If you’ve got a big corporate event coming up, one of the first things you’ll need to do is plan out the catering.
Of course, for important events, like seminars, product launches, and workshops, you’ll want the best catering possible.
The best way to get excellent catering for corporate events is to call up corporate catering services. They can take the burden of menu planning and other catering headaches off your shoulders so that you can focus on other aspects of your event, like seating arrangements and hiring audio/visual equipment.
The problem is that corporate catering services are pretty common these days. In fact, in 2023, 48% of catering companies reported that corporate catering is their largest driver for growth. Because of this, many catering companies are looking for a slice of the pie but not all of them are as good as they claim to be.
Bad catering can ruin a corporate event and even tarnish your company’s reputation, so you must find good catering companies. Let’s explore some common red flags that can signal catering companies that you should stay away from.
1. Unclear Pricing
The first thing you need to clarify with corporate catering services is their prices. However, when a catering company doesn’t offer a transparent pricing structure, it can be a sign that the company is hiding certain costs from you.
Also, these caterers will be reluctant to give you a breakdown of their costs when you ask for it. These hidden costs can catch you off guard and have a major impact on your budget.
A good caterer will always give you an itemized quote that lists all the expenses involved in their services.
2. Bad Attitude
If the catering company’s representatives display a bad attitude, especially when communicating with their clients, they may be very difficult to work with. They might not be open to listening to your needs, they might try to push menus you didn’t ask for onto you, and they might not respond to your queries on time.
Also, these types of catering companies don’t take criticism well and may try to butt heads with clients who call out their poor services.
3. Unprofessional Staff
Corporate events require highly trained catering staff; otherwise, the catering may not go over well with the guests and this could affect the company’s reputation. The catering staff should just know how to communicate with guests and they should have good serving etiquette.
If the catering company hasn’t given their staff adequate training to handle corporate events, they could make mistakes during your event and fail to satisfy guests.
4. Lack of Flexibility
A poor-quality caterer won’t be flexible enough to accommodate changes to the menu when you need it. This can include accounting for dietary requirements and allergies.
Either they don’t have menus with diverse food options or they’re reluctant to make the changes you want.
5. Poor Time Management
For corporate events, it’s important that the food arrives on time; otherwise, it can affect the flow of the event.
If the caterer has a history of arriving late to venues and taking too long to set up the catering, they won’t be a good choice for your corporate event.
6. Unsafe Food Practices
Foodborne illnesses can happen easily at big events if the caterer isn’t careful. Not only can they hurt your company’s reputation but they can also lead to legal issues.
A bad caterer won’t pay much attention to food safety procedures and may make mistakes like handling food with bare hands or not storing the food properly. Also, the caterer should be following the Food Code created by the FDA which establishes food safety practices and covers areas like preparing, cooking, and serving food.
A telltale sign of poor safety practices is when the caterer avoids discussing how they handle the food when you ask them about it.
7. Little to No References
Testimonials and references can be a great way to get an idea of how good a caterer is. However, if a caterer doesn’t have many references and testimonials, it could be a big red flag. This may be even more suspicious if they’re been in business for a long time.
Some caterers who get bad reviews will only show the few good ones they got. But some of these may be paid reviews or reviews done by the company itself.
8. No Backup Plans
Corporate event planning can’t always be perfect and things can go wrong due to unexpected events. Unexpected situations like catering equipment failures, last-minute venue changes, and being short on staff can take place.
A bad catering company won’t have backup plans if something goes wrong and might try to wing it. This can lead to a subpar service that could lead to unhappy guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some commonly asked questions from previous customers to consider when looking for corporate catering services:
1. How early should I book caterers for corporate events?
This depends on how big and complex the event is. For a small corporate event, like a meeting, you should call the caterers at least 5 days in advance.
2. Will the caterers provide tables and chairs?
Some caterers may provide tables and chairs but in most cases, you may want to ask the venue about this.
3. Do caterers have a minimum ordering requirement?
Yes, some caterers do have minimum ordering requirements. This may depend on the kind of event you’re hosting and the catering package you’ve chosen.
Corporate catering services can make any event a hit
With so many catering companies offering corporate catering, you might accidentally run into one that’s problematic. When you’re looking for a good catering company, make sure you do plenty of research over the weeks leading up to your event.
Great caterers can be expensive, but they validate their costliness with excellent service and great catering menu packages. So start hunting for a reputed catering company today!
