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Finding the right caterer is the linchpin of a successful event, whether it's a dinner party at home or a larger event. How to Choose a Caterer will help you both assess your catering needs and find the caterer who can meet them.
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Finding the right caterer is the linchpin of a successful event, whether it's a dinner party at home or a larger event. How to Choose a Caterer will help you both assess your catering needs and find the caterer who can meet them.
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Introduction
- Hiring a caterer is a straightforward task, but it does take a bit of time and thought. It makes sense to research food service providers before you contract for their services. Do your homework, and you'll find a reliable caterer that accommodates your tastes and budget. Don't do your homework, and you might have to stomach cold food or endure sloppy service at your event. Whether you're throwing a landmark birthday party or planning a wedding, check out these tips for hiring a caterer.
Step 1: Assess Your Needs
- Decide what type of food, presentation and service your event requires. Defining your catering needs makes it easier to recognize when you've found the caterer who can meet them.
The Basics
- Before you contact a caterer:
- Set the date and time of your event.
- Choose the location. This is important because many venues provide catering.
- Estimate your budget and head count.
Questions of Function and Taste
- Think about the event that you're planning to determine what type of service you need.
- Is the event social or professional?
- What type of food and activities will suit that occasion? Does it call for a formal sit-down dinner with entrées or an hors d'oeuvres cocktail reception followed by dancing?
- Do you want to include elements of cool, new catering trends?
- Filet mignon and vegetables are timeless, but have you considered how much guests would enjoy eating comfort foods, or how family-style seating, with wedding guests serving each other from platters at each table, would foster conversation?
- Consider adding a fun twist by serving miniaturized tasting menus, which allow guests to treat their palates to many flavors.
- Do you need a full-service caterer?
- Do you need a hands-on caterer who runs the show, someone who can create an entire theme for your event?
- Do you want a caterer that provides and serves alcohol, or does your budget require that you manage the bar?
Step 2: Find Caterers in Your Area
- If you want to hire one great caterer, you must first create a list of many potentially great caterers. Use the resources at your disposal to compile this list.
- Recall the catering services at weddings or work-related parties that you've attended in the last few years. Did any of them have standout service or amazing food?
- Ask your friends to recommend top-notch catering services they've used.
- Ask other party planning vendors to refer caterers. If you're using a photographer or a florist for your event, they will probably be happy to help.
- Look through online catering service directories:
- Browse vendor directories like The National Association of Catering Executives, which has listings that you can search by zip code, Eventective, which has an interactive map, and PartyPOP.com.
- No matter what type of event you're having catered, check out the resources on wedding planning websites. From catering to equipment rentals and entertainment, you will find a goldmine of party planning resources in these directories of local service providers:
- Onewed.com: searchable directory of wedding vendors.
- Brides.com: vendor directory.
- The Knot's: city-by-city guide.
- Consider hiring a restaurant to cater your party or event. If you know that you like the quality and flavor of a particular restaurant's food, ask if they offer catering. If you don't have a restaurant in mind, you can search for one in an online directory such as Zagat, Dinesite or Opentable.
Step 3: Narrow Your Options Down to One
- Once you've found a few promising caterers, you need to determine which one can best match your needs. You're going to have to ask a lot of questions and make a few observations to find the right one.
Call Prospective Caterers
- Ask the catering service if it's available on the date of your event.
- Has it booked or is it planning to book another event on the same day as yours? Consider whether they will have the resources to do both. In essence, will it interfere with the quality of service that you receive?
- Disccuss your general budget and head count to determine whether your price points agree with the caterer's service costs.
- Ask what types of food they can provide.
- Do they have particular menu options that you might want, such as Japanese or French food?
- Do they always use fresh ingredients?
- Ask what the catering service includes:
- Do they have a wait staff?
- Do they provide equipment such as tables, linens and serving utensils, or do you have to rent those elsewhere?
- If you don't need a full-service caterer, ask if you have to use all of their services.
- Do you have to buy their alcohol or can you provide your own? If you can provide your own alcohol, do they charge a corking fee? This can mean a difference of hundreds of dollars.
- Ask for credentials and safety information:
- Are they licensed to serve food and liquor?
- Are they properly insured?
- Do they take measures to ensure health safety when preparing and transporting food?
- Will they provide client references from previous events? If they refuse, move on.
- Ask to visit another event that they're catering. This will give you a good idea of how they present food and provide service.
