The Ultimate Catering Interview Checklist
Nothing impacts guest experience and good vibes like a memorable meal at a wedding. We love helping couples identify exactly what type of catering service they need to bring about their imagined experience. Part of this is identifying what questions they need to ask caterers to make sure they are fully prepared to serve food at your celebration. Whether you are planning a 100+ person shindig or an intimate dinner for your closest family and friends, we are her to help identify all the little details that you might forget to pay attention to. We have the logistical know-how to make sure that your emotional connection with your perfect meal is well informed.
START WITH YOUR BUDGET + DESIRED EXPERIENCE.
For most celebrations 25-30% of your budget is spent on catering and desserts (this does not include bartending). We recommend couples understand how much they can reasonably expect to spend and marry that with the amount of people you would like to have at your celebration to find their caterer. But that isn’t how everyone wants to approach this portion of vendor hiring. Sometimes, folks start with their desired experience and budget and then decide on the number of guests from there.
If having a plated multi-course meal is a priority for your wedding experience, then hosting a more intimate event will give you more wiggle room in your budget. If you want to make sure everyone you love is present, then finding the best way to feed them for your budget is going to be the approach to take.
After you understand what type of catering options are going to work best for your celebration, you’ll want to consider the other hidden costs of catering. Those are staffing, rentals for tableware, tips, transportation, and waste disposal. Knowing what type of structural support your venue can provide for a catering team will also help you make sure that the caterers you speak to are prepared to work at your event space.
You may be reading this and say, “But what if I’ve already fallen in love with a specific catering experience or vendor?” No worries, we have totally been there! If your heart is set on a specific experience, then use the checklists below to inform what logistical problems may need to be addressed.
VETTING YOUR CATERERS.
With the plethora of catering options out in the world, vetting your caterers can feel like a big task. From chefs that roast pigs in a pit to taco trucks to multi-course plated affairs, each catering company is unique and aims to serve specific, distinct experiences.
The questionnaire below is a must-read and must-discuss before reaching out to a caterer. Letting them know what you are looking for is especially important if they don’t offer all their pricing materials on their website. They can easily refer you to someone else if the event isn’t a match or offer you more information to help you make a decision.
Before Contacting a Caterer Questionnaire:
What type of dining experience do you want (plated, buffet, to-go meals, family style)? What is your budget for that?
What type of support will you need from the caterer for this experience (servers, plates, trash removal)?
What type of venue will you be hosting at? What type of support will the caterer be able to get from the venue?
THE ULTIMATE CATERING INTERVIEW CHECKLIST.
Now that you understand what type of experience you want, what you can afford, and what you will need from a caterer in terms of support, you can start contacting caterers and setting up tastings!
Something we also recommend looking out for is the communication style of the catering company. The communication that you receive from your first contact sets a standard for how it will continue if the relationship furthers. If the communication style does not reflect what you’ll want the month before your wedding, make sure you note that and consider if the added stress of having dissimilar vibes or friction is worth the catering experience.
What follows is a list of more things to consider before your tasting appointment, tips to pay attention to during your tasting, and how to follow-up with the caterer post-tasting. Here are some tips for using this checklist:
Print this list from the PDF download button below.
Cross out the questions that don’t apply to your experience in advance of your conversations.
Take notes of some of the answers offered on their website or in their welcome packet to show that you've done your homework and that you'll be a good client. You may only cover a portion of these questions in order to know if the venue is the right fit for your celebration. We recommend covering as many as possible, whether you ask them on the tasting or later, because it's information you will need to have in order to plan your other hires successfully and strategically.
Before your interview appointment:
How many people do you plan to have at your wedding?
What is your total budget for catering?
What is your total budget for meal-related rentals not provided by your venue?
What is your total budget for alcohol and bartending services?
Are you set on a particular date, season, or year?
If so, call the caterer in advance and check for availability.
Are you looking for a particular style of food?
If so, do some advance online research to narrow down your visits to those that match your style.
What services do want the caterer to cover?
Bartending
Hot and/or cold appetizers
Dinner
Dessert
Staffing (serving food, pouring wine, clean-up)
Rentals
Research: Request a few different sample menus that meet your guest count, budget, and food style via their website or direct email. Ask if you must use a pre-set menu or if they can create a custom menu for your event. Ask if the cost of the meal is per person and whether that cost includes related taxes and fees (including travel and/or accommodation fees).
Call: Ask if tasting is complementary or if they charge a fee.
During your interview:
Company background and licensing:
Have you worked with our venue before? Are you familiar with the owners and caterer restrictions?
How many weddings do you do per year and how long have you been in business?
