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You’ve been assigned the task of planning your company’s annual gala, and you’re almost done. The guest list is finalized. The venue is set. There’s even a great line up of entertainment, but you still need food. You want this event to be something special, and dry hotel chicken won’t cut it! A professional caterer must be brought in, but where do you start? Read on for 6 tips to finding the best caterer for your next corporate event.
1. Get Referrals. Have you been to an event lately and raved about the food? Don’t be afraid to call up the sponsors and get the contact information for the caterer. You should also ask coworkers and corporate friends who they regularly use. Compile these names into a short list. This will be the starting point for your research.
2. Similar Food Philosophy. If your company values supporting the local economy, look for a catering company that does, too. For example, Handheld Catering, a company that does office catering in the San Jose, Santa Clara and surrounding Bay Area, uses what they call the Farm-to-Fork model. All food prepared is delicious, fresh and sourced locally.
3. Attentive from the Beginning. A good gauge of how attentive a caterer will be during your event is how responsive they are to you leading up to it. Look for a company that is quick to answer your calls and emails. Also, listen to the tone of representative. Is he actively listening and offering suggestions on how to make your event the best ever, or is she trying to rush you off the phone to get to the next client? Good customer service starts before the food is even prepared.
4. Can Handle Your Type of Event. There’s a big difference between hosting a taco truck in your office’s courtyard and holding a gala with a seated dinner. Make sure the company you choose can handle it. Event size is also important. If your prospective caterer has never cooked for more than 30 people and your event will serve 500, that’s something you need to know before the night of the event.
5. Goes the Extra Mile. Being able to prepare tasty food is one thing, but look for a catering company that goes out of its way help you make your event a success. Handheld Catering offers an event coordinator to all customers. As experienced caterers, they know that food is just one part of the equation. Their coordinator is there to help you make that part of your event as stress-free as possible. Handheld has also set itself apart from other Bay Area caterers with its mobile kitchen. They have the ability to cook all food onsite at your event in an open-air trailer, guaranteeing it’s served fresh.
6. Creates Exceptional Food. You want your attendees to leave your event talking about the food…but for the right reasons. Ask your potential caterer for samples to get a feel for the type of food that will be provided for you. If some of your guests have special requests, such as vegetarian-only or gluten-free options, make sure the caterer can accommodate them. Also, ask to see where the food will be prepared. Make sure the kitchen is clean and up-to-date.
Use these tips as a starting point when choosing your next business caterer. Do you have any corporate event planning tips to add? Leave them in the comments below.
Great tips! I agree that being attentive from the beginning is a major plus. Thanks for sharing!
I like what you say about getting referrals first. It’s good to know that others have had a good experience with the caterer you’re about to hire. We’re going to need a caterer soon for a banquet we’re having, so I’ll make sure to get some referrals before I hire someone.
That’s such a great tip to ask for referrals from people you know. If someone has used a catering service before, you definitely need to find out what they thought of it so you can find the right one too. I’ll have to try this when I need to get a caterer for my daughter’s wedding.
This is awesome idea to request referrals from individuals you know. On the off chance that somebody has utilized a providing food benefit previously, without doubt need to discover what they thought of it so you can locate the correct one as well.
Before choosing a catering service, make an appointment to visit their kitchens. Check for cleanliness and gauge the professionalism of the staff. You want to find a clean and professional environment.
I would personally prefer a catering service that has served a huge event. Experience is really valuable. I have the habit of checking out the portfolio of catering services whenever i’m managing an event. Referrals are great too! If people would say that they served well for their event, that’s good plus points for me to choose them.
Thanks for the tips on finding a caterer for your next corporate event. I agree that you should be getting referrals as much as possible. In my opinion, you can tell a lot more about a company through a referral than you can from anything else.
Great idea to request referrals from known once. Also a quick visit to their kitchens and a little check for cleanliness and professionalism of the staff should also be done.
I agree that you want to check the referrals of a caterer before choosing them. It would be smart to find someone who is qualified and experienced as well. My husband and I are looking for a caterer, so we’ll have to check their references first.
I really like what you said about finding a catering service that can handle the size of the people in your event. If I were tasked to organize my company’s year-end party, and they are planning to put up an outdoor concert, I will definitely want to work with a company that can feed the hungry crowd throughout the day. It certainly looks like hiring a food truck company will be a right fit for this type of event.
So true when it comes to the most important element of an event then one can seldom forget catering. It is something that can either make or break the occasion.
All the 6 tips are very useful, Catering is something that can either make or break the occasion. But thanks to Chic Coffee Events, I can fully trust their catering service.
Thanks for your comment!
Great Share!
I need best caterers for my upcoming Event and want to create the right impression on my guests. Your tips are very helpful for me to find the best caterer for my event I will definitely follow your tips.
Thanks for sharing this post with us.
I’m glad this was helpful and hope you find a great caterer.
Your advice about looking to how attentive a caterer is before the event is really good. Hosting a backyard party is always so much fun and I have to make sure to have the best foods. There are several different fun foods you can get from catering, getting a caterer you trust is important!
I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Yes, if you have a caterer being inattentive before the event, there’s no guarantee you’ll get good service during it.
Thanks for crafting this information for us. This blog was really helpful to me. This is the best blog I’ve ever read. I’m humbled and grateful.
I like that you said that I should choose a catering service that can accommodate your guests with special requests to ensure that you would have adequate food for all. My mom plans to have a party this holiday season to serve as some sort of reunion for the family. We have relatives who are allergic to peanuts, vegetarians, and some who can only eat Halal food. I’ll tell my mom to make sure the caterer she hires can make a menu that can accommodate all our guests. Thanks!
It helped me when you mentioned that you should ask for food samples from a potential caterer to know what type of food will be provided to you. A friend of mine is working as a secretary in their office and she shared with me last week that they will be having a private dinner party in their office two weeks from now and she asked me what would be the best option to do. Thanks for these helpful ideas and I’ll be sure to tell her that she can contact private caterers for more options and food services that they can offer to the upcoming party.