- During your initial meeting with the catering company, book a taste testing session. If you don’t like the food, go elsewhere!
- Ensure that there are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meal choices and design your registration form to reflect those choices.
- Identify all costs in order to develop a realistic food and beverage budget. Keep in mind that usually the per-person cost does not include taxes, service or gratuities.
- Look over the catering contract very carefully. Some venues require a minimum order regardless of how many delegates register. If this seems risky, ask the catering manager to remove the clause. If they do not agree, go elsewhere.
- Most catering contracts require a 48 hour notice for final confirmation numbers. Subtract 10% from your final count, as generally there is a 10% no show rate. However this may vary by industry. If this is the first time you arrange an event of this type and you are unsure of the no-show rate, subtract 5%. On event day, if more people show up than you booked for, simply advise the catering manager; the kitchen can always prepare more meals. The advantage to this strategy is that it saves the client money and equally important, it contributes to less food waste.
- Most catering contracts require a 48 hour notice for final confirmation numbers. Subtract 10% from your final count, as generally there is a 10% no show rate. However this may vary by industry. If this is the first time you arrange an event of this type and you are unsure of the no-show rate, subtract 5%. On event day, if more people show up than you booked for, simply advise the catering manager; the kitchen can always prepare more meals. The advantage to this strategy is that it saves the client money and equally important, it contributes to less food waste.
- Obtain feedback from the delegates on the quality and quantity of the food offered; this will provide useful information to assess the caterering company which will affect your decision to use them again.
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