Selecting A Good Fit

A good full-service catering service will be known for its food, presentation and its outstanding service. But don’t go on word or reputation alone. Always ask for references and photos of previous jobs, so you will have all of the facts to see if the caterer is a good fit for your circumstances. You will want to know how long your caterer has been in business, if he or she has handled events that are similar in size and feel to yours, and whether the company has liability insurance in case any problems occur on the job.

You will also need to know how much the caterer charges. If you have a firm budget, many caterers will be willing to work within your price range to come up with some sample menus to show you what you can get for your money. Whether you want a seated meal or a buffet made up of individual stations will make a difference (to some people’s surprise, the stations can actually cost more than a plated dinner, since there is more food, preparation and manpower involved), so talk about these options right from the beginning and see what will work with your guest list, tastes and the setup of your venue. In addition, whether you plan to serve alcohol is a big factor in cost and should be considered right from the start.

Always ask for a complete proposal, including a suggested menu with all prices, so you know what you are agreeing to up front. Some caterers will provide an all-inclusive price, while others will charge for different items and services ala carte. In addition, some may do a combination of both, offering a pay-one-price but then adding on some additional charges as well. All of these scenarios are acceptable. Once you review the contract, be sure to ask if there any additional expenses that are not included so you know what you are getting into.

You will also need to know if there is a minimum guaranteed number of guests required, and when the cut off is to provide a final number of meals that will be needed. In addition, ask how deposits and final payment is handled, and what the cancellation policy is. Other things to consider include how many staff members and servers will be provided and what the ratio of staff to guests will be, if beverages (including alcohol and coffee service) is included, if cleanup is provided, and what (if any) type of equipment, linens, china service and other details the caterer handles. Also find out if the catering service offers a tasting so you can sample the menu choices and make some important selections as the process progresses.

Finally, one important point that many people contracting with caterers often overlook is to ask how many events the caterer handles per day. Ideally, you would want to hire someone who has only one event on a given date. However, if you are dealing with a very large catering service, this expectation may be unrealistic. If the company has multiple commitments at the same time, ask how they are handled to avoid conflict and make sure each event goes perfectly.