In any corporate event or party, food is an integral part of it and you must choose the right catering service to help assist you in planning out a good meal for your guests. To choose a right catering service, you need to do a lot of research and references, and often request a sampling in order to make your final decision. So what are some of the important things to note when you are looking for a catering service?

1.Set your catering budget. Before you can set your catering budget, you need to know an accurate estimate number of people attending your party or event. Take into consideration that some of your guests will not turn up on the day itself even though they have already registered for your event. So, make sure you do not over-order the amount of food that is needed. Then, discuss your budget with your caterer and see what options are available. Do you prefer a buffet style or a sit down dinner for your guests? Do you have a theme or style for your event that will be reflected in the cuisine? Remember that it is the type of food that usually determines the price of the catering service. So, find out from your caterer and outline what the payment terms will be.

2.Find out where does the caterer shop for his or her food? It is important for you to know whether the caterer uses fresh or frozen food for recipes as this will affect the quality of the food somehow or another. Will any of the dishes be pre-made and then frozen until the event? Does anything come from a can? You will not want to serve this kind of food to your important guests.

3.Find out whether the caterer supplies decorations, linens, tables and chairs. These are important logistics and you will want your caterer to help you handle these stuffs. You must be very clear in what your event needs and what the caterer will be supplying. Check out their brochures to see examples of past event and table decoration before you make any decision.

4.Find out whether the catering company provide wait-staff? If they are providing wait-staffs, find out what is their required dress code? What is the ratio of servers to guests? The general rule of thumb is 1 server for every 10 guests. So make sure that your caterer provides enough wait-staff for your event.

Last but not least, what happens to the leftovers? Do request from your caterer a food basket. Usually, they will provide 1 for you at no additional charge. Remember, do communicate clearly with your caterer exactly what you want, so as to minimize any misunderstandings and sub-standard catering service.