Whether we are business owners or hosting a private event, hiring professional catering services can be a convenient and effective way of offering meals and drinks to our employees or guests. Catering is not a recent industry, but with time service providers have evolved and learned how to satisfy the needs of today’s market. However, there are still many myths and misconceptions about catering services, including the costs and the time it takes for companies to prepare and serve the food.
One of the most common myths there are related to catering services is that, whenever you hire a company, you are only paying for the food they serve. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as with any other service provider, catering companies put a lot of effort and hard work into giving you a memorable experience. Besides, many caterers also offer additional services, being in charge of floral centerpieces, decorating, and even entertainment. Therefore, hiring catering services means much more than just paying for food.
Whenever we decide to hire a caterer for a special event, whether it is personal or for our company, many tend to assume that catering services take a lot of time to set up their equipment, prepare the food, and serve the dishes. Usually, caterers take around an hour or so, which depends on the number of guests. Also, preparation and serving time will depend on whether caterers are preparing the food off-site or at the event. Therefore, we should always have clear expectations on the services that will be provided and, if possible, consult with the caterer we hire.
In terms of costs and rates, there are many who believe that catering services charge the same as restaurants, or even more expensive, without being necessarily better. We need to take into account that whenever we eat at a restaurant or order food from one, we do not get the same culinary experience we get when we hire a caterer. One of the advantages of catering services is that we are able to get a fully customizable, personalized, and tailored experience, having a menu specifically planned to meet our needs and preferences. Some caterers even let you choose the linens and the plates food will be served on, creating a fully memorable experience.
Guests who don’t show up to our event even after they confirmed their presence can be an annoying and inconvenient situation, especially when we have hired a caterer to serve the food at our event. A very common misconception is that we, as hosts of the event, will have to pay for the food of absent guests, as well as paying for any extra guest that might have shown up without prior notice. This is not really the case, as whenever we work with a caterer, we must specify the number of guests that we are expecting, and most catering services still prepare a certain amount of extra dishes. However, we must go over this amount with the caterer, too, so we can have an accurate idea of just how much food we will have.
