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In the July-August Convene issue, editors asked event professionals from around the world to share their sacred cows — those event practices or traditions that they think are out-of-date and need to be overhauled or replaced — and their solutions. Here we share their ideas that focus on event food and beverage.
Too Much Food
Amelie Tremolieres
“One outdated practice in the business events industry that needs to change is how we tend to overorder food so attendees have more than enough to eat, which results in waste. We need to eliminate this bad habit for the sake of the environment.
“Reducing food waste is an easy first step toward making our events more sustainable. When choosing a destination or venue, event planners should ask if there are local organizations that collect food donations. Instead of throwing away leftover food, we should donate it to those in need or convert it into fertilizer if it’s not fit to eat. We did both at the European Association Summit & Awards last May, and it was very easy: It did not cost any time or resources to do it!
“By changing how we handle food and beverage at events, we can significantly reduce our environmental impact and set a better example for the future.”
—Amélie Trémolières, Communications and Events Operations Lead, European Society of Association Executives
Open Bars
“Another complicated issue. Alcohol is rightfully called a social lubricant and therefore makes networking a little smoother for many of our attendees, but the side effects are significant. The probability of poor behavior/harassment increases the longer the bar is open. Ensuring that the bar is not open for longer than two hours and that attendees have a safe, comfortable way back to their hotel room immediately after the event is a way to decrease the likelihood of issues. Additionally, provide attendees with mocktails and non-alcoholic options at all events.”
— Josh Henry, CMP, Meetings Manager and Diversity & Inclusion Lead, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics
The big booze receptions need to change. How are we designing experiences for this next generation that puts value on other ways to have an enjoyable time? It’s not just about offering mocktails, it’s what else can you do to make it a more interactive experience than just walking around a room with a cocktail?”
Coffee Breaks
“Conference goers are addicted to coffee and it’s partially our fault. We’ve created a culture where coffee is in high demand morning to night. The cost to the planner is significant and with limited budgets, it takes away from our ability to offer more variety in what we provide to our attendees. I love attending conferences that serve coffee for a limited time in the morning and then change up their service to provide light snacks, smoothies, fresh fruit, or something similar throughout the day. As long as the services being provided are communicated adequately to the participants, it’s a great way to be more inclusive, provide a more exciting offering, and move people away from the inevitable complaints about convention center coffee.”
— Josh Henry
Round Tables
Using round tables at dinners is one of my pet peeves. Round tables are too formal and not conducive to networking. I now always use a mix of rectangular tables and high boys and mixed seatings at my events. I am okay with buffets at lunches but at dinners, you can make it more fun and elevated with action stations or small portions that are easy to walk around with.”
STEAL THIS IDEA
Behavioral Cues
A recent Forbes article highlighted the behavioral reason why buffets at events can be wasteful affairs — and it comes down to peer pressure. “It’s why people tend to overfill their plates at a buffet,” Sara Dolnicar, a social scientist at the University of Queensland, told Forbes. “They think others are watching and judge them if they go back for more food multiple times.” In an experiment, researchers placed small signs on tables where people sat down to eat at the buffet, stating that returning to the buffet for seconds or thirds was very much appreciated — much more than piling on food at the beginning. This approach shifted the perception that going back for more food was embarrassing, and led to a 21-percent reduction in food waste. Another successful approach at buffets? The simple act of reducing the size of plates by slightly more than one inch resulted in a 20-percent reduction in food waste. “It’s an infrastructure change,” Dolnicar said. “You don’t even need to communicate anything to the guests.”
Illustrations by Dale Crosby Close
Breaking Free From Convention: Event Pros Offer Their Insights
To learn what events industry practices planners believe are out-of-date and no longer useful, Convene editors went right to the planners themselves via our recent Salary Survey and other interviews. We curated and categorized their sacred cows, and how they would change them, for the July-August issue of Convene. Here are links to more results.
Earn and Learn a CMP Credit
Earn one clock hour of certification by visiting Convene’s CMP Series page to answer questions about all the articles above. The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is a registered trademark of the Events Industry Council.