Stand catering is the supply of food and drinks on the stand, for visitors, customers and your own team. It ranges from coffee at the counter to an evening reception.
Stand catering includes drinks such as coffee, water and soft drinks, snacks and finger food, lunch for the stand staff, and receptions or stand parties. It is supplied by the venue's caterer, by an external caterer or by the exhibitor itself. Costs depend heavily on scope, number of guests and provider. Often basic refreshments are combined with individual receptions.
The fair decides which options are allowed. At some venues catering is tied to contracted partners, or external caterers have to be registered. Kitchens, sinks and fridges are subject to hygiene and technical requirements set out in the exhibitor manual.
Good hospitality gives conversations a setting. A coffee extends the time on your stand (booth), and a drink at the end creates a good moment. But plan deliberately: who gets what, at what times, and how much space does the kitchen need? A counter with drinks should encourage conversations, not block the entrance to the stand.
Think of your team too. Long show days are tiring, and stand staff need breaks, water and food, ideally out of sight of visitors. Also plan storage space for supplies so that the stand stays tidy, and make sure drinks are not placed next to exhibits and technical equipment.
Clarify early whether you have to use the venue's caterer, which order deadlines apply and how dishes and waste are handled. Caterers with trade fair experience can help with allergens and labelling.
In photos, catering is a detail that shows hospitality: a coffee bar, a buffet that has just been laid out, a reception with guests. We photograph food and drinks while they are freshly arranged and show people raising a glass or talking, not eating. In the evening we capture the mood and the guests at a reception.
Details such as cups with your logo or a designed coffee bar round off the selection of pictures. Before the stand photos in the morning, used cups, bottles and plates should have disappeared. The guide Food photography at trade fairs explains how food looks good at a show.
That depends on the fair. Some venues have exclusive contracted partners, others allow external caterers if they are registered. The rules are in the exhibitor manual.
As a detail, yes, for example a coffee bar or a reception with guests. People eating or used dishes do not belong in the picture.
Send us the fair, hall and whether a reception is planned. We plan the shoot across the day and deliver within 24 hours after the show ends.
We reply within 24 hours. During a show week, WhatsApp is fastest.
