Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

How do you find a good caterer?

Reviews, interviews and menu tastings will help you find the right catering choice for your big day. Start by screening possible wedding caterers based on past reviews. If a caterer you are interested in has a review that concerns you, ask them about it; how they respond will be very telling. Next, ask about their availability for your wedding date.

If the wedding caterer is available on your date, it’s time to talk about menus and prices. Be clear about what your maximum budget is find out what choices this will allow you. Caterers may custom-create a menu for your event, or they may have menu templates within different price ranges that can guide your decision. A clear budget gives the caterer clear parameters within which to work and offer creative suggestions. Schedule a menu tasting to confirm you love your wedding menu. Once you have a menu and date, and have paid a deposit to reserve the caterer’s services, confirm additional details including when the food will be delivered to the site, what kind of service will be provided, how many servers will be onsite and for how long, and who is responsible for setup and cleanup. The more specific your contract, the fewer worries you’ll have on your wedding day. Get more smart hiring tips here.

How much does wedding catering cost per person?

Wedding catering costs will always vary based on the number of guests you’re inviting, the menu you want to serve, and the way the food will be served to your guests. As you interview wedding catering companies, you’ll be presented with a cost per person for various menus. On the low end, wedding catering may cost approximately $15-$18 per person. This would include prepared food only, with no setup or service of any kind. The starting price for a simple buffet meal with minimal service typically averages $22 per person. Opting for the same menu with all organic ingredients could raise your costs to about $33 per person. A moderately upscale menu (finer ingredients, more elaborate presentation) could range from $24 to $34 per person. High-end wedding catering cost truly has no limit. Lobster, filet mignon, specialty seafood, organic ingredients — menu choices like these can boost your cost per person up to $150 and more.

Do you tip a wedding caterer?

Tipping 15 percent to 20 percent on a $3,000 catering bill can feel daunting — especially in light of all the other costs of throwing a wedding — but tipping your wedding caterer is standard practice. Be sure to ask your caterer about their specific policies. Many catering companies include gratuity as a line item on their bill. If tipping is not automatically included in your total, a good approach is to tip all the people involved the day of the event rather than paying one lump sum to the catering company. For each server and bartender, you can tip $20-$50, depending on how long they were onsite and whether they did exceptional work. You can also tip the chef; experts suggest $50. It’s also a good idea to tip the catering manager, the point-of-contact person who keeps the catering service running smoothly the day of your wedding, ensures all the food looks beautiful and is plentiful, and resolves any mishaps. Industry pros recommend tipping the catering manager $100-$200. If gratuity is not included and you’re tipping individuals, set aside $200-$500 in cash to be safe.

What should you look for in a caterer?

A delicious meal is a critical element of a successful wedding, with happy guests fondly remembering your fabulous wedding food. The right caterer for you will be:

Available: Even the best caterer is no good if they aren’t available on your wedding date. Ask early before you get your heart set on someone.
Affordable for you: Find a caterer that you can afford. Having a spending plan ahead of time will mean you won’t overspend on food.
A good personality fit: Wedding planning is stressful, so work with someone that you can get along with and communicate with easily.
Experienced and recommended: Ensure the company has a proven track record with events of your size and the references to back it up.
Transparent about money: Steer clear of shady pricing. Find a caterer who is very clear about costs and is happy to talk you through budgets and pricing options.
Transparent about food: Find someone who is clear about where they source their food from and where it is prepared.

How do you serve food at a wedding?

Food service at your wedding will affect your catering costs and influence the atmosphere of the reception. Buffet style is more informal; plated meals are a bit fancier; family style encourages sharing. Read about the different food service styles to select your preferred wedding catering choice.

Buffet: Caterers can drop off prepared foods for a DIY and budget-friendly buffet option where you set everything up and food is entirely self-service. For a fuller-service buffet, the caterers set up food, oversee the buffet throughout the event, and clean up afterwards. For food only, prices per person might average $16-$18, while a service buffet may start around $20-$22 per person. Adding food stations can increase per-person costs by at least $3-$5.
Family style: Servers bring large platters of food to guest tables in courses. It’s less formal (and less expensive) than a plated meal, but more formal and higher-cost than a buffet. You’ll need large tables to accommodate the platters, so plan accordingly when renting furniture for the event.
Plated: A plated event is a formal dining experience; waitstaff serve your seated guests for each course, fill their drinks, and attend to them throughout the dinner. A plated dinner is typically the most expensive option for both food and service.
Food trucks: Similar to buffets, with food trucks your guests get their own food and bring it to their table. A food truck gives a relaxed and playful vibe to your reception.
Cocktail reception: If you don’t want a formal seated dinner, you can opt for a wide assortment of passed appetizers at an extended cocktail hour reception.

