There’s plenty of hot spots outside of hotel F&B where corporate types end up flocking for trendy business lunches, dinners and pretty much any moment where food and networking are able to coincide. Here’s three easy ways to get the meeting planner on your property’s side.
- Be flexible. “More and more these days venues are unwilling to budget on catering fees, and outside restaurants and venues are, quite frankly, hungrier for business,” says Stewart Mann, CEO of Wild Rooster Events. In hotly competitive Chicago, “we are very flexible with menu pricing and meeting spaces,” says Beatriz Jara, events director at The Wit hotel. “We will work with groups to maintain their budget without sacrificing the experience.”
- Play up local flavor. Being able to taste the local food specialty or try craft beers, local wines and coffee engages attendees more than standard banquet fare. The Chicago Hilton’s catering and events menus stress local suppliers and include dishes named after the city’s neighborhoods.
- Exclusivity trumps privacy. “You no longer need to have all four walls closed off for people to feel secure,” says Matt Stuhl, vice president of restaurants, bars and events at Two Roads Hospitality. “Groups almost want people to see that they have the coolest spot.”
Contributed by Megan Rowe