One of the first posts on our Catering by Design blog in the fall of 2009 was about how to choose a caterer for special events. That was 2.5 years ago, so you might think that its content is outdated. The truth is it’s not. The basics of how people choose caterers for special events remains the same. Maybe a little more information finding is happening online. Maybe there are more directories which have reviews on caterers. But the basic ideas haven’t changed.
Friends’ Recommendations. Number one way people choose caterers, is through recommendations. We want to know that someone we know has already had a positive experience with a caterer. Our friends’ recommendations hold the most weight.
Vendor Recommendations. We at Catering by Design, often recommend vendors that can help our customers. We’ve worked with them. We’ve heard our customers talk about their experience, and want want you to be VERY happy with yours, so we will only recommend the ones we trust the most.
Online Searches. Who doesn’t look online for products and services. Yellow Pages the ubiquitous books that many of us grew up depending on, have gone online as well. Searching online can supplement the recommendations of your friends. You can also gather more information. Since we each have different preferences for budgets, menus, style, and more, we’ll need to qualify our friends’ recommendations to our own needs and desires.
Looking online can be overwhelming because of how much information there is. There are dozens of directories that list caterers. You can choose by proximity to you. By the most reviews. By the look of their website. By the way they answer the phone, or how quickly they get back to you.
We think you should choose a caterer by a combination of these ways:
Ask your friends and family.
Ask a vendor you’ve already chosen for their recommendation.
Search online for additional information.
Study the caterer’s website. Do they give you enough information to make your decision? Answer your questions?
Review their social media sites and blog content. We invest time and money in our online content, because we know how important it is for you to be able to see more of what we do than can just be seen on a simple website, or in a brochure.
We also think you should go with a catering company that feels like a good fit for you. Gather all the information you can find, and then call or visit the caterers and see who you feel the most comfortable with, who respects and listens to your wishes.
You want to feel good about your choice, because you are trusting your caterer with your friends and family and business associates. Your events are important!
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We’re Catering by Design, an award-winning wedding caterer, and one of the top caterers in the greater Raleigh area. Call and talk to us about your upcoming wedding and ask what we can do for you. Find out why our brides love us.
One of the first posts on our Catering by Design blog in the fall of 2009 was about how to choose a caterer for special events. That was 2.5 years ago, so you might think that its content is outdated. The truth is it’s not. The basics of how people choose caterers for special events remains the same. Maybe a little more information finding is happening online. Maybe there are more directories which have reviews on caterers. But the basic ideas haven’t changed.
Looking online can be overwhelming because of how much information there is. There are dozens of directories that list caterers. You can choose by proximity to you. By the most reviews. By the look of their website. By the way they answer the phone, or how quickly they get back to you.
