Catering for exhibition visitors - what would you expect?

[newbryford]

As the title says, I want to keep this discussion about catering for the exhibition paying puiblic - not exhibitors/traders etc.

 

Many exhibitions suffer from inadequate catering facilities and we at Blackburn & East Lancs MRS are fully aware of that. Please also, no comments about our previous year's arrangements - that's why I'm here asking for your requirements.

 

As a visitor, what are your food and drink needs?

 

Full hot meals?

Pre-packed sandwiches?

Cakes/crisps/confectionery (Kit-Kat etc)

Tea/coffee/soft drinks?

Bar?

 

Hopefully, there'll be enough answers that I can formulate a popular wishlist and pass onto our committee.

 

Cheers,

Mick

(on behalf of Blackburn & East Lancs MRS Exhibition Committtee)

[The Stationmaster]

The first thing is having somewhere to sit to consume it - somewhere sufficiently set aside to ensure that if I buy a cuppa and a whatever I will be able to sit down to drink and eat it and not have to wait while those who brought their food & drink with them spend extended periods sat in the catering area. (sorry to grouch but that really does irritate me at times)

 

In terms of food it really depends on the length of my day, how early I had to start and how long it took me to get there plus the attractiveness of what's on offer. For example although Railex is relatively near to home I like to get there early so that I can get a decent parking space which gives me time to have a breakfast before the show opens. Melksham is a longer drive so I usually like to have at least some sort of hot snack and a cuppa part way through the day - which is possible there. And something like crisps or confectionery is always nice to 'top-up' during a long day or pop in the bag for the journey home if I'm on the train. Wycrail is also near home and is a later start than Railex but again a cuppa and a round of sandwiches or something of that sort is a nice break during the time there - but no need for a hot snack because of the travel time and distance, Maidenhead is similar although nowhere near as good as Wycrail for much beyond a cuppa.

 

One thing is reasonably important - if the club, society or whatever is catering please aim for decent quality. The stories about Wycrail cakes are not a joke, they are part of the day for regulars (well they are for this one ) as are the good quality sandwiches you get there (if they haven't all gone).

 

And if there's no alcohol it doesn't worry me one way or t'othert; it was nice to have a drink with fellow RMWebbers at Warley but as far as I'm concerned a cuppa can be just as convivial.

[RW James]

Since I live in the western US, I can assure you I won't make it to your exhibit. But this is a sensitive topic for me and one I wish the hosts here in US would give more attention to. Since I have type 2 diabetes, I can't last the day on light snacks. I need a healthy meal. I have had to leave shows early because I can feel my blood sugar dropping and there is really nothing to eat. I suppose I could pack in my own meals - but that's not something I like to do - and I always have the feeling that I want to support whatever vendors are there, which ends up contributing to my disappointment.

 

So, I really appreciate you giving this some thought and I hope it all works out for you - and that hopefully show organizers on this side of the pond will pay attention.

[Gwiwer]

When considering the needs of your paying guests it is also appropriate to consider where they might have come from, how long their journey might have been and whether you might like them to stay an a hour or a day. The size and content of the show also dictates an average stay since more time is required to view a greater number of stands and layouts.

 

For what I would consider to be a regional show (i.e. not at the national level such as Warley neither at local club level such as Hayle MRC just to pick examples) it would be reasonable to assume a majority of visitors might be within an hour or so travel time but that a fair number will have made the effort to travel much further. Whether to support the organisation, to see a particular layout or simply out of general interest is less material than the fact that they may have spent some time (and money) in reaching the show and would probably stay for most of the day. It would also be reasonable to expect many of those who visit may stay for at least a couple of hours and if decent catering is offered they may well be enticed to both stay longer and avail themselves of that service.

 

Taking those considerations into account I would suggest the following:-

 

1. A dedicated catering area with seating and tables suitable for food consumption and if possible in the same room / area as the food service to minimise risks associated with carrying cups and plates around;

2. This should be comfortably close to the toilets or, if that cannot be arranged, they should be clearly signed from the refreshment area;

3. A catering service to offer teas, coffees, soft drinks, packet snacks (biscuits, cake slices, crisps, nuts etc. which can be kept for months if unsold) and a good selection of sandwiches;

4. If circumstances permit then a limited amount of hot food which need only be warmed and kept in a warmer such as pies, sausage rolls and pasties - I don't consider this essential but rather desirable where it can be provided safely and for events taking place through the cooler parts of the year;

5. All facilities and provision to include reasonable disabled access arrangements and at least one option of vegetarian food which can be as simple as a cheese and salad sandwich or vegetable pasty.