- If they say no, it might be a good sign. Ask why not. If the caterer likes to give undivided attention to each client, that's a good thing.
- When you've chosen a menu, would they be willing to prepare a sample tasting for you? This is pretty basic for caterers. If they say no, it might be an indication of less than stellar service.
Check References and Credentials
- Call the references that the caterer gave you and ask specific questions:
- Was the client satisfied with the caterer's work?
- Did the meal taste good and was it still hot when it was served?
- Were the presentation and quality of service remarkable?
- Were there unpleasant surprises such as unappetizing menu items or a surprisingly high bill?
- Contact the Better Business Bureau to request information about all service providers that you are considering.
Get Down to the Specifics
- Once you've eliminated service providers that don't seem like a good fit, schedule face-to-face meetings to find the best match for your event.
- Ask the caterer if you can look at photos of previous work. Consider the presentation: How is the food displayed? How is the staff dressed?
- If the caterer prepares food in its own kitchen, ask to tour the facility.
- Decide what menu and type of service you want:
- Menu:
- Do you want a regional, seasonal or ethnic menu?
- Do any of your guests have diet restrictions?
- Are you going to embellish the affair with trendy touches?
- Service:
- Do you want a seated, buffet or cocktail-style service?
- If you're doing a sit-down dinner, how many courses will you serve?
- Tell the caterer what you kind of atmosphere you are trying to create and what you have in mind for food type and the number of courses so that they can draft a catering proposal, which is:
- A sample menu that breaks down meal courses or buffet stations and an estimate that details the cost breakdown for food, service, and rentals, plus taxes and estimated tips.
- Schedule and book a tasting for the menu that you've selected.
- Read the catering proposals from vendors with stellar service and tasty food to decide which one to accept and which ones to reject.
- Narrow the list down to one. You've found your caterer.
Step 3: Arrange and Confirm Service Details
- Found the perfect catering service? You're not done yet. Make sure that it provides you with top-of-the-line service. The best way to do that is to work out every detail together.
- Visit the venue with your top choice caterer to determine how you will present the food.
- The caterer should be analyzing the space to plan the optimal layout for your event.
- Finalize the menu.
- Create an event timeline that details the services the caterer will provide from preparation to clean-up.
- Draw up a contract:
- Generally, caterers will offer you a standard contract.
- If you don't like the basic contract that you're handed, insist on changes that will ensure that you're accommodated and protected. Here are some of the major points to put on paper:
- The location (by its exact name, date, time and duration of your event).
- The number of guests, price per guest, and overall price.
- Details, such as when the food will be served and how long the bar will be open.
- Financial and business details, such as deposit amount and proof of insurance.
- Specify what circumstances necessitate a partial or full refund. If you cancel, will the caterer return your money? What happens if they cancel on you?
- Sign the contract and pay your deposit. You've officially hired your caterer!
Conclusion
- Hiring a caterer that can win your confidence and pull off your event takes some work. But, once you've selected a reliable service provider, your hard work is done. While you'll need to keep in contact with your caterer as the event approaches, you can relax and focus on other aspects of your party.
Resources for How to Hire a Caterer
- About.com: How to Hire a Caterer
- The Knot: Wedding Catering: Finding a Good Caterer
- The Knot: Wedding Vendor Negotiating
- Onewed.com: Vendor Search
- Brides.com: Local Vendors
- The Knot: city-by-city guide
- The Knot: Wedding Catering: 17 Questions to Ask Your Caterer
- MarthaStewart.com: Hiring a Caterer
- Eventective: vendor search directory
- National Association of Catering Executives: Find a NACE Professional vendor seach
- Better Business Bureau: Better Business Bureau searchable directory
- Zagat: Zagat restaurant search
- Dinesite: Dinesite
- Opentable: Opentable
- PartyPOP.com: catering directory
- The Knot: Vendors: A Complete Guide to Contracts
- Howstuffworks: How Catering Works
- A Life of Style: Holiday Entertaining Pt. 1: Choosing a Caterer (November 9,2007)
- New York Times: In Picking the Right Caterer, the Food Is Just the Start (October 27, 2007)
- The Knot: Wedding Catering: This Year's Hottest Trends
- The Knot: 10 Ways to Make Your Wedding Memorable
- The Knot: Wedding Catering: A Complete Checklist
- WeddingChannel.com: What Should a Catering Contract Include?
- eHow: How to Hire a Caterer
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