The good guide to a great corporate drinks package

Someone in your team knows exactly which wine they like, someone else is driving, and the person who organised the evening just wants to duck the questions and have a drink themselves. A great corporate drinks package should look after all of them.

At Venue Crew, we help organisers find venues that suit the whole event, including what happens when the presentations finish and the drinks come out. A good package should give everyone something they enjoy without leaving you to manage the bar.

The trouble is, a proposal rarely tells you how the evening will feel. “House wine, beer and soft drinks” could cover a thoughtful selection served by an excellent team. On the other hand, it could also end up being quite the pedestrian experience.

Before choosing between standard and premium, walk through the reception you’re actually planning, from the first arrival to the final order. Let’s go through it together, shall we?

First, get everyone through the door

The presentation finishes, the doors open and your entire group heads towards the bar. This is the first test of the package, and it has very little to do with the wine.

During your venue inspection, follow that route yourself. Where will guests collect drinks? Where would a queue form? Is there room to stop and chat without blocking everyone behind them?

Give the venue your guest numbers and arrival pattern, then ask how they would handle the rush. Tray service might get things moving, or a second service point might suit the space. Let the team recommend the approach, but make sure the quote covers it.

If you’re planning a welcome cocktail, ask how quickly it can be served to your whole group. Nobody needs to spend the opening twenty minutes watching someone carefully garnish the drinks ahead of theirs.

Give guests a choice they can actually see

Now picture the tray arriving. Sparkling wine, beer and… what else?

A guest choosing a drink without alcohol shouldn’t have to wave off the tray, find the bar, and explain what they’re looking for. Include an appealing alternative in the welcome service and make the wider selection visible on the menu.

Ask for the actual drinks list before approving the package. “Soft drinks included” leaves a lot to the imagination.

Look for variety in flavour as well as format. An alcohol-free beer and a dry, refreshing mixed drink may be more useful than several sweet options. Ask what the venue serves well, and taste your shortlisted choices if a tasting is available.

You don’t need an enormous selection. A few drinks people enjoy ordering will do more for the evening than an upgrade that practically no one notices.

Buy for the evening you’re hosting

Once the selection and service make sense, compare how you’ll pay.

Ask the venue to quote it two ways: a bar tab charged as drinks are ordered, and a fixed per-person package for a set time. A short reception with guests drifting off early often suits a bar tab. A longer event where you want the cost locked in may suit the package. Neither is automatically better value.

Give the venue the same brief for both quotes: guest count, drinks selection, arrival time and expected finish. Ask how guests choosing drinks without alcohol will be charged.

Then check the details that can change the total. Confirm whether staffing, glassware and applicable service charges are included, and whether cocktails or particular drinks attract a supplement. Establish when the package clock starts and what happens if the presentation runs late. Water should be available throughout, and coffee needs to be accounted for if you want it served later.

Spend the upgrade budget where guests will feel it. Depending on your group, that could mean better choices for those avoiding alcohol or quicker arrival service rather than a more expensive spirit behind the bar.

Agree the last order before the first drink

A bar tab needs a named person responsible for spending decisions. Agree when they’ll receive an update, how staff will reach them and who can authorise an increase. Choose someone who will actually be available. The person presenting the awards is probably occupied.

If the plan is to ask guests to pay for their own drinks when the tab ends, decide how that will be communicated. For a timed package, confirm the final order arrangements and whether the bar stays open afterwards.

Finally, before booking, ask for one clear written summary covering the selection, service plan, charging method and finish. That gives you and the venue team the same version of the evening.

All in all, the right package should leave very little for you to manage once guests arrive. Everyone can find something they fancy, get served and settle into conversation without a fuss.

Who knows? You might even get to finish your own drink.

Find a venue that gets the whole evening right. Share your guest numbers, event plans and budget with Venue Crew, and let our team help you shortlist suitable spaces and compare their drinks offerings. Enquire today and take one more decision off your plate.