Posted by Carl Jones on December 22, 1998 at 23:07:13 :
In Reply to: Professional advice requested posted by Noel on December 22, 1998 at 14:49:48 :
: This may be asking the fox to guard the chicken coop however.....I like to live dangerously. My question is this I am planning a large wedding reception for about 100-150 people. What are some of the pitfalls to avoid when chosing a caterer. Please don't get me wrong I am happy to pay a fair price for a good product but in this case I am just not that familiar with the practices in the business. Thanks in advance.
Good question!! First 100-150 is not really large. The major pitfalls to avoid when choosing a caterer is to not choose a bad caterer. How to do that is to be so concerned about the price that you dont see the costs. Let me explain, Let's say you have two caterers, one is 20.00 pp and the other is 18.00 pp for the exact menu, services etc. Who has the best value? It depends! In my case, I am the 20.00 and my competitor is 18.00,
but I have a terrific chef, my trays are beautifully garnished, our staff is crisp and sharp. We bring ample food, we maintain the buffet table, we use top notch ingredients. When you hire us, you are setting yourself up for success.
My competitor is a bunch of ladies who cook pretty good. They are notoriously late, their cakes are drier than a "sheep's ass in March", they run out of food before replenishing, they run out of food, they cut corners, but hey, you will save 200.00-300.00.
When you hire them, you are setting yourself up for an embarassing event.
Hire the best caterer, not the cheapest.
Ask lots of questions!
Take notes.
Get references.
Contact the references!
(BUT be careful, most ppl hate to run down someone they hired for fear it will make them look inadequate for hiring a lousy caterer.
Look at pictures.
Ask to preview their services by coming to one of their upcoming events, before guests arrive.
Ask the best florist in town who is the best caterer in town. They have had to work with many caterers. They know.
Call the health department to assure they have a health permit.
Many caterers do not.
(Yes it matters!!!)
Go with the caterer who makes you feel the most comfortable after going thru all of the above!
Good Luck,
oh, yeah, we have traveled to other cities and can go most anywhere in the U.S., it may cost you expenses, but money may not be an issue with you.
Cheers,
Carl