Everyone looks forward to hosting a great event, especially when there’s so much excitement and buzz in the air. They look forward to great food along with great service. From my wealth of experience of being an event planner for Majestically Rare Events, here are a few things to look out for when choosing a great caterer.
CHOOSE PROFESSIONALS
I’ve said this before and it’s worth mentioning again: A caterer who makes food for house parties is often not the same as a professional caterer who has been trained and is use to serving large groups of people so please don’t use amateurs. I think it’s a good time to drop this quote here.
So hire a professional and get it right.
ENGAGE LOCAL CATERERS
It’s better to engage a professional caterer that is located nearer to the event venue rather than someone who lives miles away or out of State. If it’s going to take more than an hour to deliver the food then there’s a risk that your caterer will be held up in traffic or the food wont be fresh.
CHOOSE CATERERS THAT STICK TO TIME
It’s frustrating when a caterer doesn’t show up at the designated time they agreed on to deliver food. This normally happens when a caterer has taken on too many jobs. I was at an event recently when the caterer didn’t show up on time and turned off his phone. This set the host into a panic because there was no plan B for food. Stick to professionals for the sake of your mental state.
ONLY THE BEST TABLE SETTING WILL DO
A nicely decorated hall will look lousy with poor table settings. I remember attending an event with such lovely décor, only to notice that the cutlery was a poor sight. Everything was chipped. Insist on inspecting all table wear including glasses, plates, knives, forks and charger plates. This will make your table decoration sparkle and look excellent.
MAKE SURE YOUR CATERERS PROVIDE ENOUGH SERVERS
Caterers that don’t understand the dynamics of team work can create havoc for the entire event. This normally happens when the caterer doesnt provide enough waiters or servers. This can really frustrate guests who have been waiting patiently for food. Hostesses who are supposed to attend to guests are usually taken off their duties to help serve food. This means that hostesses are not at their designated tables and often blamed when things go wrong.
EXPECT SUPERIOR CUSTOMER CARE
Unfortunately caterers with poor customer care can ruin an event which has taken months to plan. I have even witnessed a caterer shouting at the hosts and guests. The caterer did not value or understand good customer care. Caterers with a track record of delivering excellent customer care are those you should seek and those who we work with.
Here are some important questions to ask your caterer at your next event meeting
What’s on the menu?
When will dinner be served?
Is it buffet or plated service?
How many servers do you have?
How many serving points do you have?
How will you determine when a guest has been served to avoid double orders?
How long will it take to serve X amount of guests?
How will you deal with an unexpected inflow of guests? Especially if you live in Naija, where showing up with uninvited guests is common.
A great caterer should know the answers and make provision for risk. An unqualified caterer will make no plans , make excuses, blame others, create havoc and spoil the entire atmosphere of an event.
HOW WE CAN HELP
I hope you find these insights useful when engaging caterers for your next event. Alternatively, you can call on us, Majestically Rare Events to help you source the best. We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent professional service where only the best will do. Contact me at rita@majesticallyrare.com
So what’s your experience been like with caterers? Have you had a caterer from hell? Please let me know in the comment box.
Thanks for stopping by
With love RiRi
