Help me plan beverages
February 2, 2018 6:59 AM Subscribe
I need to bring drinks for a total of 9 people to a training event that will last from 9 to 5. Coffee and tea are already taken care of. I will bring some lemonade, because that's what I like. Do you have any suggestions to drinks and quantities? Thanks.
I'd suggest making sure good water is available. That is all I drink.
posted by FencingGal at 7:01 AM on February 2, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by FencingGal at 7:01 AM on February 2, 2018 [4 favorites]
Water for sure.
posted by amro at 7:03 AM on February 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by amro at 7:03 AM on February 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
Infused ice water, with lemon and/or cucumber, is delightful.
posted by spinifex23 at 7:05 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by spinifex23 at 7:05 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
People like soda. I tried to not have soda at a meeting recently and a bunch of people asked for it so I had to order after the fact. Have some Diet Coke, Coke, and ginger ale available. More diet than the sugared version.
posted by something something at 7:18 AM on February 2, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by something something at 7:18 AM on February 2, 2018 [8 favorites]
I buy literally hundreds of drinks for a three day weekend event every year and the number one request is seltzer. I recommend a citrus flavor or cran/rasp/whatever-lime.
posted by maryr at 7:26 AM on February 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by maryr at 7:26 AM on February 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
Additionally: Yes, soda. I'd recommend a 12 pack of Coke, a 6 pack of ginger ale, and a 12 pack of seltzer.
posted by maryr at 7:28 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by maryr at 7:28 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
Both room-temp and iced water would be nice-to-have options, since some people have strong preferences either way. If you're having a beverage service at your venue (it sounds like you are), they may be including this already, so it's worth asking.
If it's not included, a 24pk of 8oz bottles should do -- I say 8oz because people often tend to only drink half, at meetings, when you get the full-size bottles, and then leave them everywhere. (Obviously, pitchers and cups would be preferable to bottled, but if you have to transport beverages, that might be difficult.) Seltzer would be amazing and I'd love to have it, but it would be a delightful extra to me, not something expected. Whether or not people expect soda may depend on the culture; if you have the budget for it, and you don't mind leftovers, people would likely appreciate having what maryr suggests above.
If the venue will provide ice, that'd be great; if not, I'd suggest two small bags of ice: one-and-a-half bags poured into a tub, and half the beverages placed in to chill, with the other half of the beverages on the table. Line a small cooler or large ice bucket with a clean plastic bag, pour in the rest of the ice, and provide a little scoop or tongs so people can ice if they like. Small plastic cups (3-4 oz) are easier than larger ones. Get more napkins than you think you need, and also paper towels, because probably someone will spill something at some point.
posted by halation at 7:34 AM on February 2, 2018
If it's not included, a 24pk of 8oz bottles should do -- I say 8oz because people often tend to only drink half, at meetings, when you get the full-size bottles, and then leave them everywhere. (Obviously, pitchers and cups would be preferable to bottled, but if you have to transport beverages, that might be difficult.) Seltzer would be amazing and I'd love to have it, but it would be a delightful extra to me, not something expected. Whether or not people expect soda may depend on the culture; if you have the budget for it, and you don't mind leftovers, people would likely appreciate having what maryr suggests above.
If the venue will provide ice, that'd be great; if not, I'd suggest two small bags of ice: one-and-a-half bags poured into a tub, and half the beverages placed in to chill, with the other half of the beverages on the table. Line a small cooler or large ice bucket with a clean plastic bag, pour in the rest of the ice, and provide a little scoop or tongs so people can ice if they like. Small plastic cups (3-4 oz) are easier than larger ones. Get more napkins than you think you need, and also paper towels, because probably someone will spill something at some point.
posted by halation at 7:34 AM on February 2, 2018
Cheap/unfancy bottled water
La Croix in lime flavor, lime and grapefruit if you do 2 flavors
Coke
Diet Coke
Lemonade will probably not be popular.
