Often held in restaurants or hotels, corporate dinners are known to be formal occasions held by large companies. However, they can still be an enjoyable experience when properly planned for and executed. All it takes is a bit of vision and the right venue team to pull everything together. For those planning a corporate dinner, here’s our guide to hosting a successful company event at a restaurant.
Set the purpose for your corporate dinner
Companies hold special dinners for a variety of reasons. The occasion may vary from realigning the company’s vision and mission among executives or conveying them to employees, gathering for a major meeting or seminar, sealing a deal, or celebrating milestones.
Having a clearly-defined goal helps you decide on further factors pertinent to the dinner such as venue, guest list, and even decoration.
Determine a theme
A corporate dinner is more than just high-level executives gathering together over food. The main purpose of the night is to convey a message, be it a roadmap for the next few years, a training session, or an announcement or launch.
A theme helps you reinforce your company culture through every aspect of the dinner such as decoration, colour palate, and rundown.
Plan your guest list
Once you have a purpose and a theme, it’s time to consider whom to invite. Your guest list should align with what you’re trying to achieve through this dinner. Are you hoping to speak to C-level executives? Are you looking to reward your employees or celebrate them? Perhaps you’re seeking to close a deal with an important client. This will all influence the kind of venue you choose.
When putting together a guest list for your corporate dinner, be sure to find out their preferences and/or any dietary requirements they may have. This will help you accommodate to your guests’ needs and ensure a pleasant experience.
Book a venue
The venue you choose for your company event will reflect your company values to your guests, so it’s important to select one that is appropriate. Several factors to consider include the following.
Venue capacity
A fixed guest list will determine the kind of venue you book. Do you need to close off the entire restaurant or will a private dining room be sufficient?
Flexibility for décor
Some restaurants will accommodate any extra decorations you’d want to set up. However, it’s best to check whether putting up your own items are allowed.
Technical requirements
If you’re hosting a large-scale dinner and require equipment like sound systems and projectors, be sure to let the restaurant know. The venue might have what you need available, but if not, make sure that it’s permissible to bring in equipment from external vendors.
Menu
You can work together with the restaurant to create a special menu for the evening. For this, it’s crucial that you are aware of your guests’ dietary restrictions and requirements beforehand. Select a restaurant that is able to accommodate to these needs.
Build the ambience of your corporate dinner
If your venue gives you the liberty to decorate, this is your chance to show your company values visually. The mood you build should always relate back to the initial goal for the dinner.
Lighting and decoration
Whether it’s dim mood lighting or a well-lit dinner, coordinate with the team at your venue to ensure you achieve the right ambience. Decoration can also be grand or understanded depending on your event’s theme.
Music
While music can be an effective way to build the mood, it can end up distracting guests, especially if your agenda is a sit-down meeting or discussion. Having some tunes playing lightly in the background can leave room for more conversation.
Branding
Your branding can be as obvious or as subtle as you’d like it to be. It can be in the form of small logos on the custom menus or place settings, or you can project it onto the big screen. You can also incorporate brand colours into the décor for a more cohesive touch.
Form a rundown
Ensure that the evening goes smoothly by creating a rundown of events. This way, you’ll be providing a seamless experience for your guests. Accommodate for key points during the evening such as speeches, presentations, or awards.
Hiring an MC for the night may be the best way forward, as a professional host will keep the guests’ spirits up and the event running.
Enjoy the night
Now that your event has been carefully planned out, you can entrust the rest of your corporate dinner to the team at the venue you’ve hired. Then, sit back and enjoy the night!
For smaller-scale corporate dinners in Bali, visit Merah Putih restaurant. Located in the accessible area of Petitenget, Merah Putih offers an exceptional setting for your company’s evening. The restaurant accommodates a maximum of 130 pax for sit-down dinners and over 200 pax for canape parties.
Book your spot today with exclusive gift vouchers.
FAQ
Often held in restaurants or hotels, corporate dinners are known to be formal occasions held by large companies. The occasion may vary from realigning the company’s vision and mission among executives or conveying them to employees, gathering for a major meeting or seminar, sealing a deal, or celebrating milestones.
For those planning a corporate dinner, here’s our guide to hosting a successful company event at a restaurant:
– Set the purpose of the dinner
– Determine a theme
– Plan your guest list
– Book a venue
– Build the ambience
– Create a rundown
You can work together with the restaurant to create a special menu for the evening. For this, it’s crucial that you are aware of your guests’ dietary restrictions and requirements beforehand. Select a restaurant that is able to accommodate to these needs.
A corporate night is a gathering of professionals over food and sometimes entertainment. The event is often held to convey a specific message or celebrate a company milestone.

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