Today’s blog from the team at easyEventhire looks at questions you should ask of professional caterers when choosing one for your next corporate event.
There is a whole world of corporate events that take place across the country every year, from conferences for large organisations, through to family days for smaller companies, and let’s not forget the traditional Christmas parties of course!
It’s fair to say that almost every corporate event will involve some form of catering, and the chances are that the services of a catering company will be employed. Cooking equipment hire, for instance, is always in demand.
The professional catering market is a highly competitive one, especially in London, with a whole host of companies all competing for a ‘slice of the cake’ (quite literally!)
The internet is a great place to start when you are looking to hire a catering company for corporate events. Simply type “catering company near me” into a Google search, and you’ll be presented with a list of options.
Of course, another way to do it is to ask the venue where you are holding your corporate event if they have any recommendations or preferred companies that operate in the venue. This is particularly good from the point of view of the caterer knowing and being familiar with the existing facilities.
Let’s assume, however, that you are in the position of having to find a catering company that you’ve never used before. Here at the top 6 questions, therefore, to ask them, to ensure that you’re not going to be disappointed.
Are you available?
Sounds obvious, right? But it’s something you need to ask straight away. The best professional catering companies are always booked well in advance, especially during the peak summer months and in the lead up to Christmas. You’ve got more of a chance of making the booking if you organise your corporate event on a weekday evening, rather than on a Friday or Saturday evening, but there’s certainly no guarantees! In essence, therefore, if you are satisfied with all the points below, make your booking early!
Can we have a tasting in advance?
The best catering companies will be able to provide you a sampling / tasting session in advance of your corporate event, to try and win your business. Remember, caterers will be just as keen to secure your booking as you are to use them, especially with all the lost time as a result of the COVID pandemic. This tasting session is your opportunity to see if the menu is going to be of the required standard for your corporate event, and provide any feedback that you think is necessary.
Are you flexible in your menu?
And talking of menus, how flexible is the caterer? Do they take your comments onboard about the menu, or are they steadfastly sticking to their normal offering? And what about catering for vegans, vegetarians and people with allergies, for instance. Remember, we don’t all like or eat the same foods!
Can you operate within our budget?
Budget always plays a big part in any decision-making process, and we all have them to stick to. A professional caterer will probably be charging you by the head, so it’s relatively easy to work out. And don’t be afraid to put your negotiating hat on – it’s definitely worth asking about whether that’s their best price. This is probably good justification for ‘shopping’ around when it comes to catering companies and maybe having three possible options to choose from.
What happens if extra cooking equipment hire is needed?
Most catering companies will have their own temporary kitchen cooking equipment hire, which they will transport from place to place. For certain events, they will need additional equipment for catering, and will either hire it themselves and add to your bill, or they will provide you with a list of commercial catering equipment hire that they need you to source. Fortunately, here in the UK, there is a wealth of cooking equipment hire companies out there such as easyEventhire, for instance, who operate nationwide and who will provide you with a seamless hire experience from start to finish. Again, do a Google search for cooking equipment hire near you or serving equipment hire, for instance, and you’ll find what you need.
Are there any hidden costs?
No one likes to get hit with a bill post-event, and so ask about things like tableware hire and even table linen such as tablecloths, napkins and table runners. Have clearly defined roles and responsibilities for both yourself and your caterer, so there’s no confusion around the event.
Hopefully, these 6 questions will help you when the time comes for you to find a professional catering company for your event. We wish you good luck with your event planning, and hope that everything turns out to be a great success!
