This is the season to throw parties and reconnect with friends and family members. Whether you’re hosting a small get-together or a massive holiday party, you’ll need to start making preparations now.
One of the most important items on your list, of course, is the food. What kind of food are you going to provide for your guests?
If you have a lot of people coming, you should consider catering an event, rather than trying to do all the cooking and baking on your own.
But how do you choose the best event caterer? How can you ensure your guests are satisfied with your food options?
We can help you answer these types of questions. Keep reading for five tips to check off on your catering checklist.
1. Consider What Types of Foods Your Guests Want
First, catering a many will be easier if you talk to your guests and find out what types of foods they like. However, this can result in countless suggestions.
More importantly, find out if anyone has any food intolerances or subscribes to a special diet. It’s important to provide meal options for people who don’t eat meat, gluten, dairy, etc.
2. Ask For Recommendations
Next, talk to other people to find out if they have any experience working with local caterers. For example, can they point you in the direction of the best pizza caterer in town?
Additionally, learn as much as you can based on their experience. Did they have any scheduling conflicts? Did anyone get food poisoning or have any other concerning issues?
3. Look Up Online Reviews
If you don’t know anyone personally who has experience catering an event, go online to find the best caterers in your area. Then, visit each of their websites to find reviews and testimonials left by their previous customers.
Customer reviews can be helpful in learning more about the caterer. Based on their past clients, you can determine the quality of their foods, as well as their customer services, catering portions, food safety, and more.
4. Consider the Price
Of course, when catering an event, you also need to consider your event budget. How much money can you afford to spend on food and food services?
To find the best caterer for your budget, reach out to local catering services to get a free quote. Alternatively, you can find their basic pricing models on their websites.
5. Verify the Caterer’s Experience
Finally, before hiring an event catering service, find out how much experience they have. If you’re hosting a large event, make sure it’s something they’re capable of handling.
Ask them how many events like yours they’ve hosted in the past. Learn how they handle large groups of people. This includes food safety protocols, set-up, clean-up, and more.
Need Help Catering an Event?
Hosting an event isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Although, if you plan ahead and schedule everything in advance, it should go a long way toward reducing your stress. Follow our guide to successfully catering an event to find the right caterer for your needs.
And if you’re looking for more party planning tips or consumer insight, you’re in the right place. Read through some of our other articles before you go to find more information that can help you throw the best event of the eyar.
