last-minute changes can cost more or be impossible.

Tableware

China and glass look better than disposables, but may be an extra item. Ask what is included.

How to write an enquiry for a quote

The more precise the enquiry, the easier it is to compare quotes. Include:

• the date and hours of the training,
• the number of participants and how many need special diets,
• how many breaks you plan and when,
• whether lunch should be a buffet or served,
• the address and whether there is a kitchen on site,
• whether you need a VAT invoice and for which company.

How to compare quotes

Break each quote down into the same items: breaks, lunch, staff, tableware, delivery. Only then can you see which one is actually cheaper. Also look at quantities: a “sandwich platter” for the same group can mean very different portions.

A menu that follows the schedule

First write down the times: start, breaks and finish. Then match the food to them:

• welcome (before the start) - coffee, tea, water and something small for people who skipped breakfast,
• mid-morning break - fruit, yoghurts, small sandwiches,
• lunch - one hot dish, a salad, water and juice,
• afternoon break - something sweet and coffee, because that is when energy drops most.

For a morning-only session the welcome and one break are enough. For a full day all four are useful.

A lunch nobody falls asleep after

The most common mistake is a heavy lunch: fatty meat, lots of potatoes, a thick sauce. After a meal like that the first hour of the afternoon session is lost. Lighter dishes work better: fish or chicken with vegetables, pasta with a light sauce, grains with roasted vegetables, a cream soup and a salad.

A sample full-day training menu

• 9:00 - coffee, tea, water, small pastries,
• 11:00 - fruit, sandwiches on small rolls,
• 13:00 - cream soup, chicken with vegetables or a vegan dish, salad,
• 15:00 - cake, coffee, tea.

Delivery or catering on site

Delivered catering works when the meeting is at your office. Then most problems come from logistics: a late delivery, portions that are too small or nobody to set up the buffet. If you order delivery, confirm the day before:

• the final headcount and number of special-diet portions,
• the address, entrance and a phone number for the person on site,
• the delivery time (30-45 minutes before the break) and the tableware collection time,
• the invoice details.

In a venue with its own catering this list goes away, because the food is prepared on site around your break times.

Catering and the training room

Part of the logistics cost disappears when the training takes place in a venue with its own catering and kitchen. There is no delivery to organise, no buffet tables to find and no clearing up. At BRDA 144 on ul. Krzysztofa Gotowskiego 6 in Bydgoszcz we prepare coffee breaks and lunch through our own catering, at an extra cost. The hall is 144 sqm with air conditioning, a sound system and WiFi, and in summer breaks can move out to the 100 sqm terrace.

Questions about training-day catering

How many coffee breaks for a full-day training?

Usually two coffee breaks, mid-morning and mid-afternoon, plus lunch in the middle of the day. For a shorter session one break is enough.

Is a buffet or a served lunch better?

At a training day usually a buffet, because it is faster and participants can talk while they eat. A served lunch suits meetings with clients or the board.

How far ahead should you order training catering?

Ideally a few days ahead, and for a larger group or unusual diets even a week. The final headcount is usually confirmed a day or two before the training.