Are you licensed in the State of __________? Will I need to procure any additional permits for my event?
What are the staff costs for our meal (not including alcohol)?
Do you provide a banquet manager/coordinator to coordinate the meal service?
For plated meal service: Ratio of staff to guests:
For buffet meal service: Ratio of staff to guests:
For appetizers and/or cocktail hour (if requested): __________
What are your additional food-related charges?
Do you accommodate dietary restrictions? (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, kosher, gluten-free)
Do you offer package upgrades? (e.g. desserts, sculptures, coffee service, or specialty displays)
Do you modify any of your dishes?
How much do you charge for children's meals?
How much do you charge for vendor/event staff meals?
What about cakes?
Do you do cakes? If so, is the cost included in your per person meal price or is it extra?
Can we see photos of cakes you have done in the past?
If I decide not to serve cake, can you provide a dessert display instead? If so, is there an additional cost?
If we decide to go with another cake vendor, is there an additional cake-cutting fee?
Do you handle or source meal-related rental equipment? If so, which ones?
Tables
Chairs
Linens
Glassware
Plates
Flatware
Do you provide non-alcoholic drinks, alcoholic beverages and bartenders?
How much time do you require for setup and teardown of the bar?
Do you charge for non-alcoholic beverages? If so, what are the fees?
Can you accommodate specialty cocktails (if requested)?
What brands of alcohol do you serve?
Can we provide alcohol and use your bartending services?
Do you charge a corkage fee if we provide our own wine/beer/champagne?
Does your staff serve wine with dinner?
Do you charge extra for a champagne toast?
How long is alcohol served/What is the cut-off time?
Based on my guest count of ___, how many bartenders are suggested?
Do you have a tip jar or gratuity policy?
If needed, would you be able to provide all alcohol, mixers, ice, glassware, storage or icing containers, any decor, or a physical bar?
What are your business policies?
What is your clean-up policy?
Do you have any overage charges if my event runs long?
If there is leftover food from my event, can we have it wrapped up for guests or taken to a local shelter?
What is your payment policy?
What is the deposit to hold my date? When is the final payment due?
Once we book with you, how quickly can we expect a contract?
What is your refund/cancellation policy?
By what date do you need a finalized menu?
By what date do you need a final guest count?
After your appointment:
Follow up with the caterer and request a pricing breakdown for your selected menu, service, rentals, add-on packages, taxes, and additional fees (including travel and/or accommodation).
Once you see the estimate, clarify whether tips are included in their fees, or whether it is an added cost after the fact.
If your estimate comes in over budget, request that the caterer make a few recommendations for how to bring the proposal closer to your target spend. This might look like changing the service style of your meal, renting a more classic line of dinnerware, or simplifying the menu selections.
If your estimate comes in under budget, ask your caterer for recommendations on how to elevate the experience within your budget. This might look like increasing the staffing at your event, upgrading the service style or dinnerware options, and/or adding to the menu or bar selections.
If the proposal is in a good place, request to do a tasting. If you are putting together a proposal 6+ months in advance of your date, your caterer may not be able to let you taste your exact menu. Items will be out of season and unavailable for order. Most often you will be able to attend a catering tasting that includes their most popular and seasonal appetizers, sides, entrees, desserts, and/or wine pairings. This is helpful because you can try new and interesting specialties; you can judge the quality of presentation, flavor, and preparation; and you can interact with staff to get a sense of the hosting atmosphere. Some caterers conduct tastings in groups while others may conduct private tastings. Some caterers charge a tasting fee in addition to the cost of the proposal, while others will apply it as a credit towards your proposal after booking. Each caterer runs their operation differently, so be sure to ask about the experience and any related fees in advance so you can budget accordingly.
Photos courtesy of Cassie Anna Photography.
EXTRA TASTING ADVICE.
When interacting with a caterer, consider communication pre-tasting. Our best advice as you step into these tasting experiences is to take note of the food quality, texture, flavor, and temperature. Note anything that impresses you, as well as anything that doesn't live up to expectations. Also note the service experience, including personableness, knowledge, and responsiveness of serving staff. We also like to ask the staff what their favorite dish is, even if it's something you aren't tasting that day.
We believe that if one tasting experience outweighs the other, then THAT is the caterer for you. Your caterer has the greatest impact on your guests’ experience from a hosting perspective. People will remember how they were treated during their meal, whether they enjoyed the food, and whether they laughed along with their bartenders. So if all proposals are comparable, hire the catering experience that gives you the most positive experience. If there is a close tie between your options, their service level(s) match, and one is more cost effective than the other, save some dough and re-invest it in your event!