How to Choose the Right Corporate Catering Company

Hiring a corporate catering company is one of the most critical aspects of event planning. Regardless of what event your business is hosting, you need to ensure the catering side of things is up to scratch. Nobody likes events with bad catering and poor food/drink choices. Your choice of corporate catering company can make or break your event.

With that in mind, how do you choose a reliable vendor for business catering? What factors must you take into account before rushing into the decision-making process? Don't worry; we've covered everything for you in this guide. Keep on reading to discover the primary factors and tips to think about when hiring a corporate catering company:

Budget

First and foremost, consider your budget. Whether you're seeking office catering, meeting catering, or catering for a more significant corporate event, you must set a budget. Naturally, this will vary depending on a few things:

• The event itself

• How many people are attending

• The company in charge of the event

Figure out how much money you'll be dedicating to catering, and you will immediately be able to filter out a few options. Ignore any catering companies that are too expensive for you, ensuring you stay within the budget for this event.

Experience & Reputation

Next, you should interview the catering companies and focus on their experience/reputation. How long has a company been in this industry? It's a good idea to look at their websites and see if there are any examples of previous work. It'll help you know what they can do, alongside any reviews or testimonials from previous clients.

Ideally, you want to hire business catering companies that are experienced and come with exceptional reputations. This reputation gives you more confidence knowing they have the skills and knowledge to help you organize a great event.

If you can't find the information you're after on their website, consider asking these questions:

• How long have you worked in the industry?

• What type of corporate events have you previously done?

• Can I see any photos from previous corporate events?

• Do you have any customers I can call for a reference/recommendation?

Event Location

You should consider two things here:

• The physical location of the event

• When the event is happening

Both are critical factors as you need to know if the corporate catering company can provide its services for your specific event. Some might not be able to travel to your event location, or the long distance will command an extra fee. Likewise, they could be booked up on the day of your event.

It's always good to ask about availability before you start planning. Understand if your ideal caterer is available or not. If they aren't, you can either look for your next-best option or consider moving your event.

A few other questions to ask include:

• Do you charge extra for long-distance trips?

• What kind of access do you need at the venue?

• How long will it take for you to set everything up at the venue?

Food Hygiene

You need to take food safety & hygiene extremely seriously when planning any business event. At the very least, the vendor must follow the basic four steps to food safety outlined by the CDC.

This is the most crucial factor to consider, as it can derail your event.

When it comes to food hygiene, there's only really one question you should ask:

What steps do you take to ensure all food is prepared and handled safely?

Hopefully, the catering vendor will come back with a list of things they do. This may include wearing gloves, preparing raw meat separately, tying hair up and wearing hair nets, and so on. If you're unhappy with the answer, don't trust the vendor, as you can't be 100% sure that they meet the highest food hygiene standards.

Menu Capabilities

All the previous factors will help you slowly move through different business catering companies and understand which ones are worth looking at closely. Now, there's only one thing left to think about: what is the corporate catering company capable of?

Primarily, you want to know what type of menu they provide. Moreover, you also need to understand capabilities from a staffing perspective. Think about asking the following questions to see what different corporate catering companies can do for you:

• Do you provide food and drinks?

• Can you provide your pop-up bar?

• How many servers will you provide?

• What's on your menu?

• Can I request a custom menu?

• Do you offer vegan/vegetarian/other options for different dietary preferences?

The Importance Of Choosing The Right Corporate Catering Company

Consider everything we've been talking about, and you will make a better decision when choosing business catering companies. Why is this so important? It's simple, think about your event from a guest's perspective. They want to feel comfortable the whole time, and a big part of that is ensuring there's ample food & drinks. Whether it's a big business event with tables and set menus or a small meeting with nibbles here and there, you need to provide your guests with good experiences.

Selecting the right corporate catering company will do just that. The fantastic food, drinks, and service will wow your guests. It'll give them something to talk about, providing a memorable evening that lives long in their minds and raises their perceptions of your business.

David Alan Caterers

If you're looking for a reliable and professional corporate catering company, consider hiring David Alan Caterers. With years of experience providing high-quality food and impeccable service for corporate events, we are a top choice for companies looking to impress their clients and employees. Contact us today to start the planning process and to get a quote!