Services Offered By A Catering Business

I may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

I’ve offered Catering Services on-and-off for over fifteen years. I’ve also hired countless caterers to service everything from birthday parties to my own wedding. In this article, we’re going to explore all of the services offered by Catering Companies.

What Services Does a Catering Business Provide? The services offered by Catering Businesses are generally broken down into three categories:

1 – Food, 2 – Supplies, and 3 – Service.

Below we’ll dig into some of the variations that a Catering Business might offer.

What Kinds of Food Do Catering Businesses Offer?

Every conceivable type of food is served by catering companies across America and around the world.

Keep in mind that every Catering Business was started by someone just like you: someone who loves food!

Every Catering Business offers food that is loved by the owner, and desired by his customers…or at least every successful Catering Company.

Here are some examples of some of the foods I’ve personally seen offered by successful Catering Companies:

BBQ
Fish
Mexican
Irish
Tex-Mex
Horderves (or hors d’oeuvres)
Cupcakes
Ice Cream
Desserts
Sandwiches
Wraps
Cocktails
Ice Cream Cocktails
Pit BBQ
Curry
Fish Tacos
Chicken & Waffles
Mashed Potatoes
Fried Everything
French Fries
Middle Eastern
State-Fair Food
Organic Food
Vegan
Vegetarian
Low Carb
Gluten-Free

As you can see, nearly any kind of food can be a successful Catering Business focus, it just depends on if your food passion will also be loved by the clients in your area.

Of course, it also depends if you are offering the supplies and services that the customers in your area are looking for.

What Kinds of Supplies Do Caterers Normally Provide?

The supplies provided by a caterer vary by company, and by what your clients are willing to pay.

Let’s start with a list of the supplies that most caterers include in their costs, but you should go through this list to verify that each item is included in the price.

Standard Supplies Provided By A Caterer

Serving Containers
Heating Elements To Keep Food Warm
Serving Utensils
Plates
Silverware
Napkins

Premium Supplies Offered by Some Catering Companies

Many Caterers will offer to bring extra supplies for a mutually agreed upon up-charge. These premium catering supplies might include:

Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Alcohol
Cups
Ice
Tables
Chairs
Stage
Table Cloths
Center Pieces
Table Runners
Candles
Lighting
Sound System

Services Offered By Catering Businesses

At its core, every catering business is going to offer three services:

Purchasing Food
Preparing Food
Delivering Food

However, most provide many more services. The standard services that most people will expect from a Catering Business include:

Setting Up Serving Space
Serving Food
Cleaning Up Serving Space

Additional Services that a Caterer might offer as either part of their service or as an add-on service include:

Dining Table Setup
Bar Setup
Bartender Service
Elegant Uniform For Service Workers
Bar Cleanup
Table Side Service
During Event Dining Table Cleanup
After Event Dining Table Cleanup
Ticket-Takers for Paid Events
Tableside Dessert Service

Conclusion

As you can see, there are as many kinds of services offered by Catering Businesses as their are caterers.

If you are considering starting a Catering Service, you’ll need to think about what you are interested in offering, and what you are willing to offer if the price is right.

You should also not get too set in your ways. As your new Catering Business grows, so will you. You might be ready and willing to offer services you never imagined in just a few short years.

Extra services are often the secret sauce to increase your margin and your take-home income!

If you are considering hiring a Catering Service, just keep in mind that you never get what you want until you ask.

Be polite and respectful, but don’t be afraid to ask for even crazy services. Also, don’t be surprised if the caterer asks you to pay well for extra services. No one will be offended if you ask for something that can’t be provided within your budget.

~Stacey