One of the trickiest parts of finding the right caterer for you is knowing where to start. There are so many diverse and creative catering companies in Herts that could provide amazing food for your event, but how do you find the one that’s right for you? We’ve put together a few things to take into consideration when looking for a caterer.
Budget
This is the one question that as a caterer, we rarely get an answer to but it really does help us to gauge where to price our quote. As a prospective client you will have looked around at other companies and seen what they can do and for how much so if you know your upper limit is £25 per head, don’t be afraid to say, it’s always good to know. That way we won’t quote you £35 per head and there’s a good chance you’ll stay within budget.
Cuisine and dietary requirements
Look at the sample menus on your prospective caterers’ website. If it’s a barbecue you’re after, can they do a high end one as well as a basic one? Do their sample menus have tried and tested favourites and some options you may not have heard of? Bear in mind if the menus are meat heavy, then they may not be the company to provide varied vegetarian and vegan options. Being able to instruct your caterer as to what you would like to eat is a step in the right direction. Sometimes you may not know what you want and that’s when a good caterer will sit down with you and guide you through the menu options.
Venue
It’s always preferable for your caterer to meet you at the venue in the run up to the event, not only to establish the catering facilities available but also so they can get a feel for the venue. For example, knowing how much space you have for a buffet table and where it is going to be situated means the caterer can decide how many staff are needed and how the food service will run. It’s especially important for you caterer to visit the site if you’re holding your event in a marquee, turning up on the big day to find no electricity or running water is going to cause a huge problem. For marquee hire in the Herts area Abacus Marquee & Event Hire
Availability
Like many other professions, certain times of the year are much busier than others. Wedding season, Summer and Christmas always see an increase in enquiries for catering companies. We do appreciate that sometimes plans are made last minute and but the less time between booking the event and the actual day itself, the more you need to be prepared for your chosen caterer to already be booked up. The more time you have to plan your event the more likely it is to go off without a hitch.
Responsiveness
One of my best friends told me that she booked the caterer for her 50th birthday because they responded to her initial contact quickly, listened to what she wanted and offered helpful, honest advice. A good caterer will always try to respond to an enquiry on the same day that it comes in but that may not always be possible. A small catering business can often be a one- or two-man band and if they are out working on a function, they may not be able to reply immediately. So while a quick response is always beneficial, don’t write a company off because they took 24 hours to reply. If it keeps happening then perhaps it is time to consider looking elsewhere but initially the quality of the reply is just as important as the speed. And remember, the more info you can give your caterer on your initial enquiry, the better the response from them will be.
Hopefully this brief guide has given you some hints of things to take into consideration when looking for a caterer. For quality catering, including barbecues and buffets in Hitchin, Stevenage, Letchworth and the surrounding area, get in touch Contact