One of the biggest challenges to planning and hosting an event is finding a good caterer that will make you and your guests happy, both in terms of food and service. There are plenty of caterers to choose from, and not all of them are created equal. Because of this, it is important that you do your due diligence.
Here are four questions you should ask a caterer before hiring them!
- Has anyone used them before?
One of the best ways to choose or find good catering services is to ask your friends! Simply asking them if they know a good caterer will give you an idea of who you should and shouldn’t call! Because not only will they tell you about good experiences, but they’re likely to tell you some horror stories too. From these reviews, you will get a good initial idea of what you can do for your event or party.
- Can you do a food tasting? Are the flexible with special diets?
Once you start calling caterers, ask them if you can do a food tasting. It is important that you are happy with the type and quality of food at your event. Usually, the more seasoned caterers allow for food tastings because they understand how important it can be to the client.
In line with this, asking if they are flexible with special diets is also important. Some guests may be vegan, require halal, need things to be gluten free, etc. Being able to find a caterer that can fit these requirements and still create delicious food is like finding gold!
- Do they have staff? If they do, is that separate from cost?
Some start-up catering services are unable to provide staff or can only provide staff at great cost because they will outsource the staff on the day of the event itself. This is an important question because some events require more staff than others, and if the staff is a separate cost then the entire cost of the service can suddenly become less feasible.
- What are the costs?
For some, this is Question #1 due to budget constraints. Wherever it may be on the list, it is definitely an important question to ask. It is important that catering services be fair to clients with regard to what is being required and what they can properly provide. It is usually during budget discussions that adjustments need to be made
The more questions you ask a caterer, the more questions you will have. Keep asking! There is nothing more important than finding the right caterer for the occasion to keep both you and your guests happy! So ask all the questions you want and find the right catering service for you!
