Tips for a Smooth Event Catering Experience
Having a catering company provide the food for your party can be so much easier than doing the cooking yourself. You can focus on all the other demands of party planning and let someone else do the cooking and delivery. But even though the caterers will do most of the work, there are still a few things you should do to ensure the catering experience goes smoothly.
Taste the food first.
Most catering companies hold tasting events where potential customers can taste the dishes on their catering menu. Some companies may have a tasting night once a week, while others may schedule a private tasting with you upon request. Regardless of how you taste the food, it is important to taste it if you're ordering from a catering company you've never used before. This way, you can make sure the dishes you order are to your taste. You may also discover dishes you would not have otherwise thought of ordering.
Establish whether the catering company is bringing dishes and silverware.
Catering companies often bring dishes and silverware with the food, but there are exceptions. Some caterers may only include dishes and silverware if you specifically request it, so check your catering company's menu and ask them if you don't see any mention of dishes or silverware. It's not a huge hassle to just buy some dishes and silverware yourself, but you need to know in advance whether this is something you need to do.
Set aside space for the caterers to set up.
For the average party, the caterers will need one or two long tables to set out the food. If you're having an even bigger party, you may need more empty tables. After you place your order, ask your caterer how much space they'll need to set up the food, and be sure to set those tables aside. This way, when the caterers arrive, nobody will be left scrambling to find space.
Have a plan for leftovers.
Caterers generally bring more food than you will need just to make sure there's enough. For this reason, make sure you have a plan for the leftovers. Set aside containers and fridge space and determine which guests you want to allow to bring food home. This way, the leftovers won't go to waste because you failed to find space to store them.
If you follow the tips above, your catering experience and the hours that follow should go smoothly.
