Most catering regrets trace back to the same thing: comparing vendors before the brief was settled. Two quotes for "dinner for 200" can describe completely different events. Fix the brief first, and every conversation afterwards gets easier.
Step 1: Settle the brief before you contact anyone
Write down five things and treat them as fixed for the rest of the process. Everything else is negotiable.
- Date and time - including how long service needs to run
- Guest count - your realistic number, not your invitation list
- Venue - and whether it has a working kitchen
- Service style - buffet, plated, live counters or a mix
- Non-negotiables - pure veg, Jain options, no onion or garlic, allergy cover
If you are unsure about service style, read our guide to choosing between buffet, plated and live counters before you go further.
Why the venue matters more than people expect
A venue without a functioning kitchen changes what a caterer can offer. Food may need to be finished off-site and transported, which rules out some dishes entirely. Tell every caterer about the kitchen situation in your first message - it saves both sides a wasted round.
Step 2: Shortlist three, not ten
Three is enough to see a genuine range and few enough to give each one a proper conversation. When you browse caterers on Cater Bazar, filter by your city, cuisine and guest count first, then read the reviews before the menus - reviews tell you how a caterer behaves under pressure, menus only tell you what they can cook.
Shortlist on reliability, then negotiate on menu. It is far easier to adjust a dish than to fix a caterer who does not answer the phone.
Step 3: Send every caterer the identical brief
This is the step that makes quotes comparable. Send the same five fixed points to all three, and ask each for the same deliverables:
- A proposed menu at your exact guest count
- An itemised quote, with taxes and service charges shown separately
- What is not included
- Two references from events in the last six months
That fourth point does more work than the other three combined. A caterer who cannot name a recent comparable event is either new or quiet - both are workable, but you should know which before you commit.
Step 4: Compare like with like
Line the three quotes up side by side and check that each one covers the same ground. The gaps are usually where the price difference hides.
- How many service staff, and for how many hours?
- Crockery, cutlery and linen - included, rented or extra?
- Transport, especially if the venue is outside the city limit
- What happens to leftovers
- Setup and clearing time, and who handles waste
Step 5: Taste, but taste late
Arrange a tasting only once you are down to two. Tastings take time on both sides, and a caterer will put more into one when they know they are genuinely in contention. Bring one other person whose judgement you trust, and taste the dishes you are least sure about rather than the ones you already know you want.
Step 6: Read the cancellation clause before you pay
The deposit is the moment the decision becomes real. Before it leaves your account, make sure you understand three things: what happens if you cancel, what happens if the guest count moves significantly in either direction, and who your point of contact is on the day itself.
Get the day-of contact in writing
The person who sold you the catering is often not the person running the kitchen on the day. Ask for the name and number of whoever will actually be on site, and confirm what time they arrive.
Step 7: Reconfirm a week out
One short call seven days before the event, covering the final headcount, the delivery window, the venue access route and any dietary additions. Most day-of problems are things that changed quietly in the weeks after booking and were never passed on.
Work through these in order and the decision stops feeling like a gamble. Ready to start? Compare verified caterers in your city.
