Catering
Negotiating with A Caterer:
A Recipe for Success

I can't tell you how many times I have had two or three clients show me menus from the same caterer that were incredibly similar--except for the price. There was a $30 range per person, and sometimes more. Why? Because the client left it up to the caterer to choose not only the menu but the budget. This caterer, in particular, saw the client coming (so to speak). Don't let this happen to you.

Rules to follow in getting the best bang for your bucks:

1. Decide your food and beverage budget before you talk to a caterer. Your budget may well dictate which caterer you decide to use.
2. Decide if you want appetizers, main course and dessert or if you want to do a buffet and food stations. Remember that a buffet or stations cost more so you can expect a higher price. Surprising, eh?
3. Most importantly, tell your caterer what you have to spend per person or on food and beverages-don't let him tell you. And start low.
4. And even more importantly, tell your caterer you want the price to be out the door-meaning that you want to know a per person price including tax, rentals, staff, etc. Otherwise, you may end up with a huge rental bill for tables, chairs, linens, chafing dishes and more! Believe me, you don't want that. It could be in the thousands of dollars.

I'll never forget the time I was working on a huge fundraiser for a non-profit organization. I joined the committee on the late side. I was at a meeting and heard them reviewing the menu with the caterer. The price was $30 per person for hors d'ouerves! After the meeting, I approached the committee chair and asked if I could help with the negotiations. She was relieved. Six hundred people RSVP'd to attend and she was at her wits end trying to figure out where she could find the money in her budget. I called the caterer and informed him we only had $15 to spend (it was a cash bar). That was that.

He came up with a very similar menu for $18 per person saving the organization over $7,200.

So, if you remember nothing else, remember this. Always give the caterer a dollar amount to work with-you can always change it later if your budget shifts or increases!

Good luck--The Party Girl

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