Catered events, whether they’re good or bad, leave a lasting impression on a company’s employees, clients or potential customers. When hosting a catered event, you want an extraordinary experience from the catering company you hire. That means knowing what to ask the caterer before the event to ensure your guests will be provided for. It also means knowing the best way to react when things don’t go as planned.
Smart Business spoke with Todd Schafer, president of Crooked River BBQ + Beer, about the steps to take to ensure a catered event goes well.
What are the elements of a successfully catered event?
The key questions to ask when grading a caterer are:
- Were all your needs met?
- Were you able to hold the event with little stress?
- Was it within your budget?
- Did everyone get enough to eat?
- Were the caterers on time?
- Did the food service have an even flow with everyone getting through smoothly?
- Were everyone’s dietary needs met?
What should companies know about the people who they’ll be catering to in order to ensure the food service goes well?
It’s important that your catering matches the event. For instance, don’t have a carnivore menu for vegan missionaries. Similarly, match the menu to the time of the event. Don’t have lots of starches or heavy foods for a lunch event because that will drag down the guests’ productivity for the rest of the day. Choose lighter fare for lunches.
Know when to draw the line with your budget. It should be economical for you and a fitting exchange or reward for the service provided by whomever you’re catering to.
What should companies consider when determining the catering menu?
The time of the event is a significant factor in deciding what to serve. Lunches should always be light — more of a grab menu with sandwiches and a side. Dinner portions should be more substantial. Have appetizers and a few protein options, beverages and a dessert spread. And while alcohol may be appropriate for evening events, don’t serve it during lunch. Much like heavy foods, it can lead to lower productivity. In the worst cases, it can lead to some regrettable mistakes.
Regardless of when the event occurs, if you’re not filling up your guests people will leave to get food elsewhere. Always ask the caterer for relative portioning — how much of each product each person is getting. Every catering company bases their weights on a headcount.
What are some common mistakes made when catering an event and how can they be avoided?
Most often it’s a poor headcount that ruins the day. The attendance estimate is as important as the portioning. If it’s too high, too much food is ordered and the event is not as economical as it could be, which can lead to the next catered event not being approved. Too little food and your guests are unsatisfied.
Don’t think about the event as a whole. Think about it as if you’re serving one person. Figure out what accompaniments and portions a single person would need. Then talk about requirements — the kinds of foods and how they’ll be served.
What can be done if the food doesn’t arrive?
First, it’s important not to fret. Make a quick call to a local grocery store or pizza place and do a food run. Never push the event back. If the food service was scheduled for the beginning of the meeting and it doesn’t arrive, move the service to the end. Let the emcee know so he or she can inform the guests of the change.
Don’t look distressed or unorganized and don’t denigrate the caterer if the food is late. Poor behavior under stress, and in front of all your colleagues or employees, will leave a bad impression.
Insights Corporate Catering/Events is brought to you by Crooked River BBQ + Beer
