Hiring a catering business eases the burden of planning an event as they can handle everything from food preparation to clean-up. Some common catering options to consider include catering from restaurants, corporate caterers, and wedding caterers. Here is a more in-depth look at catering businesses you can hire and what they offer.
Restaurants
Restaurants are an excellent catering option if you are looking for an advanced menu for your guests. This could be a specific cuisine like Jamaican or a full-course meal. You only need to find a restaurant that offers what you need. For example, if you want Jamaican cuisine, you need a restaurant that specializes in Jamaican food.
Hiring a restaurant to cater your event may even save you from looking for a venue since this option might be included in their packages. Many restaurants even offer table dressing services and provide the décor you need, which means you will not have to hire an event decorator. Hiring just one professional service to cater your event can save you time and money.
Food Trucks
Food trucks cater outdoor events like garden parties, cookouts, or barbeques. They do not have as many employees as restaurants, so they are ideal for small occasions. Their main service offerings are food preparation and serving, which is mainly done through a window. They offer simple food options like fast foods or special cuisines, depending on your order.
Most food trucks serve their food on disposable plates, so your guests may have to dispose of them themselves. Consider negotiating with the food truck service for clean-up to save your guests the hassle of cleaning up after themselves.
Social Event Caterers
Social event caterers serve occasions like birthday parties, graduation celebrations, and baby showers. These businesses are suitable if you want your caterer to pay attention to intricate details like your event’s theme color, as they can find tableware that matches your needs. They will pay attention to your guests’ dietary needs and may ask for a list of guests’ allergens and culturally-prohibited foods to enhance their satisfaction.
Social event catering services may include food preparation, serving, event decoration, and clean-up. You only need to find an ideal venue for your event, communicate your food needs, and agree on the tasks they will handle.
Corporate Caterers
Corporate caterers provide food and drinks to corporate or business functions. They serve simple dishes or fancy foods depending on your budget and specifications. Corporate caterers can also offer a small open bar to serve drinks to your guests.
These businesses generally specialize in corporate events. Corporate events need to be relaxed and elegant to facilitate efficient networking and deal closing. Corporate caterers can handle table setting, food preparation, table-to-table or buffet serving, and clean-up.
Wedding Caterers
Wedding caterers will make a wedding more special by overseeing all guests are well-fed. Most specialize in either small weddings or large fancy ones, depending on their experience and resources.
A wedding caterer can prepare food, bake your cake, and serve food and drinks, so you do not need to hire additional servers. They may also set the tables and arrange displays to match your wedding theme.
Concession Caterers
These businesses cater special gatherings like sporting events and music concerts. Since they serve large crowds, they mainly prepare popular foods. You are likely to find these businesses serving fast foods instead of full-course meals.
Get Your Catering From Restaurants and Other Establishments
Hiring the right catering business can improve your chances of hosting a successful event. Get your catering from restaurants for advanced menus, a ready venue, and special attention from your caterer. If you are hosting a corporate event, find a corporate caterer to serve food and drinks. Each of these companies brings unique offerings to various gatherings, so let your event determine the type of business you hire.