What do you need to know before you hire an office catering service? If you're in charge of planning the next office event, you may not be sure who should supply the food. Before you agree to an estimate or create a menu for the meal, take a look at the top questions to ask your potential future business catering service provider.
Do You Have Pre-Set Menus?
Does the catering company already have existing menus that you can choose from or can you create a special meal based on your office's needs? You may (or may not) want the number of courses, sides, or themes that a caterer offers. If you prefer to select your own individual or a la carte items, talk to the caterer about the possible customization options.
Even though some events call for a meal that is custom-designed to fit your office staff's needs, you may feel more comfortable with a pre-set menu. A pre-set menu takes the guesswork out of the equation, reduces your overall planning time, and leaves the food choices up to the pros. If you don't feel completely comfortable selecting individual items or you don't have the time to pick and choose a la carte options, ask the catering service about ready-made or themed menus.
Can You Accommodate Food Allergies and Sensitivities?
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), nearly 26 million American adults have food allergies. That's more than 10 percent of the U.S. adult population. The AAFA notes that shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts are the most common food allergens for adults. If your employees have allergies or sensitivities to these or any other types of food, make sure the caterer can provide other options.
Allergen-free menu items shouldn't just have alternative ingredients. The caterer should prepare these meals separately from anything else your staff members are allergic to. This means the caterer shouldn't prep a dairy-free chicken entree on the same equipment they use to cook a cheese sauce-covered menu option. The same goes for any other allergen-free meals, sides, starters, desserts, and snacks.
Do You Offer Buffet Service, Table Service, Individually Packaged Meals, or All of the Above?
Ask this question if your event requires a specific type of set-up. A buffet-style meal is an easy option for a holiday party or other less formal large group event. But sit-down table service may work better for a black-tie affair or smaller retirement dinner. On-the-go or individually packaged meals (such as soup and sandwich boxes) are options to explore if you need to cater a lunch-time meeting or similar type of work-day activity.
For more information, contact a company like The Private Chefs.
Share3 December 2021
After I had kids, I realized that there were some serious issues with the way we were eating. We started enjoying healthier meals, but I still wanted to make the process fun and interesting for our children. To make things better, I started cooking with my kids instead of for my kids. It was really cool to watch their faces light up as we made pizza or learned more about how ice cream was really made. I decided to start a little website that centered around teaching kids to cook, because they can help in the kitchen too. I hope you enjoy these articles!