Show Managers Speak: Does the Kitchen Count?

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 2/26/2007

Griping about convention center food is almost a way of life for meeting and exhibition participants. But with many people increasingly interested in or even requiring healthier diets, vegetarian meals or just better food, Contributing Editor Gary Tufel asked show managers and meeting planners if those concerns have translated into a greater importance in food and beverage service when choosing sites for their events.

"Food quality is a key factor when it comes to me recommending or even deciding to book a venue. There are facilities I will clearly steer my clients away from due to the food."

Mary-Ann Urbanovich, Meetings and events manager, Planning Factory Intl.

"Rarely is convention center food a cut above mediocre. Everyone knows this and expects it. Clearly it is not a determining factor in selecting a venue. Geographic location, work rules and hall configuration are the key factors. Food doesn't even make it to the radar screen."

Chuck Schwartz, Chairman, ConvExx

"Indirectly food does help — or hinder, as the case may be — create the customer experience at the show. Sadly, the expectations for quality food at a convention center are not overwhelmingly high, but the expectation for quantity is. I would value fast and multiple options above, or perhaps as part of, quality. Attendees standing in lines to get mediocre-quality food make for an empty tradeshow floor, unhappy customers and ultimately unhappy event organizers."

Lance Fensterman, Event director, BookExpo America

"Food quality is an important component of our site evaluations. Since we include breakfasts, lunches, breaks and receptions with registration, food presentation and quality is a big part of our customers' experience. The food doesn't have to be lavish, but it does have to be good. We definitely try to avoid properties with service and quality issues."

Leesa LaVern, Meeting and travel coordinator, Noria

"Convention centers and hotels have come a long way from the standard fare of chicken and rice or egg rolls and cheese boards. It is refreshing to have innovative options at affordable prices. The quality of the food is important, because if the food is bad or the presentation is unappealing, that's what your attendees will talk about for the rest of the meeting."

Leslie Zeck, Manager, events and conferences, American Red Cross

"We do concern ourselves with the quality of services provided within the convention facility. Quality F&B and excellent service are essential to having smooth-running and memorable networking and hospitality events during our show.

"Attendees and exhibitors alike will long remember a poor dining experience over a good one. Taken in context of the overall show experience, F&B is a major factor. If the F&B is not good at a hall, we may think twice about going there or coming back."

Jason McGraw, Senior vice president of expositions, InfoComm Intl.

"Normally, I throw away the banquet menus that catering sales pushes on me and prefer to work directly with the chef to develop a menu that is pleasing to the palate of the audience demographics, fits within the event budget, pushes boundaries and is outside of boxes in the kitchen. I find that the excitement of something different can actually be a rallying and motivational tool for the executive chef.

"It drives out the doldrums of the same-thing-every-day, causes creative excitement and allows input from staff who may have specialties or unique skills to interact more with the menu. In the end, the group will benefit from the closer kitchen attention to the program and, in my experience, the chefs enjoy the challenge.

"The quality of the food is very important, but it does rank behind the quality of the venue: service, meeting space and sleeping rooms. Still, it is an integral part of a successful picture."

Michael Patton, President, POTHOS

"While quality of food is important to our nurse attendees, the three most important factors in selecting a site for AACN's annual conference and tradeshow are preferred dates, sufficient meeting and exhibit space, and 4,000 to 4,500 peak night hotel rooms.

"Once those basic criteria are met, we seek locations which will help AACN maximize nurse participation, including the proximity of large health care institutions, convenient transportation access, and the proximity of restaurants, shops and local attractions. AACN selects its convention cities eight to 10 years in advance (we're booked through 2015), so food quality is a secondary consideration to the basic site requirements."

Randy Bauler, Corporate relations and exhibits, director, American Assn. of Critical-Care, Nurses

"Quality of food is perhaps not our top consideration during the selection process, but it's way up there. The attendee experience is shaped by many things, but the food served at our social events obviously has a strong impact. We always try to do a food tasting when we visit a convention center site so any issues regarding quality or price can be addressed before contracts are signed."

Vicki Hawarden, Director of education and conferences, Natl. Recreation and Park Assn.

"It's not particularly a concern for our current meetings, but with past groups we've had sit-down dinners and tastings where it was. One factor is that the chef or caterer could change between the time you book the event and when the event is held.

"Usually, you take what you get. We once did tastings at a convention center and a hotel and picked the hotel because their food was better, but if they hadn't had enough meeting space, we would not have selected them. Food isn't the main factor. There are much more important things to consider in site selection."

Jane Dahlroth, Vice president, JRDaggett & Associates

"Food quality, creativity and value are very important to the Consumer Electronics Assn. when deciding on a property. Our attendees are generally well-traveled and food-savvy. They enjoy CEA events because we work with our caterers to offer unique menus, interesting preparations, and fun food events such as wine tastings and cooking classes. A property that can demonstrate a willingness to think beyond its printed menus is going to be a front runner in our selection process."

Kelly Ricker, Senior director, conferences, Consumer Electronics Assn.