How to Choose the Best Office Refreshments for Clients and Guests

When clients and partners walk into your office, the first thing they see is your reception area. So, how do you make a good impression? A kind and smiling receptionist goes a long way toward helping guests feel welcome and valued—and so do free office refreshments. Whether your client is dropping by for a quick visit or a longer meeting, offering healthy snacks and drinks will showcase your hospitality.  

The FruitGuys spoke to Hospitality Director Amiek Hofman of the Bø Hotell to learn more about why high-quality refreshments matter and how to use them wisely. 

Key Times To Serve Snacks to Clients and Guests

On Arrival

Welcoming visitors to your reception or waiting area with drinks and snacks can help alleviate boredom while they wait. If your employees often host longer one-on-one visits, encourage them to keep healthy snacks on their desks as well.

Meetings

Refreshments at a meeting help keep the participants alert and focused, and play an important role in bringing participants together casually. Having a hot or cold drink and a bite to eat often furthers the objectives of the meeting as people talk in a relaxed atmosphere. 

“Not only do our guests expect something to eat and drink, but meetings run smoother,” Hofman told The FruitGuys.

The Best Office Refreshments for Clients and Guests

Clearly, it’s important to make sure your guests aren’t hungry or thirsty—but not all refreshments are the same. Offering nutritious options instead of the ubiquitous donuts or pastries will help keep everyone’s energy levels high and steady. Here are a few snack and drink recommendations for different occasions. 

On Arrival

Coffee, tea, and water are common offerings at reception or in waiting areas, but you can set your office apart by offering a special treat like local dark chocolate or a little bag of dried fruits, seeds, and nuts. 

Short Meetings

Consider how long your meeting will be. An hour-long meeting calls for different refreshments than a three or four-hour one. How many attendees there are, how important the meeting is, and the time of day are also relevant factors.

Meetings of roughly an hour or less only need a simple drink and a nibble. You can encourage attendees to grab a beverage from reception or offer water at the table. A small snack will boost your hospitality even more and help keep everyone’s blood sugar levels stable. 

Since participants will be eating in the meeting room, you may want to steer clear of snacks like chips and pretzels that are crunchy and noisy to eat.  Loud crunches may not be welcome in a formal setting or if the meeting is being recorded. Hofman said that fruit is her go-to snack in this situation. 

“We always have a fruit platter on the table for meetings. Fruit provides energy without being loaded with sugar, and is also decorative. You can use either napkins or small plates to keep it simple,” she said.  

You can offer whole fruits or cut them into finger food-sized pieces for easy (and quiet) eating. Check out our fruit platter blog for presentation ideas. Fruit skewers work well, too.

Longer Meetings

Longer meetings call for more substantial office refreshments. If a mid-meeting break is in the plan, consider setting up a snack table outside the meeting room. It will change the center of attention and help re-energize people, so you don’t have to worry about hungry, thirsty, and distracted participants.  

In this scenario, consider offering nutrient-dense, high-protein items that will keep guests full and prop up their stamina. Dried fruit, nuts and seeds, granola bites, popcorn, multi-grain crackers, jerky, and healthy protein bars are also great options to keep on hand and bring out at a moment’s notice. You can even have these single-serving bites delivered: Snack boxes from The FruitGuys offer a wide variety of savory, sweet, and crunchy options for all tastes.

You can add baby carrots, snap peas, and cherry tomatoes with hummus for extra protein without the need for preparation, or easy-to-serve hearty Scandinavian crackers with herb cream cheese. If you decide to serve a fruit platter during the break rather than on the meeting table, you can offer a more elaborate display, including berries and fruit slices that are more difficult to hold. Again, you can check out our fruit platter blog for ideas.    

Last but not least, remember the drinks! Offer coffee and caffeinated teas, and ensure herbal teas are available as well for a decaffeinated option. 

Hofman said, “Bottled fruit smoothies and ginger shots provide nutritious additions to the selection of beverages.”  

Tip: Consider Allergies and Preferences 

Javier Velasquez Sanchez, a fellow event planner and chef at the Bø Hotell, cautioned that no matter the occasion, it’s important to offer allergy-friendly snack options. 

“Be aware of potential allergies. It is always best to avoid peanuts and walnuts and have a gluten-free option. We always have non-dairy alternatives for tea and coffee,” he said.

Consider that some guests may also be vegetarian or vegan. Corn and rice-based snacks are delicious, gluten-free choices that are usually vegan as well. There are plenty of types to choose from, so don’t be limited to tortilla chips and rice crackers. Jerky is a filling, gluten-free, and high-protein option for meat eaters, and you can offer mushroom jerky as a meatless alternative. Consider individually-packaged nut and dried fruit mixes without peanuts to offer vegan protein safely. 

The FruitGuys’ snack boxes typically include vegan, allergen-free, and gluten-free options, making it easy to cover all of your snack bases. 

Serving Office Refreshments Like a Pro 

Small cups are an easy vehicle for serving snacks without the need for plates and utensils. You can use the same type of cups for beverages. If you’re not expecting a mid-meeting break, fill cups with nuts and seeds, fruit, or granola bites ahead of time and keep them on the table within easy reach. If you do plan to have a break and a snack table, guests can fill their own cups with their snack selections. Napkins are a must, but plates and utensils are only needed if you’re serving fresh foods such as hummus, cheese, and guacamole.

To make things even easier, consider offering individually wrapped snacks. It’s a quick way to serve items without needing to plate or cup anything. The FruitGuys offers a great selection of healthy snacks, and you can display them right in the box or the counter-ready trays inside. Keep these snacks on hand for use at a moment’s notice, as they have a longer shelf life than open containers and bags.

Final Takeaways

Feel free to get creative with how you choose and display your refreshments. Whether you’re building a simple snack station in your reception area or putting together an elaborate display for a meeting, your clients and guests will appreciate your efforts. Office refreshments always make a positive impression and encourage meeting efficiency. Remember to have fun, and check out The FruitGuys’ fruit and snack selection if you’d like to make the process easier.