Caterers differ in the range of services they provide: some basically supply the food and the staff to serve it, while others, full-service caterers, will attend to more details of party planning, from finding the site to coordinating the décor.
Catering costs depend on essentially four factors: food, beverage, rental equipment, and staff. Within each category is a price structure based on item cost and quantity of goods, preparation and other required services. Flowers, décor, entertainment, transportation, etc. are additional.
When working with a caterer for the first time, ask to see a portfolio and get recommendations from past clients.
Request a tasting, or attend an event the caterer is working.
Make sure your caterer is licensed by the state to ensure he or she has met local health-department standards.
Make sure the caterer has adequate liability insurance.
Determine all fees, gratuities, extra charges, payment schedules, and cancellation policy in advance.
Find out how costs are affected if more or fewer guests attend than predicted.
Find out if set-up and breakdown periods are covered in the price.
Choose a caterer you feel has enough experience to handle the unexpected, especially if your site is not equipped with a standard kitchen.
Catering Checklist
FOOD Although caterers will generally accommodate a wide range of tastes, they may specialize in particular types of food and presentation. Choose a professional you are sure will meet your requirements.
You will have to agree on a menu and mode of food presentation, which will, of course, depend on the nature of your event.
How many guests?
Will the event entail a cocktail party/ reception?
Sit-down dinner?
How many courses?
Will guests have a choice of entree?
Hors d’oeuvre—how many kinds and how elaborate will they be?
Are hors d’oeuvre butlered or served buffet style?
How will the meal be served? Will food be placed on plates in the kitchen or at the table?
Family style? Buffet? Will hot food be served? Cold food? Both?
BEVERAGE
What types of beverages will be served?
Cold and hot?
Soda? Juices? Other bar mixers?
Special varieties of water?
Tea and coffee?
Alcoholic beverages? If so what kinds?
Beer, what types?
Wine, champagne, what types?
Full bar? Premium bar? Well bar?
Is the site licensed to serve liquor?
Does the caterer have a liquor license?
Who will provide the beverages, alcoholic and otherwise?
You may have the option of buying the liquor yourself from a retail outlet and having it delivered to your event site. If so, make sure you determine the store’s unopened bottle-return policy in advance.
How are bar costs determined? By hour? By head?
By actual amount consumed by guests during the event?
Who takes care of bar equipment and set-up?
Bartenders—who and how many?
Will bar be open just for cocktail hour? Throughout the meal or event? After the event?
Beverage Service
The beverages you serve reflect the image of your event. Well drinks may be fine for some occasions, but for events that project a classier image, premium brands are the way to go.
Special theme cocktails and sparkling wines or champagne are festive drinks that help make the occasion seem special.
Always make sure all beverages, including mixers, juices, etc. are fresh.
Serve drinks in the appropriate glasses and make sure the glassware is spotlessly clean and free of water spots or detergent films.
BUYING AND SERVING STRATEGIES
Always make sure that you have an ample supply of beverages of each type on hand. Running out of something makes it look like you are either economizing or the event was not well planned. Also, guests generally do not like to have to change their choice of beverage in midstream.
General rules of thumb when ordering liquor: for a cocktail party, figure on an average of one drink per person per hour; six to seven glasses of wine per bottle, and twenty good-size drinks per liter of liquor.
If you are serving champagne, keep in mind that usually the better the champagne, the more guests will drink.
If you are trying to cut costs, consider limiting the choice of alcoholic beverage to wine and beer only; or keep the open-bar cocktail hour short.
In negotiating wine and spirit prices, try to have the price determined by actual amount consumed, rather than a fixed cost per head or by the hour.
Budget-Boosting Stategies +Rentals +Staff
HOW TO GET THE BEST VALUE FOR YOUR BUDGET
Provide an accurate (and realistic) budget up front. This can save both you and the caterer time, aggravation and frustration.
Shop around. In this value-oriented economy it’s up to innovative and competitive professionals to come up with cost-saving but quality, imageenhancing solutions. Creativity is the key here.
FOR COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
Cocktail parties are generally less expensive than formal sit-down dinners.
Buffets with food stations are generally less expensive than other types of presentations—butlered food or full table service—requiring more waitstaff.
Family-style sit-down meals—where food is already on the table, doubling as decor, and guests pass around dishes to serve themselves—can cut down on the amount of waitstaff required and save costs.
Choosing a less costly bar arrangement—just wine and beer, for instance—and having a shorter cocktail hour can help keep costs down. Also try to negotiate the price of liquor by actual amount consumed, rather than by the head or hour.
Choose less-costly food items. Ethnic cuisines—Brazilian, Moroccan, Italian pastas, etc.—may provide interesting culinary choices that also are moderately priced.
Consider a less-costly time of day or day of the week, i.e. a weekend brunch.
Rental Equipment
Caterers may own a large amount of equipment or rent as much as they require from an outside source. Costs will depend on the quality, variety and quantity of items you select. The amount and type of equipment necessary for actual food preparation also factor in the cost.
What items are necessary? Specify exactly what and the amount needed
Table linens, cloths and napkins
Glassware—type and amounts
Silverware, specify
China, settings and serving pieces
Tables Chairs
Catering equipment needs
When will rented items arrive?
Where will they be delivered?
When will they be picked up?
Other services and suppliers—If the caterer is providing other services such as flowers, lighting, tents or entertainment, ask for the names and telephone numbers of his suppliers.
Staff
The number of chefs, bartenders and waitstaff required will depend on the size of the group, complexity of food preparation and presentation. Be sure not to skimp on service. While staffing is a major cost factor, the people involved in preparing and presenting food are the lifelines of your party.
Determine necessary number of chefs, bartenders, waitstaff.
Who takes care of providing the staff, you, the caterer or event planner?
Will parking attendants, security guards, coat-check personnel, rest-room attendants be needed?
How will the staff be attired?
When will staff arrive and how late will they stay?