 

I don't see any requirement for a licensed bar nor for full hot meals to be provided. Many folk do not eat a full cooked meal at lunchtime anyway and the cost of providing such a service may outweigh the uptake. Alcohol is refreshment of choice rather than an absolute need. If there is a bar in or on the premises it can be signposted.

 

I would expect, as a customer, to pay a reasonable commercial rate for fully-catered refreshments and that they would therefore be of a standard and quality to match the price. I would not expect anything for nothing but if the only catering was a DIY urn with jars of instant coffee / tea bags and a club member (or partner) assembling sandwiches / slicing home-baked cakes to order then I would expect the cost to reflect that and be more of a gold coin donation than parting with perhaps a fiver for a modest lunch.

[James]

It's a small thing but if there are bottles or cans of soft drinks like Coke, Diet Coke, etc, can they be cold?

 

I don't drink tea or coffee so will have soft drinks and there are few lesser pleasures over lunch when you have a fizzy drink at room temperature!

[Burkitt]

For me, what I eat at shows depends largely on how high the quality appears to be. If there is hot food available, and it looks good then I'll go for it. But if the hot food looks a bit dodgy, I'd much rather have a sandwich that I know I'll enjoy.

So I think what sort of food to provide should be determined by how well you think you can do it - hot if you know you can do it well, but better to stick to good sandwiches etc rather than doing hot food badly.

[nigel gill]

As a visitor, what are your food and drink needs?

 

Full hot meals?....Not a must!...a lot of prep work required, Good kitchen facilities needed,Food hygine certs etc if you have enough staff to organise and work it.... (As an ex Chef dont even go there)

 

Pre-packed sandwiches?....Yes easy to source, Vary your fillings and do both brown & white bread, Kept in a cool refrigerator will be ok for 2 days

 

Cakes/crisps/confectionery (Kit-Kat etc)..... A must, Fresh home mades cakes go down a storm especially with the ladies,Crisps dont go mad with , Confectionery..again dont over do the selection

 

Tea/coffee/soft drinks?.....Tea's a no brainer!! Coffee get a good brand and dont forget the De-caf, Also get sweetners as well as sugar, Soft drinks...Squashes as well as Cold Cans

 

Bar?..." BEER FESTIVAL" ....No! Would be a great idea but opens up a can of worms with licences etc

 

As said elsewere try get a seperate seated area too, Proper cups/ mugs too...

 

Regards, Nige...

[Mallard60022]

Can't agree more about the space to enjoy goods once purchased. A lot of folk will bring their own stuff; should they be encouraged to eat in a separate area? Personally I think so and it should be clearly signed. This enables folk that have bought in house to have comfortable conditions.

I also agree that unless you are working in a place that has its own catering on site (e.g. York, Wakefield) go for local catering pre packed sandwiches with a contingency supply of (say) cheese and toms and good sliced bread in case packed supplies run out.

The home made cakes - certainly as I think these are very popular and usually well priced. Left overs are then just distributed appropriately?

Has anyone ever investigated using a local small caterer that does everything but makes no charge, relying on sales for their income?

I am ashamed to say I have not been to a B & EL MRC Show but I should think it would be of similar size to Shipley. They do their own as outlined above and it is adequate but they don't really have enough space.

I do hope you get some inspiration from the above excellent posts.

P @ 36E

[Crofton]

I agree with a lot of what has been said especially a dedicated sitting out area. I look for drinks, either soft or tea/coffee. With regards to sarnies and cakes, etc., I am a coeliac and require gluten-free but I would not expect a small show where club members and their wives do the catering to have gluten-free products. A show the size of Warley I would expect the professional caterers to be able to cater for me but they seem not to know what it is or don't care! More often than not, I take my own food especially if I am exhibiting "Holm".

Chris

[James Makin]

Catering can vary depending on the event, but I know from personal experience that if a club has enough support from club members & family, the catering can be just as, if not more profitable than gate receipts, so well worth considering.

 

I'll rarely buy any food at a show myself though, but like James said above, an ice cold soft drink is always appreciated!

