Planning an event takes a lot of work, research and preparation. It’s up to you to make decisions that will determine the outcome of your event, from which venue to entertainment, to catering and food menus.
Catering services and food menus is probably one of the most important decisions you will have to make in order to make sure you have happy guests. The choices you make when deciding on catering and food can make or break the event. It can definitely get overwhelming with all the decisions, so here are some key points to consider during the decision process.
Read Online Reviews
Online reviews will probably give you some of the most transparent and honest opinions of people who have experienced first hand what the catering service and food were like. In this day and age, online reviews are more important than ever and will give you a real insight into what to expect. Review websites like Google and Yelp are the new methods of referrals and can help you when it comes to deciding on which company to work with.
Ask for a Consultation
Consultations are extremely important for anyone hosting an event. You wouldn’t want to book a catering company without speaking to them first, as you want to ensure that they can give you what you want and avoid any unwanted mishaps. Think of it as an interview process, where you are looking to hire the best candidate.
The consultation will help you determine whether a business will work with you in order to deliver the results that you want and cater the menu to how you want it. Some catering companies have a set menu, but some will work with you and provide you with a framework to get started.
Search for Photos
The presentation of the food is equally as important as the taste and texture. Look through the company’s website and social media to find images of their food or past catered events. This will give you a clear idea of how they normally dish their meals and whether it’s what you are looking for.
It can also give you some inspiration if you are not sure what kind of dish setting you want yet. Are the placements and visuals what you want? Are they visually appealing and does it go with the theme of your event? These things are important want it comes to deciding on a catering service as you want everything to be visually appealing and appetizing.
Ask About Customization
Every event is different and this requires different types of menus. Determine what kind of event you are having, whether it’s a corporate event, wedding, or even just a gathering of peers and determine what kind of menu you want. Also, consider the timing of your event and whether you want to host a breakfast, lunch or dinner menu.
A menu that you can customize to your liking and add personal touches will make your event much more memorable. This is why it is important to ensure that the catering company is able to customize the menu specific to your event. You can ask about this in your consultation, as you don’t want to book a catering company only to figure out that they can’t do the things you want.
Can Accommodate Your Guest List
The number of guests attending your event can increase and decrease at late notice so you want to make sure that your catering service can accommodate the numbers of people, in case there is an unexpected increase in guests. In most cases, 10 to 20 percent of the guestlist will decline, which will leave plenty of food for the rest, but you want to ensure that you have enough food in case of unexpected guests.
When determining which catering company you want to work with, ask if the company can scale for small, medium or large attendance sizes. It is also important to ask when they will require a final headcount so you can adjust your RSVP dates accordingly.
It can be extremely overwhelming trying to select the right catering service to help you create the menu you want without any hassle.
To learn more about choosing a caterer for your event, call Château Le Jardin at 1-888-517-0682 or contact us here.
