Maui Wowi has made tens of thousands of smoothies for company summer picnics over the years, which means we’ve likely been a “guest” at many more of these functions that most people who plan them. So we’ve become armchair experts on what makes a company picnic successful. We thought we’d share those ideas with you as you plan your company picnic this summer.
1. You have to have a Maui Wowi smoothie bar at your company picnic or employee appreciation event. I mean, really, how can a summer event be complete without the world’s best fruit smoothies. Some people like our strawberry banana, others our mango orange and then there are the wild ones who can’t get enough of our frozen cappuccino smoothie. So give us call after you read this. OK, commercial’s done.
2. The Boss’s Speech: We’ve done annual employee picnic events for 50 people and for thousands. Whether your company is large or small, the boss has to talk. We’ve seen microphones not work, more than once. So make sure you test them! And we’ve been to some events where we (and others, too) probably wished the mic hadn’t worked because the boss’s remarks were unprepared. Someone’s got to work with the boss to prepare and rehearse a speech and make it great. It’s too important an opportunity to mess up.
3. Booze or Not: Even though our smoothies go great with rum, we’re not a fan of booze at company picnics. People don’t need alcohol to have a good time, and we’ve seen too many people have too good a time. Not that you asked us, but we vote no on alcohol for the company gathering.
4. Have a Fun T-Shirt: It’s really nice to do a t-shirt giveaway. Especially if you have a contest beforehand to let employees design it. Having a t-shirt to put on is also a good idea if there are sports and activities.
5. Leave Enough Time: We’ve been to quite a few company events that are on-site rather than at a conference center or other venue. Even if you have the company picnic in the parking lot of your office, it’s a nice idea to start a little later, go all afternoon, and plan some specific activities. We’ve been to some events where folks grab a hot dog (and a Maui Wowi smoothie) and head back to their desks and it’s all done in 90 minutes. Not fun. Plan some games (they don’t have to be complicated or take up a lot of space – even water-balloon toss works for a parking lot event) and give away nominal gift cards for winners.
Here are a few good resources to check out for more on planning your company picnic:
Tips on legal exposure at company picnics:
If you’re ready to start booking the fun stuff for your company picnic, click below for a price quote for Maui Wowi smoothies, Hawaiian Shave Ice and coffee/espresso service for your event.
We serve: Smoothies, Coffee, Espressos, Cappuccinos, Daiquiris, Margaritas, Frozen Cocktails & Chocolate beverages catered for your events & parties. We’re completely mobile: we can set up just about anywhere, indoors or out, summer or winter. 