Finding the right Catering Company for your Event Catering needs isn’t always easy.
With plenty of options for catering in Pittsburgh, not all of them are going to provide the same services.
When it comes to your catering requirements, there are many factors to take into account when searching for the right catering company for you.
Here are some of the main questions to pose when looking for catering in Pittsburgh.
What kind of reputation do they have?
As it is with taking on the services of any business, you should always look at your potential catering company’s reviews and references.
Any good catering service should have plenty of reviews that highlight the strengths of their services.
You can also try to reach out to someone who has worked with the caterer in the past to give you a clear picture of how they work.
Asking to see the event caterer’s certifications can help you make sure they are meeting the basic health requirements mandated by health departments.
What are your requirements and can they meet them?
When you’re hiring a catering company, it’s easy to ask them about their services without being fully aware of what your requirements are.
It’s crucial that you know exactly what to ask for so that you can eliminate any services that offer catering in Pittsburgh that don’t meet your basic requirements.
Some of these requirements may include the number of people who will be at your event, the number of servers you’ll need, the theme of the event if any, and any other information you can provide about the event you have planned.
Do they provide tastings?
No matter how good their menus look on paper or how beautiful their food looks, you should always taste test the food of the caterers you are considering before you make a decision. This way you can make sure you get exactly what you are looking for.
Finding out that the food you’ve chosen isn’t as palatable as it looks during your event is a huge disappointment, and can result in you and your guests leaving the event with a bad taste in their mouths—literally and figuratively.
So even if a caterer sounds incredible on paper and comes highly recommended, the only way to ensure the quality and taste of the food is by tasting it beforehand.
What are their costs and payment processes?
While this may seem rather obvious, you should really take the time to check the catering costs to look out for any hidden event budget fees.
With costs differing greatly from one company to another, it is important that you have a general budget in mind so that you can compare the prices of one catering service to another.
You should also consider checking how the catering company makes its payments.
Companies can ask for payments up-front, in installments, or after the event is over.
Understanding your catering company’s payment mechanisms and schedule can help you ensure that you will be able to pay on time and cut out the chances of misunderstandings later on.
How much flexibility do they offer with their menus?
Every caterer has a standard menu or menus to choose from, which don’t always provide flexibility.
You should be keeping an eye out for catering services that can offer more flexibility and adapt their menus to your specific needs, either by substituting or customizing foods.
Caterers that aren’t willing to adapt (or at least consider adapting) their menu to service your needs or keep up with catering trends are not caterers that you will want to work with, especially if you have to consider the allergies or dietary restrictions of your guests.
Do they have experience with the venue?
Depending on where you will be hosting your catered event, you will need to pick a catering service that can provide you with a service to suit your chosen venue.
Finding a catering company that has experience with your particular venue or a similar venue can help to give you a catering experience that is easy and seamless while preventing potential disasters.
While it isn’t a deal-breaker if they haven’t worked there before, it’s definitely an advantage if they have.
If you haven’t settled on a venue yet, you can even ask them to recommend a venue that they have worked with previously.
Find the Best Catering in Pittsburgh
Armed with this information, you will be able to pull off an event that will leave your guests both impressed and full.
Ensure that you take all these factors into consideration before your next event and secure the best catering in Pittsburgh for you and your guests!
