When someone invites me to be the lecturer at their conference, they usually get a list of questions from me first. Questions that help me prepare myself for the lecture and to create the unique experience for the audience.
At first, these questions cause panic and fear among the organizers, but they soon realize these questions can help them prepare themselves better for the organization of the conference.
Why it’s important to know how food and drinks are organized at a conference
Food and drinks may not sound like a big deal, but if they’re poorly organized, both the audience and the speakers will definitely remember it.
If the conference doesn’t offer a catered lunch, the organizer needs to plan a lunch break that lasts at least two hours, maybe even longer. Participants need time to find a place to eat, order, eat, and get back.
If many are visiting that city for the first time, this can turn into a logistical challenge. And if the restaurant they find happens to be a great spot for networking and chatting with other participants or speakers, that “lunch break” can easily last until dinner. Because, let’s be honest – who wants to leave a good conversation for a stuffy conference hall? 😀
It’s always best if lunch is organized within the conference venue or in a nearby restaurant that can serve a large number of people quickly and efficiently.
In that case, the lunch break can be as short as one hour, maybe 90 minutes at most, keeping everyone in the conference rhythm and ensuring they return to the sessions on time.
A good rule of thumb is that one catering station should serve no more than about 100 people.
If you have hundreds of attendees and only one buffet line, you’ll end up with queues longer than most presentations. People will spend the break standing instead of eating and miss the opportunity for valuable networking, which is often just as important as the talks themselves.
Pro tip for teams: have one teammate head straight for desserts, gather enough for everyone, and secure a table big enough for the group. The rest of the team can handle the main dishes for that friend. You’ll thank me later. 😉
Speakers and lunch – a story of its own
Speakers also need to know whether they’ll have lunch with the audience or in a separate room.
Most conferences combine everyone, which is fine, but speakers should know where to go, especially those who haven’t spoken yet or just finished and are still answering questions while everyone else is lining up for food.
Those who speak right after lunch have the toughest task: they must eat early (if they manage to eat at all) and get ready for their session while everyone else is still digesting.
Experienced speakers know what’s coming after lunch — sleepy heads and heavy eyelids.
That’s why post-lunch talks call for extra energy: a louder tone, faster rhythm, audience questions, and a good dose of humor.
That’s also why I always want to know when exactly I’m scheduled to speak. Organizers often place me right after lunch, knowing I can keep the audience awake.
My colleague Miroslav Varga and I like to joke that the true metric of a conference’s success is RAL – Return After Lunch (Rate) — the percentage of people who actually come back to the hall after eating. 😀
So, if possible, make sure speakers can have lunch close by and early enough to prepare for their talk.
If they have to wander through an unfamiliar city in search of a restaurant, there’s a good chance they’ll skip lunch, or worse, arrive hungry and distracted.
Logistics and communication are key
The organizer must ensure that the catering or restaurant can serve everyone in a short time, which is no small feat. Many places will offer cheap lunch menus, but the real question is: can they feed several hundred people efficiently? Only experienced and well-organized venues can. “Cheap” usually ends up costing more in the end, as always.
A good practice is to distribute lunch coupons, which helps manage the crowd and prevents “free riders.”
Sometimes it’s enough to simply limit access to those with conference badges. And don’t worry too much, because there’s usually food left over anyway.
Just keep in mind that the number of attendees often changes right up to the last week. People in our region love buying tickets at the last minute, so don’t confirm the exact catering numbers too early.
The worst thing that can happen is running out of food because you didn’t count on an extra 50 hungry guests.
Some organizers choose not to provide lunch at all, which is their decision, but I’m glad that’s rare.
If attendees have already paid for a conference ticket, they usually don’t mind paying 20–30 EUR more for one that includes lunch, rather than having to find food themselves.
And since most tickets are paid by companies, including lunch just makes the event more convenient and a little leftover budget for evening cocktails never hurts. 😉
Speakers, of course, should have meals provided for each day of the conference, especially if they’re coming from another city or country. That’s part of taking care of your speakers, just like accommodation and transportation.
If you invited them to a two-day conference and covered two nights of accommodation, then yes, you should also cover two days of meals.
Hotels with in-house restaurants are often the best solution, especially when the conference is held in the same building.
Such hotels know how to feed large groups quickly while maintaining quality and service rhythm.
Coffee and beverage sponsors are also easy to find, because almost every region has a local brand happy to support and promote itself through the event.
Breaks, coffee, and water
After every two or three sessions, there should be a coffee break. Not just for caffeine, but so people can chat, exchange ideas, and clear their minds.
If you make the audience sit through five or six talks in a row, they’ll forget what they heard in the first two.
Breaks are an essential part of the conference experience, because they help participants absorb and share knowledge. This isn’t a six-hour lab at university.
Short breaks also help speakers grab a glass of water, breathe, and get ready for their next session.
If there are some snacks or pastries along with coffee, even better, since it helps reduce the rush for lunch later.
And don’t forget: speakers need easy access to water near the stage or backstage so they can take a sip before going on and keep their voice fresh.
These are the small things that make a big difference.
What should the organizer know?
- Plan lunch within or near the conference venue.
- If that’s not possible, schedule at least a two-hour lunch break.
- Provide multiple buffet lines (about 100 people per line).
- Ensure speakers have meals available before or after their sessions, depending on timing.
- Clearly communicate who’s entitled to lunch (coupons, badge markings, etc.).
- Provide free water and regular coffee breaks.
- Partner with a hotel or restaurant experienced in large events.
- Include local sponsors for coffee and beverages.
Conclusion
Food and drink aren’t just “details”, they’re part of the conference experience.
When they’re well organized, people come back for the next edition.
When they’re not, even the best speakers can’t compete with the sound of hungry stomachs growling in the third row. 😀