Vina O.

Verified review

I am extremely satisfied with the catering service Mike had provided for my intimate, private backyard wedding. :) His uniformed staff were very professional & polite. I continued to receive many compliments from my guests regarding the the quality of the food as well and the service Mike's staff provided. They did not forget to ask us how we were doing and if we needed more water or anything else at our sweet heart table, and I appreciated that the most. :) They made sure that the kids had kid-enjoyable foods on their served plates. Their bar tender was a very good host at serving and accommodating the requests for drinks from my many guests. There was even a complimentary self-serve drink bar for coffee, iced tea, and lemonade for the non-alcohol drinkers. From our first taste-testing to the finale at the wedding, Mike always remained courteous and followed my seating arrangements and catering requests. Salad, entree, and dessert were all served in a timely fashion to all my guests and my husband and I. Thank you for being so patient and flexible with me Mike. Everything was delicious! I will continue to highly recommend you to all my friends and family. :)

Simone N.

I got so many compliments on the food at my wedding. Even the veggie appetizer was a hit! Jose was awesome from the start and everyone loved him! For the tasting he drove to our house and essentially provided me and my fiancé with a delicious dinner. So convenient when you are busy with wedding planning. With very minimal instruction from me he pulled off a flawless dinner at our reception. He also provided the bar tenders, who were a hit as well! Jose made sure my husband and I got food and always had a full glass of whatever we wanted. Amazing, reliable service and excellent food! I would and will recommend him to everyone I know.

LouElla S.

Amazing! Sit down dinner for 32. Everything perfect. People asked me for her card. First time hiring a catered dinner won't be the last. She made the party a celebration from the specialty drinks and passed hors d'oeuvres to the fillets and fish and through to dessert. Lilian, YOU made my husband's birthday special! Thank You so much.

Lauren H.

I just gave a dinner party Saturday September 23, 2017 and Chef Shawna did an outstanding job. The food was so delicious. We had the cheesy bacon turkey sliders and the meatballs for appetizers (so yummy). Our salad was a beautiful presentation and the chicken marsala! .....I've never had any that tasty. The cake with berries was outstanding. Thank you Chef and Ms. Paulette for making me look good and you took all the stress out of throwing a party. I hope we will work together again (the holidays are coming).

Lucia V.

Everybody loved the food. There was plenty and we even had leftovers. The caterers didn't mind all the stairs they had to take to carry their stove, tables etc. We will hire them again for sure when we are in the area.

Lorraine I.

Lavonne was very flexible working with our small event. A small event of important people all with different food issues. She created an appetizer feast for meat eaters, vegetarians, gluten-free, dairy-free. Everyone was happy and well fed. She did a great job and we will use her again. I recommend Sage Bleu for your catering needs.

Michele L.

I hosted a bachelorette dinner party at my home. We wanted the dinner to be special and unique. Not only did Christine deliver she went above and beyond. The food was excellent from beginning to end. Everything was fresh delicious and exceeded any expectations. Chris is not only an amazing cook but lovely to be around. She made our dinner party so wonderful from the first bite of the appetizers to the last bite of dinner. She was very professional but not stuffy and uptight she had a great balance. All of the women could not have been happier and could not stop talking about how great the dinner was. I would recommend to anyone! We appreciate how wonderful she did.

Linda H.

Stephani did a wonderful job. We all enjoyed the tea party set up & the foods she prepared! I hosted the party; another person paid for it, so I cannot answer to Value, however, my guess is it was very good, as that person told me she & her sister, Staci were GREAT to work with! Linda H

Tina A.

