What is a welcome cocktail?

Updated on 20/10/2026

A standing aperitif, with drinks and bites, that greets guests at the start of an event, before the main programme or a meal.

A welcome cocktail is a standing aperitif, with drinks and bites, that greets guests at the start of an event, before the main programme, a dinner or a seated lunch. It is short: whatever the event, a welcome cocktail is there to welcome people, not to replace a meal.

What it is used for at a corporate event

It is used at openings, presentations, conventions and gala dinners. While guests arrive, settle in and are introduced, it avoids queues and awkward silences, gives everyone time to arrive without anyone left waiting, and puts guests in a relaxed mood before the programme starts.

Approximate quantities

When it is just the aperitif before a seated meal, the industry benchmark is 6 to 8 savoury pieces per person. If it goes on long enough to replace the meal, it is no longer a welcome cocktail but a standing lunch, which is calculated differently. Both figures come from the calculator in our price guide and are approximate.

How it differs from other formats

Unlike a welcome coffee, which means coffee in the morning, a welcome cocktail usually means a glass of something and savoury bites.
Unlike a standing lunch, it does not replace the meal: it opens the event.
It is rounded out with canapés and finger food and, if the event calls for it, a vino español reception.

To work out staffing for a cocktail reception, see the waiter-to-guest ratio.