Forecast: What’s Next in Event Catering
Key points:
- Food safety remains the top priority in event catering, from ingredient processing to final consumption.
- There is a growing trend towards sustainability and creative serving ideas in the catering industry.
- Guests are increasingly interested in unconventional flavors and innovative spins on traditional foods.
The catering industry keeps evolving with time. The dynamic nature of the industry can be attributed to evolving guests and economies. But to have a grasp of what the future of catering holds, we are going to examine the changing preferences of guests, and how it affects event catering trends.
Table of Contents:
- Event catering trends in 2026 you must consider
- Traditional foods are the future of the catering industry
Event catering trends in 2026 you must consider
Whether you are catering for weddings, birthday parties, baby showers, corporate events catering, or others. This curated list of event catering trends, and what you should look forward to, will help you plan the best food experience for your guests.
Safety is the number one priority
In the catering industry, food safety is always at the top of the list. From the processing of raw ingredients to preparation, and final consumption, food safety practices should always be in place for any event catering. decades from now, food safety will still be of top priority.
Creative serving ideas
Creative serving ideas like packing food in durable mini-fun-looking boxes, and creative notes on the side are other innovative ways to serve food for special events catering activities. It guarantees a superb foodie experience for your guests. Big banquets for buffets are fast becoming old news.
Sustainability in the catering industry
People are more conscious of their environments than ever before. It’s no surprise that even NYC catering companies have started implementing sustainable practices in their food activities.
As a result, the future of food and beverage preparation is not without implementing safe sustainable food practices that don’t endanger the environment in its consumption.
Specialty cocktails
Signature cocktails are where many guests are beginning to gain credence in the catering industry. With special events catering, you can have a signature mix of non-alcoholic drinks, designed to be delicious without being sugary or boring. Just about anything that fits your tastes.
Looking for unconventional flavors
The surge in the desire for unconventional flavors can be traced to the pandemic year. People are starved of great food experiences. That accounts for why more people have welcoming palettes to try food they don’t learn to cook at home.
Traditional foods are the future of the catering industry
Sometimes guests desire little innovative spins on classic foods.
If you go to our New York catering company, their varieties of classic traditional foods speak that take you back to your childhood days.
Now that you’re aware of some of the evolving event catering trends, you can now make informed catering decisions. Nonetheless, they are still subject to subsequent changes with developments.
Frequenty Asked Questions
Check out the most frequently asked questions about event catering trends in 2026!
What is the number one priority in event catering?
Food safety is always at the top of the list in event catering.
How has the pandemic influenced food preferences?
The surge in the desire for unconventional flavors can be traced to the pandemic year, as people are eager for great food experiences.
What role do traditional foods play in the future of catering?
Guests desire innovative spins on classic foods, indicating that traditional foods will continue to be relevant in the catering industry.
