Caterer – Lakeland, FL

More Than Food, the Lakeland, FL Caterer Offers the Whole Range of Experience

If feeding the guest is your only concern, you don’t need a professional to do that. You can just order takeout or have your local restaurant deliver to your location and your problem is solved. But there’s also the very real risk of hitting a proverbial wall called information overload. Google is a very useful tool when you need to find somebody who can host your birthday gathering or any other event. When you hire a catering service, you do so with the end purpose of providing your guests with the whole experience. Whether you have an intimate dinner for 20 people or a huge convention with 10,000 participants, you need catering services to feed them all with good food. You have to be careful in choosing your caterers in Lakeland, FL. A large gathering where 50 or more have no food because the catering services are ill-equipped to host the party in the first place is unforgivable to many customers. Instead of Google, you can refer to Catering Authority, which is an online directory for caterers. It’s much easier to sort through the list because you know each caterer is already screened and evaluated, so Catering Authority is your best choice. Catering Authority is a repository of local caterers with the track record of successfully hosting large corporate events, birthday parties or wedding events.  

1. How many participants and guests are you expecting in your Lakeland, FL event

When choosing a menu from the catering company, it’s important to consider whether it’s capable of serving large crowds even in short notice. If you are really on a budget, you can send ticket stubs along with the invitation to make sure that the guests won’t bring anybody else over the seat/s you reserved for them. Bigger catering services will probably skip over your event if it’s just going to be for 30 people or so because the margin of profit is just not there. Some birthday parties and wedding events are not fluid. That means even if you specifically tell your uncle from your mother’s side that you only reserved two seats for them, chances are they’re bringing along another one You make arrangements for your birthday gathering or wedding event early so make sure you don’t also plan for the present.  

2. Who is talking to the caterer in Lakeland, FL?

If you are hiring an event planner, they usually have their own partners who can provide the food for your corporate event. If there’s any change in the menu, beverage or of the location itself, it’s easier for the two parties to communicate when someone is leading the team. If three or more companies are shouldering the costs, the complexity of the negotiations would make the head of the caterer spin. There are so many things that can go wrong, which is why you need a point person who will work directly with the vendor. Each of the corporate entity may have its own requirements and demands from the catering services, and that is why there needs only to be one person who is in charge of communicating with the catering company. You can help ensure catering services to go smoothly by helping avoid too many chefs from spoiling the broth, so to speak.  

3. What type of food or drinks should you serve in Lakeland, FL?

Although the menu package that you choose from the contractor is constant, the caterers need to know what to serve if there are special diets being followed by your guests. You can help make the job of the caterers easier by putting in the invites a list of preferred beverages that guests need to check for each RSVP. A good chunk of the responsibility will fall on your shoulders as well because you need to find out which type of food or drink the guests prefer. These should be explained clearly to the contractor. For big events, you need to hire a party planner who will team up with caterers to make sure everything will go smoothly. An organization that will hardly get back to you if you call or email is not the right service provider for you.  

4. Where in Lakeland, FL is your event going to be held?

Caterers have worked with different conventions and hotels during their careers. But if you insist on going to an undeveloped beach or on a beautiful spot up on the hill, that could mean a logistical headache for the caterer. If the bride, for instance, wants to order something from overseas—a particular food for instance—can the caterers make this happen for the location you chose? Yes, but it can impact on the final price. Now, you really have to be prepared to go over your budget because the service provider will pass on to you the additional costs in bringing the tools and equipment to the location. You want your drinks cold so they need access to freezers. What do caterers need? They need a source of electrical power or running water, they need a lot of elbow room for the servers and possibly kitchen space. A hotel ballroom is very easy because the caterer has unfettered access to the site through the back door and basement, and where they will set up the food is also clear based on the layout of the room.  

5. What other special orders do you need in Lakeland, FL?

Do you need to order a special cheese from Paris, or want to replicate the grilled chicken souvlaki that you ate while vacationing in Greece? These are special requests that need a particular skill-set from the selected catering service provider. Your catering service should be flexible and creative enough to give your event that special touch. Consult with your groom-to-be or family so their food of choice also gets included in the final wedding menu. This ability of the caterer to think on the fly can only come with long experience in handling weddings and other events.  

Choosing your caterer in Lakeland, FL the most efficient way

You don’t have to waste so much energy just to find the right caterer for you.  The more direct way is to go to online directories like Catering Authority. The best thing about Catering Authority is that it already short-listed the companies in the Lakeland, FL area, separating the wheat from the chaff. The online directory website has already done the initial screening to make sure that those who make the final list of names in Lakeland, FL have the track record, qualified personnel, and facilities necessary to handle large contracts. It’s easier to choose because you can read up on the reviews and recommendations from the other customers. To browse through the catalog of caterers near Lakeland, FL visit, www.catering authority.com.