If you are ordering catering in Toowoomba for the first time, chances are you won’t know what questions to ask your caterer. Here are some handy questions you should ask your caterer when booking:
1. What is your availability like on my event date?
Caterer’s get booked in advance and as much as we like to take on all bookings there is a limited amount of people you can serve in any given period. It is highly unusual for you to be the only event on any given day. It is always worth checking availability. I would also highly recommend that when you have a group of 40 people or more you book at least three weeks in advance.
2. What is the serving/portion size on the quote/menu?
Everyone has had one meal where it has turned out to be all but a sliver of carrot, a wilted broccolini sprout and a shrunken cube of beef. These meals have their place … in a seven-course meal.
If you are not expecting it, it will ruin a carefully planned event.
Always check serving sizes to make sure it matches your expectations and work with the style of event you are planning.
We default our serving sizes on the side of generous. Even so, our blue-collar clients tend to order a bit extra as they do intense physical work and have a higher amount of men in the meetings. Our white-collar clients, especially if they have a higher proportion of women, order smaller quantities.
You have every right to ask your caterer for a bigger portion or a smaller one.
3. What style of service do you provide?
There are so many service styles. We specialise in the drop and run style but you can also have everything up to a personal chef cooking on site.
The more service involved in the catering, the higher the price.
4. Will there be any equipment to return to you?
Returning equipment is annoying! For you and for them. Know what you are getting into and ask if they collect rather than you needing to return.
5. How do you deal with dietary requirements and possible cross-contamination?
You don’t want your guests to be left with a memory of an allergic reaction. All good caterers will have plans in place to deal with dietary requirements. By asking this question you are testing the quality of their work and filling your duty of care to your guests.
6. What are your favourite foods on the menu?
Everyone has favourites. Their answers will reveal a lot about them (particularly if they have tasted their own menu!). If they can’t answer, use another caterer.
Happy catering!
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