[RANGERS]

Depends largely on what's available and if I know about in advance. Wakefield is one example of good quality, hot food which is a welcome addition to the attraction of the show, that said if it wasn't there, it wouldn't stop me going but it is a handy and a useful source of additional revenue to a club. Leisure centre shows are usually the worst quality, poorest value so I go on that expectation and work othere arrangements into the day if I'm travelling a distance.

 

Smaller club shows with in-house catering are usually the best value, home-made cakes etc and a decent cup of tea. I rarely compain about places like the NEC, thay are what they are and you expect it.

[Barry O]

Mick

 

As you know we are blessed at Leeds by having the Grammar School Refectory and we get catering staff with it! So we can provide hot and cold food, hot and cold drinks, plenty of room to sit and not too far to walk to get to the toilets.

 

We don't have a bar - but we could get one if required but its not essential - it is essential that we provide a service which can be used by all and which covers teh dietary needs of our exhibitors and visitors

[Nile_Griffith]

Hi there!

 

I'd like to pick up on Mallard's suggestion.

 

I'm often surprised that so few exhibition organisers seem to want to approach local caterers. I'm not necessarily talking about companies and businesses that specifically advertise offering catering services for various live events. Quite often it's just a case of taking a walk around the local area and spotting the local cafe or tea rooms and enquiring as to their interest. Quite a few smaller family run businesses often welcome the opportunity to cater for relatively small events as additional much needed turnover. They are also more inclined to sit down and agree on pricing and range of menu.

 

Catering is actually a fairly stressful occupation and although it's always great to see family and friends pitch in with assistance at an exhibition. When it's your day job, things like portion control and ensuring things are ready and available on time come much more readily. Also catering for a largish number of people requires quite a bit of kit.

 

I know sub'ing out may seem like a lost opportunity in terms of revenue, but there is no reason why a percentage of the takings might not be negotiated for. Maybe just the security that there is one very important aspect of the event that will be professionally taken care of and encourage visitors to return again next year, is enough to justify the choice.

[PLD]

For me, what needs to be provided at the venue depends on a few things...

 

If it's a smaller show and I only expect to be there for a couple of hours, a 'coffee and a KitKat' or similar is all I'd be likely to want in the show, but if it's a larger show and I'm there all day I would want a decent meal.

 

In summer, I'd be satisfied with cold sandwiches (preferably fresh, not BR buffet car standard though) but in winter, a hot option is apreciated.

 

If there is adequate provision close by (e.g. decent pub-grub next door), then little more than tea+biscuits has to be available in house. At the other end of the scale at a venue in the middle of nowhere with no alternative the full range from snacks to full meals needs to be available in the venue.

 

The other thing to consider is that ideally there needs to be a choice but It doesn't need to be anything fancy and avoid overload of hot/spicy/exotic varieties - old standards such as Pie & Peas, Pastie & Chips seem to go down well. (to be told "we've Beef curry, Chicken curry, or Lamb curry" isn't good)

 

As the majority of visitors drive to shows, a bar should in theory be superfluous.

 

Endorse comments from others about wanting somewhere to sitdown and eat, but I apreciate it is hard to judge how much seating given that people seem programmed to each lunch at exactly midday or exactly 1pm and no other time!.

 

Paul

[Rivercider]

The catering, or lack thereof is something that has never so far influenced my decision to visit a show.

I have only stopped for a cup of tea when visiting with my late father, who liked a sit down part way through the visit.

Now I have been diagnosed coeliac I don't expect small shows to be able to cater for me anyway.

I might carry a biscuit or two with me, then look for a pub near the station after the show.

 

cheers

[Derekl]

Catering would not usually influence my decision to visit a show. I was a little taken aback a few years ago, on visiting a show which involved a significant drive, later visiting the catering facilities and identifying a rather nice looking roll, to be told that they were reserved for exhibitors. Pretty awful approach and I won't be going there again.

[GrahamB]

I tend to take my own snacks but I do enjoy a nice hot cup of tea.

[Kickstart]

Tea/coffee/soft drinks?.....Tea's a no brainer!! Coffee get a good brand and dont forget the De-caf, Also get sweetners as well as sugar, Soft drinks...Squashes as well as Cold Cans

 

+1 on the de-caf. I avoid anything with caffiene in it which rather limits the choice in most places.

 

That said, I don't expect much catering wise at any shows (railway or otherwise). Something I fancy is a bonus.

