Guides · For corporate events, conferences and meetings
The apéro is often the part of an event that guests remember longest: the conversation with the speaker, meeting colleagues again, the contact that pays off. For that to work, you need the right amount on the plate, good routes through the room and a flow without queues. Here we show how we plan an apéro riche, with grams per person, real menus and the timing from the plenary session to the cloakroom.
An apéro riche is a generous drinks reception with cold and hot finger food and something sweet. Unlike a light apéro with a few nibbles alongside a glass, guests go home full: the apéro riche replaces dinner. People eat standing up, with their fingers or a small fork, in the middle of a conversation.
At corporate events it rounds off a conference, a general meeting or a kick-off. With our catering partner we offer three sizes: light, medium and apéro riche. The difference lies in the grams per person and the time you plan for it.
| Apéro | Food per person | Duration | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light apéro | approx. 100 g | 20 to 30 minutes | a toast, before a meal |
| Medium apéro | approx. 200 g | 40 to 60 minutes | after a conference, a light snack |
| Apéro riche | approx. 350 g | 60 to 90 minutes | replaces dinner, also as a standing lunch |
Guide values from our experience, for bites of one or two mouthfuls.
Choose the size of the apéro. The plate shows what one person gets, in grams and pieces, with examples from our catering partner's menus. On the right you see what that means for all your guests: pieces, kilos and bottles.
What the caterer prepares for 150 guests
Sample plate from our catering partner's menus, grams per person rounded. Drinks: approx. 6 dl per person up to 60 minutes, approx. 30 per cent more for longer, half wine or prosecco and half non-alcoholic. We agree the exact amount with you and the caterer.
At the Eventforum, the apéro starts where the programme ends. As soon as the plenary session is over, we open the sliding glass wall between the hall and the foyer. Standing tables are already set up at the back of the hall, and the apéro spreads seamlessly across both spaces. Play through the sequence and compare buffet, table service and a mix of both.
Ground floor plan with the foyer (left) and the hall (right), example with 120 guests. Times are guide values; we agree the layout, buffet stations and service with you.
At a buffet, guests help themselves. It is straightforward, guests see the whole selection and fewer service staff are needed. It does need space, though: from around a hundred guests we plan at least two buffet stations, otherwise a queue forms in the first few minutes.
With table service, also called flying food, staff bring bites and drinks to the standing tables. Nobody has to queue, conversations continue and hot food really arrives hot. It feels attentive and suits events with guests you want to look after.
For large groups we recommend a mix: cold food and sweets at the buffet, hot food and the first round of drinks served.
| Format | How it works | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffet | guests help themselves to bites and drinks | whole selection visible, fewer staff | several stations, buffet and bar apart |
| Table service | staff bring bites and drinks to the standing tables | no queue, conversations continue, hot food stays hot | enough staff, bites for one hand |
| Mixed | cold food at the buffet, hot food and first drinks served | proven for large groups | clear agreement on what is where |
What works is food you can eat standing up with one hand, in one or two bites. A mix of cold, hot and sweet keeps the apéro varied. The examples come from menus our catering partner prepares for events at the Eventforum Bern; vegetarian and vegan options belong in every round.
Easy to eat with one hand, no drips. The long focaccia by the metre also catches the eye on the buffet.
Hot food is best served in waves, fresh from the oven rather than an hour on the chafing dish.
Glasses stand safely on the standing table, and every portion is already measured. That also helps with allergies.
Seasonal bites show that the apéro was planned for this event and not taken off the shelf. Belper Knolle is a cheese from the Bern region.
One surprising element is enough. It gives guests a reason to come to the table and start talking.
Sweets and a coffee signal the end of the apéro on their own.
For a standing apéro, allow 0.5 to 1.0 m² per person, excluding buffet and bar. More important than the space are the routes: anyone walking from the hall to the buffet and the bar should not get in anyone’s way.
As a guide, allow approx. 6 dl per person for an apéro of up to 60 minutes, half wine or prosecco and half non-alcoholic drinks. For an apéro riche of 60 to 90 minutes, allow approx. 30 per cent more, i.e. around 8 dl. Per person that is two to three glasses of wine and two to three glasses of water or juice.
For 150 guests that means approx. 60 bottles of wine or prosecco (75 cl) for a medium apéro, approx. 80 for an apéro riche, plus 45 to 60 litres of mineral water and juice. Offer non-alcoholic drinks with as much care as wine: many guests are still driving or do not drink alcohol. A coffee at the end is welcome.
Ask about dietary requirements when guests register: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, allergies. Pass the numbers on to us early; our catering partner plans the bites accordingly.
What makes an apéro work is rarely the menu alone. In our experience, these five points make the difference.
To tick off during preparation, from choosing the size of the apéro to clearing up.
At the Eventforum, the apéro takes place in the foyer and at the back of the hall: after the plenary we open the sliding glass wall, and guests go straight to the standing tables. Our catering partner from the neighbouring building prepares light, medium and apéro riche, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, as a buffet or with table service.
Find out more on the Catering page. You will receive an initial quote within 12 hours.
For an apéro riche we allow around 350 grams of food per person, spread over seven to ten bites. It therefore replaces dinner. For a medium apéro it is around 200 grams, for a light apéro around 100 grams.
A light apéro lasts 20 to 30 minutes: drinks, nibbles, a few savoury pastries. An apéro riche lasts 60 to 90 minutes and offers generous cold and hot finger food and something sweet. Guests go home full.
Yes, that is how we plan it. Say so in the invitation, so guests know that no meal follows. If people will eat later, a medium apéro is enough.
For an apéro riche, seven to ten pieces depending on size: for example three pieces of focaccia, two empanadas, two skewers, a glass of vegetable sticks and something sweet. For a medium apéro you count in grams from the platters instead.
At a buffet guests help themselves; it is simple and more economical, but needs space and several stations to avoid queues. With table service the bites come to the guests and conversations are not interrupted. For large groups we recommend a mix.
Around 6 dl per person for an apéro of up to 60 minutes, half wine or prosecco and half non-alcoholic drinks. For an apéro riche of 60 to 90 minutes, around 8 dl. For 150 guests that is around 60 to 80 bottles of wine.
Allow 0.5 to 1.0 m² per person, excluding buffet and bar. At the Eventforum Bern we open the sliding glass wall after the plenary: the apéro then spreads across the foyer with 160 m² and the back of the hall with standing tables.
In French-speaking Switzerland, people also say apéro riche. If it replaces dinner, it is called an apéritif dînatoire.
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Last updated: October 2026. Grams per person are guide values from our experience, drinks are guide values from Swiss caterers. We agree the exact amount with you and the caterer.
