How To Avoid Common Catering Catastrophes At Your Next Family Reunion

If you have decided to have your next family reunion catered, you are making a wise decision. Most family members will be relieved when they do not have to worry about making a dish to bring, and a catered meal makes it easier for everyone to spend more time enjoying each other and less time focusing on preparing the right food. Avoiding common catering mistakes will help you rest assured that your catered reunion will be a success.

Not offering special dietary options

Unless you are familiar with the dietary needs of everyone in your family, it is best to assume someone in your party will have special dietary needs. Vegetarian and gluten-free needs are two of the most common and should be planned for. One option is to have guests note any special dietary needs when you send out invitations, and require an RSVP prior to ordering from your catering service.

Not budgeting for gratuity fees

Discuss gratuity fees with your caterer before you contact family members about the cost expected if you are having each family chip in for the cost of the catering. Gratuity fees may or may not be added to the food bill and can be quite substantial, especially for large groups like reunions. Having this information upfront will help you avoid surprise fees at the time of delivery.

Not timing the delivery well

You should time the delivery of the food for at least a half hour after the reunion start time. Some guests will show up late, which can cause problems with getting the food set up and served at the proper temperature. However, you also do not want hungry people waiting too long to eat, so check with your caterer regarding how much time it will take them from setup to serve and plan accordingly.

Not ordering enough food

The greatest blunder of any catered event is not having an adequate amount of food. This can be especially tricky with family reunions, as it is not uncommon for someone to show up with a few of their kid's friends, etc. Always err on the side of caution and order for several additional people to make sure everyone has plenty of great food to eat.

Having a family reunion catered is a wise decision. It makes the event stress free and allows family members plenty of time to spend catching up with one another. A catered reunion means the only thing everyone must do is simply show up, have a great time, and enjoy plenty of wonderful food.

Contact a company like Louie's Bistro Catering for more information.  

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