 

All the best

 

Keith

[MarkSG]

I'm not particularly bothered about a bar or hot meals, although if you're hiring a venue which includes professional catering (eg, Leamington, York, Warley) then I'm fairly likely to make use of it. Otherwise, I'm happy with the basics - tea, coffee, soft drinks, a reasonable selection of sandwiches and snacks.

 

But the most important factor is to give the catering enough space and enough staff - there's nothing worse than a queue which stretches half way round the hall just for a cup of tea, and then nowhere to sit once you've got it.

[jamie92208]

At Wakefield catering is often my biggest headache. The venue is good for the show but has no in house catering facilities. We therefore have to use an aerobics studio. This means that all equipment has to be brought in for the weekend and taken out by 09.00 on the Monday. A few years ago we lost our caterer and actually went out to tender to 5 local companies. None replied but we talked to one of them again and he has now done it for 4 years. The first year he assurred us that he knew how to cater for shows and got things badly wrong, in terms of staffing and menu selection. This provoked a great amount of comment on RM Web (Which is how I became a member). To be fair to him he took the criticisms on bopard and upped his game the next year.

 

I am aware that paying customers need Hot ddrinks and hot food as many will stay for much of the day. We tried one year to put on fresh burgers and bacon sarnies. This caused problems for us as the aerobics class on the following week winged badly about the smell. We now have to take the curtains down before the show and hang them again afterwards. There are also problems with water supply as there is no tap in the room and it all has to be carried in in containers. However I feel that this effrort is essential as decent catering is a major part of any show.

 

Certainly for us it would be impossible to do the catering ourselves and using competent professionals as the various pressures imposed by legislation keep growing.

 

I have certainly read the above replies with interest and will certainly ensure that decaff is available next year.

 

Jamie

[Sidecar Racer]

I'm much in agreement with the Stationmaster , a GOOD cup of coffee , a bacon or sausage butty , maybe a burger and

some chips if we've come some distance , cakes and snack items always work well , and plenty of seating to rest the feet

for a while while eating .

 

Good venues I have attended for catering are , Expo EM at Bracknell , Trainwest at Melksham , Eastleigh , Railex Taunton

and some smaller shows , Nailsea last year was good , Burnham on Sea was not to bad .

 

One to be avoided is Bristol at the leisure center , rubbish food at sky high prices and no price list

to see what you will get stung for . Bring your own food and just have a drink here .

[Poggy1165]

The catering requirements really vary with the size of the show. If it's a small show, a cup of tea and a cake or butty will do fine. If a larger one, where I am likely to be there most of the day I want much more. (I suppose if there are pubs/chip shops close by and and a 'pass out' system in place, I can manage with that as an alternative.)

 

As to what I want, personally, good, wholesome food that is reasonably priced. Simple things like meat and potato pie, chicken curry or even a (decent) sausage sandwich will satisfy. Rip-off burgers from a van will not. I want to tea to taste like tea, and no UHT milk please. As to the bar, unless there's real ale on I won't even look at it. Frankly I can live without a bar altogether, though it helps, particularly in summer, if soft drinks can be bought.

 

Also, as mentioned above, adequate staffing please to avoid long queues. A certain well-known show I attended in 2010 had a queue so long I thought they had started selling cup-final tickets at £5 a piece. I simply wasn't prepared to wait in line for what looked like indifferent food, so I cut my visit short (no great hardship frankly) and decamped to the local boozer.

[Neil]

I'm happy to survive on tea, sandwiches and a Kit Kat.

[roundhouse]

I personally think the comments re what else is nearby is a very important consideration. If the show is next to plenty of cafes bars etc then there isn't quite the same need for hot food etc. but if catering is provided at a show than it is important to have adequate seating otherwise people other won't use the catering or will be forced to wonder around te exhibition with food and drink. It is Los. Good idea to separate the exhibitors seating for food and the visitors unless there is plenty of space.

[Guest Natalie Graham]

Why do visiitors to model railway shows need to be provided with food? Surely they will all have room in their ruckcacks for a flask and some sanwiches.

 

At small shows then a good cup of tea and some sandwiches and cakes, especially home made ones, can be a very pleasant part of the day out. Unless I am very hungry I avoid the 'burger bar' style, styrene-carton catering of the larger 'exhuibition centre' type venues. I can't imagine any circumstances short of being trapped in the venue overnight where I would want to take the time out from viewing the exhibition to sit down to a hot meal. As someone else said, do whatever you know you can do well. Good quality can more than make up for a limited selection.