If you're hosting a party, hiring off site catering is a great way to make sure everyone has delicious food to eat without having to worry about who is going to cook. But in many areas, there are numerous great caterers you can hire. How do you choose between them? Here are a few tips to help you make your selection.
Tell them how many people you're inviting.
When you first start reaching out to various caterers to get quotes and find out who is available, make sure you mention how many people you're inviting to your party. This will help the caterers better determine whether or not they are available to take on your job. For instance, if you say up-front that you have 20 people, a certain catering company may tell you they have availability since your party is so small. If you were to have left this detail out, the catering company might tell you they don't have availability because they're catering for another party and are under the assumption that they could not squeeze yours in, too.
Browse their menu options, first.
Before you contact a catering company, try to get a copy of their menu or an idea of the types of dishes they tend to serve. Only contact companies who serve the types of food you want to serve. This way, you won't waste time consulting with and tasting samples from caterers whose food would never have met your needs in the first place.
Ask about their flexibility.
Some catering companies are able to be more flexible than others. For example, some can change the number of servings they provide with a day's notice, while others might need a week. Some can change the timing of their delivery with some notice, while others have to stick to their plan more consistently. You may or may not need to make any last-minute changes to your party. But if you think there is a decent chance your party plans will change, you will want to hire a catering company that can be more flexible—and one that won't have to charge you large change fees in order to do so.
When you have a number of great catering companies in your area, picking between them isn't always easy. However, sharing your party size up-front, checking the menu, and asking about flexibility will help you make your choice.
