Playing 20 (or more) questions with your caterer is totally acceptable.  We suggest these for must-know answers:

  • Are you licensed? Do you have liability insurance? Liquor liability?
  • Can you provide alcohol? Can I do my own bar?
  • Can the menu be modified? Can you create a customized menu/dish for my event?
  • Can you accommodate dietary restrictions such as vegan, diabetic, gluten free, kosher, etc?
  • Do you offer event packages or is everything a la carte? What exactly does your package include?
  • Do you offer food tastings, is there an extra charge?
  • How much do you charge for children’s meals?
  • What is included in your per person price?
  • What tablesettings, services or staff is included when purchasing from you?
  • What is the ratio of servers to guests?
  • What does the wait staff wear?
  • How much time do you require for setting up and take down? Are there additional fees for this?
  • What does your clean up policy include?
  • What happens to leftover food?
  • When must I provide you with a final guest count?
  • Is there a service fee? What does it cover? Is gratuity included? Does the gratuity cover delivery?
  • What is your payment policy? When are deposits and payments due, and how can these be paid? What is your refund or cancellation policy?
  • How will you handle last minute requests?
  • Can you send me a contract or Banquet Event Order that includes the date and time of event, policies, menu, costs, and any other details?
  • Who is my contact person? Will they be at my event?
  • Can I arrange to view the catering of another event of yours to check food display, service style, flow, organization? Do you have any photos of past catering events?
  • Can you provide a list of recent references?