posted by phunniemee at 7:35 AM on February 2, 2018 [9 favorites]
La Croix in lime flavor, lime and grapefruit if you do 2 flavors
Coke
Diet Coke
Lemonade will probably not be popular.
posted by phunniemee at 7:35 AM on February 2, 2018 [9 favorites]
Do you know who the 9 people are? Can you just ask them?
posted by mskyle at 7:46 AM on February 2, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by mskyle at 7:46 AM on February 2, 2018 [4 favorites]
One surprisingly popular beverage at a recent party: coconut water.
posted by peacheater at 7:55 AM on February 2, 2018
posted by peacheater at 7:55 AM on February 2, 2018
Those of us with less refined tastes who use caffeinated soda (regular or diet) instead of hot coffee/tea will have to go leave and find a source to prevent getting a crippling headache by lunchtime so you might be best off polling your trainees. I have learned to bring a few cans of my necessary life-giving less refined beverage but even with an ice pack it's pretty tepid by mid-afternoon.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:11 AM on February 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 8:11 AM on February 2, 2018 [3 favorites]
At conferences in Arizona, those bottles of Gold Peak tea were always the first to go. Very popular.
posted by mochapickle at 8:14 AM on February 2, 2018
posted by mochapickle at 8:14 AM on February 2, 2018
Meetings that have caffeine in cold carbonated form are the best meetings; if you had caffeinated soda I would be very happy. Iced tea would be a nearly-as-welcome option.
posted by Stacey at 8:36 AM on February 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Stacey at 8:36 AM on February 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Something cold with caffeine. Like Lyn Never, my Diet Coke habit likely bills me as unrefined, but I do not like hot beverages and I also do not like crippling headaches from lack of caffeine. I would drink any regular soda, diet soda, or iced tea, as long as it was cold and caffeinated. Or room temperature and you have ice, whatever.
posted by jabes at 8:37 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by jabes at 8:37 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
Water for everyone. No meeting that has any beverage offerings should ever not have water.
As a non-coffee, non-tea drinker who apparently has less-refined tastes (WTF?), my personal preferences that would make any meeting more tolerable would be diet soda (a caffeinated coke or pepsi preferably), followed by a flavored seltzer. Those who are ok with sugared drinks would also probably appreciate a regular coke/pepsi or 7-up.
posted by cgg at 8:37 AM on February 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
As a non-coffee, non-tea drinker who apparently has less-refined tastes (WTF?), my personal preferences that would make any meeting more tolerable would be diet soda (a caffeinated coke or pepsi preferably), followed by a flavored seltzer. Those who are ok with sugared drinks would also probably appreciate a regular coke/pepsi or 7-up.
posted by cgg at 8:37 AM on February 2, 2018 [1 favorite]
Nthing sparkling water / sparkling mineral water / seltzer. If you can get San Pellegrino or whatever, that's the best, but plain old seltzer will work if that's all that's possible.
BTW, a great way to drink soft drinks is mixed 1:2 with seltzer. It makes them refreshing and less cloying.
posted by amtho at 8:54 AM on February 2, 2018
BTW, a great way to drink soft drinks is mixed 1:2 with seltzer. It makes them refreshing and less cloying.
posted by amtho at 8:54 AM on February 2, 2018
whatever you choose, have cups and ice. please.
posted by j_curiouser at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by j_curiouser at 9:24 AM on February 2, 2018 [2 favorites]
Plain iced tea, with lemon available (there will be sugar for coffee) would be my preference. I'd mix with lemonade and be happy. I often bring tealade (plain tea + lemonade) to potlucks, with positive feedback. Single-serving water. If you have lemon wedges, they can also be added to water. Single-serving OJ is great, too. It's very difficult to make everyone happy with soda. This is a lot for 9 people, so maybe consider emailing and saying Here are some beverage options. If you check the one you prefer, I'll do my best to supply it.