I hired Diane to cook a multi-course meal in the comfort of our home in order to surprise my husband for Valentines Day. We agreed upon a menu, a time, a price and we were good to go. On the day of we corresponded a bit and she offered some of her personal items to help decorate for the special night which was above and beyond. I didn't need them but I did appreciate the offer. Diane is friendly, responsive and the food she made was DIVINE! Part of our meal included cream corn and French onion soup, both my husbands favorites. He loved both items. We were so full, we couldn't even eat the dessert we had planned for the evening. My husband said one more bite and he would have exploded. Diane was efficient in the kitchen, we were able to see the flambé for the steak from the dining room where we were enjoying our salad. She served the meal and cleaned up as each course went along. It was a new experience for both of us and it ended up being a very special evening.

Kathleen K.

Wow Carly made our event so easy! I contactcted her on SHORT notice and wow she delivered ! Fed 13 of us a great meal with dessert and brought it all ready to serve !! Really loved the Mac and cheese and fried chicken, salads and dressing was yummy ! Loved that we could enjoy the company and not be busy in the kitchen, and—- she even took our group photo !!! Thanks Carly !

Howard M.

It was a great experience having rogue bbq cater for our family event. Everyone really enjoyed the various types of food, and the smoked brisket was as delicious as could be! I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking to hire a professional caterer for any events such as bday parties, weddings, or business lunches, etc... Rogue bbq will deliver the tasty goods every time. 👌

Jessica D.

They were quick on their toes when the parking situation wasn't ideal. They set up a beautiful table for salads and appetizers and the food was incredible! Highly recommend them!

Dustin S.

For the last 3 years, Chef Monterey has been a constant fixture at our events. Her food is absolutely top-notch, and she always comes up with just the right dishes for each dinner! We've done everything from a Western-themed birthday party with authentic BBQ to a classy Old Hollywood New Year's Eve where she served an eight (!!!) course tasting menu, and her food just knocks it out of the park. Chef Monterey is most definitely in our top 3 private chefs in Southern California (and we've gone through A LOT), and if you want absolutely AMAZING food made by a dynamic young chef with a personality to match, she's your girl!

Ian S.

Flavor Affinity and Chef Baker came highly recommended by a co-worker of mine. I decided to use this service because Chef Baker was not only the first to respond to my email, (I sent out the same email to 3 private chef/caterers) but had the most value built into his quote. He had pre-built packages but ultimately allowed us to design the whole menu! We chose a 4 course option and could not have been happier with the food, ambiance, and decor. Lastly, as the party began to wind down, I noticed that almost the whole service area and glassware was cleaned up without anyone noticing. It was a truly impressive evening and Flavor Affinity comes highly recommended from myself and surely anyone who has had the pleasure to work with them.

Colin M.

Jory came to our home to prepare a dinner for 10 guests. Our house staff was delighted by his ability to keep the kitchen clean while preparing for service. Since I run a food service company myself, this alone is laudable and the sign of a true chef. He prepared hor d'oeuvres, appetizers, three entreés, and served the crepe cake we brought in from Lady M Bakery. Afterwards, he offered coffee service while service wound down. The quality of the food was superb on all counts, and many of our guests asked for seconds and still left their plates empty. Mediterranean dishes of fennel branzino, victorian lamb, and gardenherbed lemon chicken were the highlights of the night. During service, our guests were shocked to see the double doors be drawn open and to find a spotless kitchen in between each course. Our guests are very well-to-do in the fashion industry. Jory is young and very well rounded personally—service was socially and culinarily seamless. He was even welcoming when our guests pillaged the leftovers in the kitchen throughout the night. My wife and I will book him to cook parties in the future and you should too.

Greg R.

Mahalo Alvin. You and your food was outstanding, Great BBQ meal at a great price. Ordered for 25 and got enough food for 30 plus. Thank you again. Call you for our next occasion.

Carolann N.

Simply put....AMAZING! April is our new go to event caterer, she is the best of the best. Details, exquisite food, and she is so warm and kind on top of that! All if our guests were so impressed!!

Jennifer D.

Julianna was very professional in setting up all details of our event and gave a discount for the number of people we had at our event. She wrote out a very detailed contract to what would be served, time they would arrive to set up and to start serving our guests. She went over and beyond when she included a sweet and special treat for our daughter that was a spectacular surprise, Chocolate Covered Strawberries at no additional charge! Jorge the chef's meat was amazing and all the fixings! In addition they served quesadillas as an appetizer and Julianna brought them out on a tray to serve our guests! She also made a menu and asked for a pic to include! Like I said she went over and beyond! Everyone enjoyed the food, service and people! All wanting to use this company for their catering needs! Thank You Takobar!

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