The Catering Jumble That Made Me Switch to Eco-Friendly Paper Bags

Let's suppose you are standing in the middle of a hotel lobby watching your prepared sandwiches scatter across marble floors like confetti at the world's worst party, and the sound of tearing plastic echoes in your ears, and the smell of fresh basil and roasted turkey mixes with the scent of your own panic sweat. Can you imagine the look on your face? I guess not.

But I can because it was me 3 months ago during what should have been the proudest moment of my catering business. After two years of serving coffee and pastries to the same 12-13 regulars at the local farmer's market, I finally landed my white whale. A corporate lunch for 80 people at the fancy downtown hotel. It was the kind of order that makes you call your mom and do a little victory dance in your kitchen (and trust me, I did it).

Everything was going perfectly up until that moment. The honey mustard chicken wraps looked delicious, and even my picky sous chef, Marcus, had given me a thumbs up instead of his mild approval. I remember, we loaded everything into our delivery bags with the confidence of people who definitely knew what they were doing.

When we entered, the hotel lobby was full of conference attendees in sharp suits and designer heels. My staff followed behind carrying bags that suddenly felt heavier than they had in the van. The first sign of trouble came when I heard Tory (one of the best girls in my team) whisper something about it, and just a few minutes later, it happened.

The bottom of her bag burst wide open. Chicken wraps launched themselves in every direction of the place, and a container of pasta salad exploded against a marble pillar, sending penne flying. The crash echoed through the lobby with the finality of a gavel in a courtroom where I was the defendant (I remember being terrified).

Time moved in slow motion as I watched our reputation crumble along with our lunch presentation. A businessman in a $3000 suit now had Caesar dressing on his Italian leather shoes (there was complete silence at that moment). Then, the hotel manager appeared from nowhere with the expression of someone watching the world ending.

The weight of 80 hungry people waiting upstairs pressed down on my shoulders while I scrambled around on my hands and knees, while Marcus just stood there holding his intact bag, looking like he wanted to disappear into the nearest potted plant. The bags I personally handpicked looked so fine in the store, but failed to handle the weight of my ambitions or my food, and screwed us up.

That evening, while eating brownies, I realised everything that could've happened if our packaging had been better. Then, I turned my laptop on and spent hours researching better packaging solutions, and discovered Wholesale Eco Friendly Paper Bags. As I continued to watch reviews, I found out that the reviews were filled with stories from other food service businesses that had learned similar lessons the way I did.

3 weeks later, opportunity knocked again. Another corporate order this time for a law firm's partner meeting. My stomach twisted into pretzels as we loaded the van, as I was scared of what had happened the last time. But this time, the bags held everything perfectly, from the delicate eggs to the heaviest containers of soup, not a single item shifted during transport, absolutely none. The partners were so impressed, they booked us for their monthly meetings for the rest of the year (had me tear up). Tory high-fived me in the elevator afterwards, and Marcus smiled (For the first time, on his face was a real smile with teeth and everything)!

Now every successful delivery feels like a little victory, and I genuinely love telling that story because it reminds me how one terrible day can lead to so many amazing ones.