Before You Make That First Call to a Caterer

Finding just any caterer is not that difficult. Just go online and there are several web sites that can provide you with the names of lots of catering companies in your area. While finding just any caterer may not be that difficult hiring the right one for your event is quite a different story.

Just recently I had a friend call and as a favor asked me to help him find a caterer for a small company awards lunch. He was short on time and just wanted to get an idea of pricing for a lunch buffet. For regular people like me who don’t hire a caterer everyday I wasn’t sure exactly how to find the right caterer for his party.

I quickly learned after calling a few caterers that its best if you’re well prepared when you make that first call otherwise you’re wasting your time and the caterer's. Unless you have your event details ready when you call it will be difficult for any caterer to give you an accurate quote. And without an accurate quote you may end up spending more for catering services than you had originally budgeted for.

So before you make that first call to a caterer be prepared to give detailed answers to the caterer questions but also be prepared to ask the caterer specific questions about their services.

I've listed some things you should think about and have answers to before you make that first call and have also included some questions you need to ask the caterer.

Hopefully by being prepared when talking with each caterer you'll get a more accurate quote for their services and with this information you'll be better able to decide on just the right caterer for your event.

1. Total number of guests including children attending the event.
2. Day and time of the event: For the time of the event you need to estimate how many hours you think your event may run. For a company lunch buffet it may be only two hours for a birthday party it might be four to five hours. This information gives the caterer an idea of how to schedule. When they need to set up and break down etc.
3. How will the food be served: buffet, sit down meal, or appetizer service and then a sit down meal?
4. What type of food do you want served: Hot and cold food or just hors d'oeuvres. Will you need a carving station. If you're thinking of a carving station how many meats do you want served and what kind of meats. Be aware that there will likely be an additional charge for the carving station attendant. Will you want dessert available?
5. Food Service Timeline: For a buffet you may want the food available only at the beginning of the event or you may want food available throughout the event. If you are having a company meeting with sit down service do you want the meal served before the meeting or after. If you’re offering appetizers before a sit down meal how long do you want the appetizers offered before the meal? Half an hour, an hour or two hours?
6. How much do you want to spend per person? The per person rate is determined in part by the type of food you want served. So give this some thought before you call the caterer. The per person rate may or may not include other items like linens, tables and silverware. Check with each caterer and find out exactly what is included in their per person rate.
7. Do you want alcohol served at your event? Does the caterer provide alcohol service? If so how do they charge? If you want alcohol served do you want just beer and wine served or do you also want mixed drinks available for your guests? Do you want blended drinks served? Ask the caterer if there an extra charge for blended drinks? Decide if the bar will be hosted or will you be wanting the quests to pay for their own drinks. Will you want the drinks served in glassware or plastic?
8. The venue: Have you selected a place to hold your event? Be aware that some venues have their own catering service and do not allow outside caterers.
9. Ask about the ratio of servers to guests. You need more servers for sit down service as opposed to a buffet where fewer servers are required.
10. How about server rates, bartender rates, carver station attendant rates. Over time rates.
11. What is the required deposit and how soon in advance does the caterer require it.
12. Ask about their contract. See if the caterer is willing to forward you a copy.