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Interview
Questions for Caterers
By
Megan Mercer
Last Update:
October 16, 2005
The
following is a list of questions to be used when
interviewing prospective wedding caterers.
The caterer's
answers will help you assess if
they are the right person for the job.
15 questions to ask when
interviewing caterers for your wedding reception.
- How
long have you been in business? Approximately how
many weddings
have you worked? Have you catered a wedding of
comparable size to my wedding?
- Are
you available on my wedding date? Are
you working any other events on the same day or time
as my wedding? (To
ensure that adequate attention is paid to your wedding,
avoid hiring a small caterer who has two events on
the same day.)
- Are you a part-time or full-time caterer?
- Do
you specialize in certain types of food?
Do you offer a sit down or buffet service or both?
- Can you provide sample menus for us to review?
- Can we arrange for a tasting
of the specific foods I am interested in?
- How do you arrange the food, as a typical buffet
or on individual plates?
- Can
I see pictures of previous weddings you have catered?
May I have a few references of recent clients with
a similar menu style and number of guests?
- What is your average price range?
Are costs itemized depending on the food selected,
or is there
an all-inclusive flat rate?
- Will
you provide tables, chairs, plates, linens, silverware,
salt-and-pepper
shakers,
and more if necessary? Is there an additional fee
for these items?
- Will
you provide wait staff? How many waiters or waitress
would be necessary for my wedding?
What will
the
wait staff
wear?
- Who is the main contact at your
company? Will the same person we work with when planning
the menu also oversee meal
service
on
the day of the wedding?
- Do
you supply alcohol and/or bartenders? Can we stock
the bar ourselves;
will there a corkage fee?
- Do you also
do wedding cakes? Can I use an outside baker if
desired? Is there a cake-cutting fee?
- Will you provide a contract
stipulating all services, menus, dates, times, costs,
etc?
Also you will want to make sure
that the caterer has a license. This means that the business
has met health department standards and has liability
insurance. If you are having a bar and serving alcohol
at the reception, make sure that the caterer has a liquor
license.
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