Top Tips for Making Sure You Get the Right Estimate for Your Catered Event
Catering can run into the thousands, depending on your event. It is easy to get carried away. You can also save thousands if you choose the right caterer and there is so much variation in the sort of service you can order.
The right estimate is the estimate you get that fulfils all your needs, whilst keeping the price as low as possible. Let us go through some of the areas you will have to take into consideration when estimating how much you’ll have to pay for caterers and catering equipment.
The Numbers Game
In general, catering equipment suppliers consider the number of guests as the main determining factor for how much someone can expect to pay. It is important to have an idea of how many guests you will have at your event before you get in contact with a professional caterer.
It’s not just for the estimate. A caterer needs to know how many people will attend so they can come up with a plan for how to manage the event.
What about the Type of Service?
The type of service you want will drastically affect your estimate. You need to decide just how much control you want. It is possible to hand everything over to the caterer and make them responsible for the whole event. This will cost you the most money, but it’s also the least stressful option open to you.
Most customers prefer a mix of the two. They prefer to hand over something like food preparation, but handle the cleaning by themselves.
It is not always a case of the more services you opt for the more you pay. Many caterers have special deals on certain services to give you the most value for money possible. For example, they might cut the price of bar equipment in half if you decide to hire a staff member to operate the bar during the event. Always ask for any special promotions caterers have going at the moment.
Contact Multiple Caterers
Understand there are hundreds of catering companies in the UK. This means you are overwhelmed by the choices available to you. Spend the time researching each caterer. Determine which ones seem to offer the best in value for money. You should never go with a company that has an inferior reputation just because they are cheap.
After you have received multiple quotes, weigh up the pros and cons of each catering company to see what works best for you.
Always Read the Fine Print
Never sign an agreement without reading the fine print first. You need to be clear on exactly how far the catering company’s responsibilities extend. The last thing you want is to order a catering company only to discover they cannot do something because that is part of a separate service. Be clear from the beginning on what they are going to be doing for you.
Negotiate
If you do not get the price you want, remember you can heckle with the caterer. Most catering companies will be willing to budge, as long as they still make a reasonably fair profit when everything is said and done.
