Be it a wedding, a birthday party, or an intimate ceremony, the main highlight is always the food. Only a few people would remember the decorations, ambiance, lighting, or the host, but most of them would remember the food and the service. So if you are about to host a party, either big or small, catering should be your primary concern. That would actually put an impression of you on your guests, and they will feel important. If the food isn’t great, no matter how much you invest in the venue, decor, or champagne, you wouldn’t be considered as a good host.
When you want to host a party, chances are you will consult an event planner, and they would suggest you to hire their recommended caterers, and maybe they offer you the caterers in their package deal and charge you less for that. Don’t fall for this trap for the following reasons.
- A. The event managing companies have direct contracts with many catering agents and work on commission.
- B. There is a possibility that the caterers aren’t up to the mark and have low-quality service
- C. You will be stuck to choosing only one particular company and won’t have the chance to explore more options.
- D. You have to keep your menu according to the chef’s choice and have to select limited choices.
So, booking a catering company independently is recommended so you can make a decision on your own. But we know how challenging it is to explore so many options at once and that too in a limited time with every other work related to the event. It could be pretty exhausting, right? Don’t panic; we are here to help you out. This next section of the article will cover how you can find the perfect catering near you without spinning your head in confusion. Let’s begin.
Search near your area
In order to search for the perfect catering agencies, you don’t need to look beyond your city, as you can find many professional caterers in Toronto. As the population is growing and hosting parties regularly is becoming a trend, many catering agencies have started their business to serve the best foods. The benefits of choosing the caterers of your city would be that:
You can have a taste check from the chef and examine the quality of the food. You can know about their market value and see if they have a reputation in the mark and are they serving the standard? You don’t need to pay the company’s transportation fee if you choose one from your city.
Ask your relatives and friends
There is zero chance that your relatives or friends might not know about any catering company. You can inquire from your known people who have hosted many parties and have a good experience with any catering company. You can even take advice from them regarding how you need to execute the whole process.
Look for the reviews
Almost every catering agency has its website or at least an online presence. You can look for the customer reviews on the website and see what the former customer has to say. Trust us; you will get many ideas about the company and its service. The reviews and ratings will give you honest feedback and help you decide. Obviously, the better reviews a caterer will have, the better they will be. So at least shortlist 4-5 top caterers.
Check the experience
There are several catering companies operating in the market.
However, you should limit your options and choose businesses with years of experience before hiring any of them. A newly established catering business won’t provide you with a quality menu. Trusting the new vendors at your event might cause significant chaos and ruin the occasion. Therefore, you must constantly check to see if the agency you work with has four to five years of expertise.
Go for the food tasting
You cannot have a proper estimation of the quality of the food through the reviews and feedback or through recommendations. To know the quality better you need to go and taste the food yourself and then see if you want to move further with the booking. You should visit all the caterers you have shortlisted and look for the best taste.
Visit your favourite restaurants
What? You must be wondering why we suggest you visit your favourite restaurants? Obviously, you love the food at your favourite place, and they might serve the tastiest meal you have ever eaten. So you can ask them if they also do caterings and if they would cater at your event. It is better to visit restaurants that serve proper lunch and dinners than just one specific cuisine that way; you can serve your guests with a variety of food with the best possible taste. Also as these restaurants have less charges of food than a catering company you can save a lot of money from the food.
Discuss your menu
As you are the event host, your decision should be what needs to be on the menu. You might also get an already fixed menu from the catering partners that could be changed a bit according to your wish. As these menus are flexible, you get the choice to pick your preferred cuisine or dish you want to add. You can even add a buffet according to your preference.
Negotiate a price
Based on your budget, you must choose a meal catering provider. You must also indicate the event you are preparing for, which means if it is a regular birthday party you will don’t need to put big meals on the menu and therefore a small yet good menu will have a lesser price. These days, the cost of cooking is really high; consequently, you’ll need to be able to locate a few reputable caterers who can create a fantastic package specifically for you. Discuss a price that you can afford according to the guest list so that hosting the event isn’t a burden on your budget.