The Big Event Food Survey Results
We have launched The Big Event Food Survey Results, the latest edition of our research exploring how event food continues to define the overall delegate experience.
This report captures a sector in transition, where food is no longer simply part of the agenda, but a defining influence on satisfaction, brand perception and event sustainability.
Shaping the future of event food
In our first event food survey back in 2019, planners reported that catering accounted for around 45% of all post-event feedback, highlighting the powerful role food plays in event success.
Seven years on, our latest survey shows that this influence hasn’t diminished. On average, food still represents 45% of all event feedback, with 25% of planners saying it accounts for more than half of the feedback they receive.
For both event planners and venues, this reinforces an important truth: food isn’t a secondary consideration, but central to the event experience. Few other elements of an event are scrutinised so closely.
For organisers planning events in 2026, understanding how food impacts experience, inclusion and environmental performance has never been more important.
A sector moving forward
These findings highlight meaningful progress across the industry. Conversations around food wastage in events are becoming increasingly practical and data-driven, with measurable reductions in food waste year-on-year.
At the same time, planners are reassessing menu design, plant-based provision and sourcing decisions as part of a wider commitment to sustainable events.
Food continues to evolve from a logistical consideration into a strategic driver of event success. As expectations around event sustainability and food waste become more clearly defined, planners are placing greater emphasis on decisions that align experience with impact.
Insight with impact
Since 2019, we have tracked how food shapes event experience and satisfaction. The Big Event Food Survey is part of that ongoing commitment to share meaningful insight with the wider industry.
By tracking change, we provide organisers, venues and caterers with a benchmark for progress, helping to shape events that are responsible and aligned with evolving sustainability expectations.
Download the report to explore the data and apply the insight to your planning strategy.
