Hiring an Event Caterer: 8 Critical Considerations

Regardless of the kind of event you're hosting, the food you serve can make or break it and either lead to raving reviews or snobby feedback.

Of course, if you're spending money on hiring an event caterer and inviting many close guests, you want the former.

Therefore, hiring an event caterer is one of those essential aspects you must never take for granted to ensure the best culinary experience for you and your attendees. When planning an event, you should hire the best catering company that matches your interests and flavor palette and can cater to your demands and specifications. However, the question is how to know which catering company is the best for you!

Below are the top eight critical considerations for hiring the right event caterer.

1. Personal Attention:

An essential aspect you must consider when hiring an event caterer is how much time they can devote to you. Look for a catering service that gives you unabridged attention, has open communication channels, and promptly acts on your requested changes.

You never want to feel like a burden when you call or email them; instead, you want the feeling of being attended to and having all of your questions answered.

2. Attitude:

Observe the event catering staff’s behavior and attitude. For instance, do they greet you with warmth and respect when you have questions? Do they answer all your questions correctly and adequately? If their attitude does not convince you, look for other options that will gladly attend to your needs with enthusiasm.

3. Communication:

Without smooth and regular communication throughout the planning process, the catering service may fall short on the day or night of your event. Hence, ensure your chosen caterers have adequate communication that allows them to communicate smoothly throughout the planning process and guarantee that your night goes without a hitch.

4. Food Preparation:

Of course, when you hire a caterer for your event, you want a company that serves great food and has excellent service. But, you also want a caterer who knows how to present your menu luxuriously and appealingly. Some caterers will push for a buffet, whereas others may be all about passed hors d'oeuvres and a seated meal.

5. Quality Guidelines:

The worst possible nightmare for an event planner is guests complaining about the food served when they have spent a fortune ensuring everything goes smoothly. Therefore, you must check and ensure that the catering company uses only fresh and high-quality ingredients to avoid any dissatisfaction with the food. You can ask them for a sample menu tasting to get an idea about the quality of their food.

If the respective catering company is willing to host you for a tasting, they're usually confident in their product. It'll likely only be a few items, but it's more than enough to give you an idea of the quality you can expect.

6. Menu Cost:

When planning a menu with the caterer, be upfront about your budget. First, ask them if they can devise a menu and proposal to keep you within your budget. Also, ask about other costs like tables, chairs, linens used, and miscellaneous fees. Ensure these items and questions are dealt with before signing the dotted line.

7. Willingness to Help:

Determine if the catering company is there only to 'do their job' or if they are passionate about their service and will go the extra mile for their clients. Look for a company willing to support you from the beginning till the end regarding your event's entire planning and execution.

If you want to provide a luxurious and effortless experience to the attendees, choose the best catering company with relevant field experience.

Study their website, check out their Google reviews, and determine what their clients say about them before going ahead and signing an agreement.

8. Knowledge of The Venue:

Hiring a catering company that knows your event space and is familiar with its rules will be a huge advantage. Since they already know how the venue looks and where all the entrances and exits are, they will know better how to make the catering setup look more appealing to your attendees.

About David Alan Caterers

Considering the above-mentioned points will help you choose the best catering service company for your upcoming event. At David Alan Caterers, we produce stunning, unforgettable events for our clients. We have a team of culinary, design, and event planning professionals that makes us one of the top catering companies in the New Jersey & New York City area.

Our clients choose us for our professionalism and high-quality services. For more information, call us at 973-520-0533, write to info@dacnj.com or fill out our online contact form.