Top Tips for Hiring a Catering Company

When putting together an event, there are 101 things that you need to plan for. Obviously it is hard to get every little thing perfect, there is one thing that you should give a little more attention to: the food.

You have a lot on your plate (no pun intended), including the task of hiring a catering company. Make the right choice and you will have attendees drooling. Make the wrong choice and you could soon have a problem on your hands.

How to Hire an Event Catering Company

The catering industry checks in with annual revenue of $9 billion. There are more than 137,000 people working in the industry, all of which share the same goal: to provide high quality food and service.

With data like this, you don’t have to worry about finding a catering company. What you have to worry about is finding the right catering company.

You have options, lot of them. We want to give you the tips on finding the right one, and fast.

1. Narrow your options. You don’t have the time or resources to choose from a list of 100 catering companies. You have to narrow your list as soon as possible. While there is no hard and fast rule, try to select three companies that have a good reputation for its food quality, customer service, and reliability.

You can learn more about each company by:

• Reading online reviews.
• Contacting them online or via telephone to ask questions.
• Asking others for references.

Once you have your “final three” in place, it is time to move forward.

2. Setup a taste test. You can’t trust a company when they tell you they are the best of the best. Everybody in the catering industry says that. You have to verify this with your own taste buds.

Here are some taste testing tips:

• Never go to a taste test on an empty stomach.
• Take at least one other person with you, as everybody has different tastes.
• Ask to be served a wide variety of food, as this allows you to get a good feel for the entire menu, not just a couple items.
• Take notes regarding which items you liked, which ones you disliked, and your “overall rating.”

Additional tip: Don’t setup more than one taste test for the same day. Instead, space these out with at least one day in between.

3. Discuss menu options. Once your taste testing is complete, you should have a list ranking your choices from first to last. At this point, it is time to contact your top choice to discuss menu options. Also be sure that they are able to accommodate for different diets (vegan, gluten free, etc.)

Ask these questions:

• Can you send me a list of items to choose from?
• Can you send me a list of commonly ordered “packages?”
• What is the price per person for each package?
• How much does it cost to add additional items?
• Do you take special requests?

If for any reason you are not satisfied with the menu, you may want to contact your second choice to ask the same questions. They may be your second choice in terms of taste, but your first choice in terms of menu selection and availability.

Follow your Instinct

There is no exact science to hiring a catering company for an event. You could make a great decision. You could also make a poor decision. Fortunately, when you follow these tips, you are in good position to move forward in the appropriate direction.

There is no denying the fact that people love food. Your job is to choose a catering company that can meet the needs of every attendee.

Are you now more confident in your ability to make a decision?