The demand for companies to offer various corporate team-building programs is steadily increasing among employees. Beyond the basic benefits package, the opportunity to occasionally eat, drink, and have fun somewhere for free is becoming an essential expectation. Service providers are also aware of this; in addition to the general rise in prices, you can sometimes see above-average costs for corporate events. Naturally, there are limits to this, and we aim to offer the best possible programs at the most favorable prices—after all, the better the deals we secure, the more budget is left for future events and further planning. In our “Corporate Team Building on a Budget” series, we explore ways to cut costs while still providing memorable experiences.

Besides the venue, another significant expense of any event is always the catering. Everyone wants to eat and drink well—especially if it’s free. Due to recent price increases, you can easily find buffet meals costing 30,000–40,000 HUF (about $80–$100) per person.

For team-building programs, this is a sensitive topic because employees’ most basic expectation is exactly this: plenty of good, free food and drink. However, with clever planning, it's possible to control these costs.

Tips and tricks for choosing affordable catering:

• If your event is all day, you can save a lot by skipping one meal. Usually, this would be breakfast—if you start at 11 instead of 9, everyone can have their own breakfast before arrival, saving this expense.
• Get involved in the food preparation! Cooking together over a cauldron (bográcsolás) is not only a great activity but also significantly lowers costs if you prepare lunch or dinner yourselves. The cheapest option is if you arrange everything yourself (provided the venue allows it). Fortunately, today almost everything can be delivered, so with a bit of advance shopping—ordering from Tesco or Kifli and renting cauldrons—all necessary equipment is available, and costs can be as low as 5,000 HUF (about $13) per person.
• Choose your venue wisely! In our previous article, we outlined how to find more affordable venues for your corporate team-building. Since venues often insist on providing catering themselves or using a partner, it’s important to request many quotes and, for buffet or menu offers, choose the best overall deal.
• Discuss the final headcount with the venue! Anyone who’s organized a corporate team-building event knows there are always last-minute cancellations. Food and drink are usually charged per head, so the later you have to give a final number, the less likely you are to pay for unnecessary portions.
• When it comes to drinks, the most convenient option is usually an open bar, but this always overshoots the actual consumption in price so the service provider doesn’t lose out. If you’ve organized team events before, you can probably estimate the team’s consumption patterns—then, instead of an open bar, you can arrange a set consumption limit or drink coupons. If you estimate well, everyone still gets the all-inclusive experience, but your costs are much more realistic!
• Bring your own! If your team-building isn’t held at a restaurant, you might be allowed to arrange your own food and drinks. You can then get quotes from external catering companies, or simply shop ahead for breakfast pastries and order good pizzas for lunch.
• Communicate openly! This applies to every detail of organizing a corporate team-building event. Everyone knows there are expectations, but if fulfilling them is simply impossible, it’s worth being honest with colleagues. If they understand the situation clearly, they’re more likely to be open to co-funding or bringing their own contributions.

The key is always to know your colleagues’ needs, and to find catering for the team-building event that takes those needs into account.