Whether a company party or an intimate gathering, catering is arguably the most crucial part of event planning. Primarily, catering service providers cook and serve food. However, most are also responsible for decorating, staffing, setting up, and packing up.
With all these tasks, you’ll need a competent, reliable, and high-quality caterer. While choosing one seems daunting, it’s a step that must be done to ensure your event is successful.
To help, we’ve come up with a list of qualities to look for in a good caterer, as well as how to choose the best catering company Dallas Fort Worth has for your event.
Qualities of a Good Catering Company
1. Food
Catering involves many things, like decorations and staffing. But at the heart of it all is food. A great caterer must be able to make excellent food that they don’t need to cover it up with fancy presentations.
They must have chefs and cooks who not only know how to prepare food but also how to keep it fresh and delicious. Guests will note if the food is cold, bland, or made without skill or thought, and that could set the tone.
A good DFW catering menu, especially an event for professionals, should fit the style and tone of the event. More than that, they should provide a menu that would suit the venue and climate.
Priceless Caterings has an experienced fine-dining chef who can create delicious food and serve it beautifully. They also have 100% customizable menus.
2. Great Attention to Detail
This characteristic goes hand in hand with communication skills. While planning, they should listen to you and fulfill every item on your list.
It’s the finer details that go unnoticed but play a vital role in any event, from planning to execution. Sometimes, things may have slipped your mind. Reminding you or solving these problems falls under the responsibilities of the caterer.
This is especially crucial with larger events, as there are more things to consider on a larger scale. Hiring a full-service catering provider will ultimately help you take care of things. Aside from food service, full services include decorations, setting up, and taking everything down. With a full-service crew, you won’t have to juggle multiple vendors by yourself.
Catering services provide elements like tables, glassware, and linens. However, they should not only give whatever they have on hand. Good catering services supply you with items that match the theme and decor of the event.
3. Customer Service and People Skills
Catering providers interact with a lot of people, from clients to vendors to guests. More than that, these people will have different personalities and wants. A good caterer should know how to deal with them. If they have good communication skills, you’ll be able to work anything out.
They should be tactful and diplomatic on their side, as they may need to persuade their clients to go a different route when necessary. But when dealing with other people, they must be polite, courteous, and easy to get along with. If the relationship between the caterer and the client is solid, the rest of the planning goes through smoothly.
The same is said for interacting with vendors and other guests. A rude caterer and staff can ruin your event. Instead of them having a fantastic time, your guests will have a lasting memory of a disastrous event with less-than-friendly staff.
4. Flexibility & Creativity
Catering must be creative. Even though you have a vision, they must be able to add or modify that, elevating your event. Whether it’s for food or decor, their contributing ideas should align with your plan but also enhance it.
More than that, challenges and issues may arise in planning the event and in the event itself. Catering providers should have problem-solving skills to navigate and solve these instances, ensuring the event goes on without a hitch.
There also may be times when you have specific or unique requests, such as dietary restrictions, allergies, and personal preferences. If a catering provider is able to adjust to accommodate your needs, they are worth considering.
Tailored menus are a huge plus. You get to create a menu that suits your tastes and accommodates any special request you and your guest may require.
How to Choose a Catering Company
1. Consider the Type of Event and Number of Guests
When it comes to bigger events, like company parties or seminars, you will need a caterer who can handle the size of your party. You’ll also need to be clear with what you need. A buffet? Appetizers and entrees? How many staff does the event require? With all these details, your caterer will be able to prepare and fix any issues that come up.
Priceless Caterings can cater even from 20 to 10,000 guests. More than that, they offer full-service catering, from staffing to rentals to delivering to setting up and taking down.
More than that, with big corporate events, trust, reliability, and communication are significantly crucial. One of the worst things that can happen is the food and service failing. You need a catering service provider that can handle a large number of guests, as well as everything else that comes with it, such as preparing good food and interacting with a variety people.
2. Go Over Their Catering Experience
No matter the size of the event, you’ll want it to go on smoothly and end successfully. A lot of that hinges on caterers. You should opt for a catering service provider with plenty of experience. You won’t want a brand-new company to cater for a large event.
They will be responsible for many things, both big and small. So, you’ll need someone who is equipped and capable to handle all those things.
Don’t be afraid to ask about their previous work and see their files. This is especially important if you have something unique or big in mind. You’ll need to know they can pull through and execute your vision exactly.
3. Read Customer Reviews
One of the best ways to know if a catering service provider is worth their salt is to check their customer reviews. Of course, they’ll be talking themselves up when talking to you. Their previous clients and customers, on the other hand, are more honest.
They will tell you how they genuinely feel about the services provided, the good and the bad. Some companies are listed on Google. There, you can see their rating and customer reviews. You can also check other review sites like Yelp.
Most catering companies have a review page or section on their own site. If you know someone who has worked with them before, you can go to them directly.
4. Ask if They Cater to Special Needs
There may be instances when you may deviate from the basics. For example, some of your guests may require a special menu due to dietary restrictions. With that, you’ll need a caterer who can accommodate your specific requests.
In addition to that, a catering company’s Dallas Fort Worth menu should factor in the unique needs of some guests. An example of taking extra care during food preparation is not using or at least washing utensils, pots, and pans for special dishes. Those with allergies, such as nut allergies, are susceptible to adverse effects if even a hint of the ingredient is mixed with their food.
Why Choose Priceless Caterings
A large event entails many things– extensive planning, creating a tasty and inclusive menu, and making sure your guests are enjoying being some of them. A good catering service provider can take some weight off your shoulders by helping you take care of those things.
Although it can be challenging to find an ideal one, we hope these tips guide you in picking the best one for your party.
Priceless Caterings is possibly the best catering company Dallas Fort Worth boasts. When it comes to food, they serve up delicious, fresh, from scratch cuisine and customizable menus. They’re made up of a talented and passionate team, which includes a fine-dining chef with over ten years of catering experience. They can also take care of staffing, rentals, delivery, and set up and take-down for you.
Priceless Caterings can help you create the perfect event around the DFW area. They provide services in major cities, including Dallas, Plano, Irving, Frisco, Addison, Richardson, Arlington, Fort Worth, Southlake, Coppell, Highland Village, Grapevine.
