If your event features
a sit-down meal – or food is going to be one of the main attractions, then you’re
probably already considering hiring out a restaurant. It’s a great choice. With
so much variety to choose from, there are restaurants suitable for all
occasions. Choosing what type you’ll require is the tricky part. There are a
number of different things that you’ll need to consider before hiring a restaurant,
so be careful when making your decision.
What Type of Party is It?
When choosing a restaurant
for an event, you need to carefully consider the type of party that you are
looking to have. Is it more of a corporate dinner than party? Or is it a
graduation celebration? What you want the rest of your night to look like will
have a big impact on the type of restaurant that you go for. If you want
somewhere that you can stay and party all night, it will likely need to have a separate
area. If, however, you’re looking for a meal only, then you can choose the restaurant
based only on this.
How Many People are You
Expecting?
The size of your party
will definitely have an effect when it comes to booking a restaurant. If you
have a really large group, your options are going to be more limited, and you
might need to look at alternative venues that also provide catering. There are
always some restaurants where you can hire them in full, such as for a wedding
reception, so for a large event, something like this will be ideal. If you have
a smaller group, then you will be able to either partially hire a venue, or
even just reserve a table. Many restaurants have small sections that you can
hire away from the main area so that your party can still have an intimate feel
to it.
Make a List of
Potential Restaurants
Before you make your
decision on what type of restaurant you want to go for, you need to make a list
of the potentials and go and view them if you can. There’s a huge range of restaurant
venues for hire in London, and so you’ll need to take your time and pick out a
few that look as if they will suit the type of event that you are hosting. Don’t
be afraid to book in to view them, particularly if you are planning a large
party. It’s good to be able to actually visit the space and ask any questions
you have in person. Having a list to go through means that you can easily write
down the pros and cons of each before making your final decision. You’ll need
to consider how far away it is to travel as well, so don’t expand your search too
far away!
Think About Atmosphere
While the size of the restaurant
and the type of event you are hosting will change what restaurants you are
looking at to book, the atmosphere of the building shouldn’t be neglected. As there
are so many styles of both building and décor, from historical to modern, chic
to rustic, this will all have an impact on how successful your event is. This
is another reason why it’s so important to visit a restaurant before you book,
so you can really soak up this atmosphere. Getting it wrong can be disastrous. Think
of a birthday party where the atmosphere is quiet and subdued, or a corporate
party where everything gets a little too raucous. If you are having a theme for
your event, this should help you narrow down the possibilities even more.
Look at the Menu
When booking a restaurant
venue, there’s one thing that you should never forget to do – look at the menu.
Not just a glance but read through it so that you know what types of options you
have. For larger groups, some restaurants might ask you to choose from a smaller
menu, a set menu, or order in advance, so you’ll need to make sure you know if
any of this will be the case. While the look and feel of the restaurant is of
course important for any event, you also need to make sure that it serves good
food that everyone in attendance is going to enjoy.
Keep Everyone Happy
In addition to this,
you will have to take all dietary requirements into account. Most chefs are
happy to accommodate with this, but it does become difficult when you are meant
to be having a set menu. The key is letting the restaurant know about all
requirements well in advance so that they have time to prepare their menus. If
you are not sure of what the groups taste is like, try and avoid anything that
is too exotic. If you can, a menu tasting is always advised before you proceed
with the booking.
Plan in Advance
The key bit of advice
when it comes to booking a restaurant for an event is to start all of your
planning well in advance. Too many times people think that booking a restaurant
will be simple, but if you want to actually hire out a section of the building,
you’ll need to give a good amount of notice. Plus, in order to make it a relaxed
experience you will want to take the time to view various options, taste menus,
and make an informed decision. If you leave it too late, you will be left
choosing whatever restaurant you see that is still available to you.
A restaurant is always
a great place to host any type of party. Everyone likes to gather over food,
which is why an event in a restaurant is so versatile. So long as you know what
you want your event to look like, and you start planning in advance, you’re sure
to find the best option for your group.
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