How to Cater Food

Two Weeks Out:

1. Decide on location[s]. Oh hey. Specific Catering Tips

Week and a Half Out:

2. Send out dietary restriction survey
3. If order is over ~60 people, tell the location[s] you’re planning on placing a large order

Week Out:

4. Review their menu, and investigate catering procedure
5. Peek at survey, and chalk up an order

• round up when ordering for dietary restrictions – better to be safe.

6. Visit location, ask to speak with a manager about catering

• have a number in mind, but do not finalize anything at this point
• ask for an idea of the general distribution of food (portions of meats, etc.) – they have a good idea on what people usually order, and what the average person wants
• review payment options, phoning in with credit card information is common
• discuss final order date, usually 2-3 days out
• discuss what amenities are provided (napkins, plates, silverware, etc...)
• depending on how payment is, you may want to let them know someone else will pay

Half Week Out:

7. Finalize order

• keep in mind the dietary restrictions
• round up, but a perfect scenario involves running out of food at the end
• possibly a good idea to run it past other members for blaring mistakes

8. Place order

• phone is common, but email provides assurance it’s taken correctly

9. Secure transportation: a car and a second person

Day Of:

10. Pick up

• sign receipts, leaving a tip: 15% doesn’t necessarily apply here, use best judgement.
• SAVE THE RECEIPT, photograph it when you get a chance

11. Serve

• place dietary restriction items on a different table, or at the end of the line
• it would be helpful to add signs indicating what each food item is, and what each item contains
• putting all the food out at once causes people to take more, keeping boxes under the table makes it last longer.

12. Clean up

• don’t leave a mess.