People love to eat. All over the world, food is a massive part of family life and culture. Groups coming together to experience flavours old and new, break bread and learn about history is a universal beauty. The relevance of eating has perhaps never been more profound than right now. There are more food- and cooking-based Instagrams out there than anyone could keep up with, and people are travelling specifically to try different dishes. That’s why it’s also no wonder that food tours are growing in popularity.
If you’re wondering how to start a small group tour business in the UK, food and drink tours can be a pretty attractive angle. However, while people will always flock to good eats and tasty beverages, running these tours can be something of a tightrope walk. They require people skills, an understanding of various kitchen businesses and many other organisational skills.
This article will explore food tour itinerary planning and logistics, so you can consider organising your own tours for hungry guests.
Plan a story with your menu
Arguably, the most important of all your tour organiser jobs is creating a narrative, whether you’re exploring military history or local cocktails. A food tour shouldn’t just visit five of your favourite spots in town; people can find that sort of information on social media. It should be a curated, coherent experience that progresses naturally and hits key ‘story beats’.
Ask yourself why you’re choosing each restaurant, stall, bar or cafe on the trip to create a flow that makes sense. Walk and talk through the area, and plan for a couple proper sit-downs to maximise the use of time.
Build relationships with restaurants
It’s one thing to take people to restaurants and let them order for themselves, but people aren’t necessarily going to be interested in that as a guided tour. Organised tours should offer things like:
- Tour prices (per head)
- Pre-payment included in the tour price
- Small/manageable tastes or dishes (depending on the point in the tour)
- Queue skipping experiences
To be able to provide these kinds of amenities, you need to establish sustainable relationships with the restaurants you wish to include. It’s all well and good pulling it off once, but you need to be able to do it regularly, so make sure you’re a good partner.
More technical food tour logistics
All guided tours come with a lot of different spinning plates, from organising assistive listening devices to timing stops, and logistics are only further complicated by making food and drink an integral part of the experience.
- Dietary restrictions are very common, so make efforts to organise alternative options for those with plant-focused, religious or medical requirements.
- Carry bottled water for guests, especially if the tour focuses on salty or spicy food.
- Make sure you have insurance that specifically covers food-borne illnesses or allergic reactions, as well as standard coverage.
- Keep emergency items, like epipens, on hand to ensure you can manage high-pressure situations
By creating a clear story, building solid relationships with your chosen restaurants and covering your logistical back, you should be able to organise your own successful food tours.
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