Tips for Successful Catering

Catering is a lot of work, demanding a great deal of organizational skills. It’s a lucrative market, but you need to be extremely organized to feed a large crowd all at once. Whether plated or buffet, organizing and coordinating the back of the house staff with the front of the house is critical. Go over the menu before the guests arrive and set a timeframe for the meal with the kitchen staff and the wait staff.

You’ll also want a head count. This refers to the number of people expected to attend. Most caterers require a head count anywhere from a month to a few days ahead of time, depending on the menu. The head count is the number of meals the customers will be billed for. If a customer says 100 people will be attending, then you charge for 100 meals, whether only 50 or 75 or all 100 guests show up. It is important that your customers understand this concept before the event, or they may feel like they don’t have to pay for the original head count if everyone doesn’t show.

Lively parties, such as Christmas parties or wedding receptions, can go on for hours, especially if alcohol is served. Don’t be afraid to set a time limit, and make sure the customers and guests know the specified starting and ending times for the event. Four to six hours is usually plenty of time for most parties.

Finally, have a set minimum number of guests when catering an event. If, for example, the private dining room requires a minimum of 15 people and a party of four wants to rent it, they will have to pay an additional room fee. Setting up and staffing a private dining room for a smaller party costs you money and you need to make enough from that party to make it worth it. You can always bend your own rules, for a regular customer, for instance, but use your judgment and do what is best for your business.