✓ Bottled water
✓ Lemonade
☐ Cola
☐ Diet Cola
☐ Lemon-lime (7 up)
☐ Diet Lemon-lime
☐ Ginger Ale
☐ Diet Ginger Ale
☐ Root Beer
☐ Diet Root Beer
☐ Dr. Pepper
☐ Diet Dr. Pepper
☐ Orange Juice
☐ Iced tea w/ Lemon
☐ plain seltzer
☐ flavored seltzer
Get 2 cans of every choice because Jan is going to drink Chris' Diet Cola.
posted by theora55 at 9:46 AM on February 2, 2018
✓ Bottled water
✓ Lemonade
☐ Cola
☐ Diet Cola
☐ Lemon-lime (7 up)
☐ Diet Lemon-lime
☐ Ginger Ale
☐ Diet Ginger Ale
☐ Root Beer
☐ Diet Root Beer
☐ Dr. Pepper
☐ Diet Dr. Pepper
☐ Orange Juice
☐ Iced tea w/ Lemon
☐ plain seltzer
☐ flavored seltzer
Get 2 cans of every choice because Jan is going to drink Chris' Diet Cola.
posted by theora55 at 9:46 AM on February 2, 2018
Certian people have preference with what they care about that are worth trying to at least accomodate in an assorted beverage selection. And water, obviously, on top of everything else.
- sugar vs. no sugar/calories (i.e. if you have sodas, also have seltzer and diet, keeping in mind that some people will not drink things with artificial flavorings)
- caffeine vs. no caffeine (i.e. have decaf coffee or something with low/no caffeine, if you have tea have both earl grey sorts and herbal)
- naturallish vs. whatever (i.e. if you have sodas also have juices/ciders)
For an all-day thing, I'd presume three 12 oz drinks per person and always-available coffee/tea/water. This presumes they have a drink with their meal. If this is including meals I'd err on the side of more.
I often am buying/preparing a lot of drinks for a lot of people and my experience has been, especially lately, that flavored seltzers tend to be a mid-range crowd pleaser, but for people who usually drink either soda, or juice, or coffee, none of the others are a reasonable substitute. Many people are calorie and/or caffeine conscious, more than are "natural" or "I hate bubbles" conscious. Very few people seem to choose root beer. And yes, try to have cups/ice/etc, not everyone likes drinking out of cans.
posted by jessamyn at 1:20 PM on February 2, 2018
- sugar vs. no sugar/calories (i.e. if you have sodas, also have seltzer and diet, keeping in mind that some people will not drink things with artificial flavorings)
- caffeine vs. no caffeine (i.e. have decaf coffee or something with low/no caffeine, if you have tea have both earl grey sorts and herbal)
- naturallish vs. whatever (i.e. if you have sodas also have juices/ciders)
For an all-day thing, I'd presume three 12 oz drinks per person and always-available coffee/tea/water. This presumes they have a drink with their meal. If this is including meals I'd err on the side of more.
I often am buying/preparing a lot of drinks for a lot of people and my experience has been, especially lately, that flavored seltzers tend to be a mid-range crowd pleaser, but for people who usually drink either soda, or juice, or coffee, none of the others are a reasonable substitute. Many people are calorie and/or caffeine conscious, more than are "natural" or "I hate bubbles" conscious. Very few people seem to choose root beer. And yes, try to have cups/ice/etc, not everyone likes drinking out of cans.
posted by jessamyn at 1:20 PM on February 2, 2018
diet Coke. It's the only beverage other than water that I drink outside the house. But yes, theora55's list is the way to go.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 8:16 PM on February 2, 2018
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 8:16 PM on February 2, 2018
One more thought - I know that you said that tea is taken care of, but is it *good* tea? I'm a huge tea drinker, and being promised black tea, just to find some limp bags of Lipton, is a supreme disappointment. I mean - I will drink it, because I need my caffeinated hot leaf juice, but I won't be happy about it.
Same theory goes with coffee. Have the good stuff, please.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:01 PM on February 2, 2018
Same theory goes with coffee. Have the good stuff, please.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:01 PM on February 2, 2018
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posted by quadrilaterals at 7:01 AM on February 2, 2018 [13 favorites]