Hiring a Caterer
Hiring a caterer is a great alternative to doing all of the work
yourself.
If you are hosting the party in your own home, feel free to
plan on making or buying some of the food and/or beverages yourself. Leave
the labor intensive and time sensitive items to the caterer.
There is a wide variety of caterers to choose from. Working with a good
caterer is great fun and should make the party much easier for you.
For caterers in your area, just go to our
Local
Products & Services webpage and search for your state. We may have some
local businesses listed.
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Hot Tip:
Call caterers early enough to get on their calendars. Their weekends
fill up fast so let them know if you are flexible on dates and times. If
you have your party on a week night, you will have a bigger selection of
caterers and possibly be able to negotiate lower service rates. |
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We have taken the time to interview several caterers and offer the
following checklist for your interviews.
Caterer Checklist
q
What are
their specialties? (Food and beverage) Do they have a printed menu you
could review?
q If you
have a theme for your birthday party, ask the caterer for recommendations to fit
the theme.
q What
serving equipment do they supply? (platters, chaffing dishes, serving
spoons, tongs, plates, silverware, glasses, coffee urns, pitchers for
beverages)
q Do they
rent tables, chairs, linens, table skirts, dishes, silverware? If they
don’t, they may recommend a service.
q Do they
provide or rent any extras? (e.g.: centerpieces, candles, decorations, props).
q How do
they bill? Insist on a written estimate and breakdown of all costs. Ask
to see a sample invoice so you know what to expect.
q What is
their policy for quantities, can you return anything?
q How much
space do they need to set up and what do you need to provide for them?
q Can they
provide you with references?
q How do
they figure portion sizes?
q How many
people will staff your event?
q Does their
staff serve beverages?
q Will
they cut and serve the birthday cake?
q Is there a
separate delivery charge?
q Does their
staff clean up during and after the party? What is included in this
clean-up service?
q Many local restaurants provide catering as part of their services. Some
options include picking up the food yourself, delivery (hot or cold),
delivery with set-up, and delivery with full service staffing.
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