Tips for hiring holiday party catering services

As the holiday season knocks on the door, everyone rushes to place their holiday catering orders. Whether you are planning dinner parties with friends and family, want to host special lunches or cocktail parties for neighbors, or need on-premise catering for mini events, not planning ahead will deplete your budget fast. But if you think of handling it all on your own, you may become stressed and fail to enjoy the celebration. Since catering is the convenient and straightforward option to make the most of those few hours of celebration, you should have a plan of action ready to make the event spread joy and cheer all around. Here's how you can do it:

Plan early to get your preferred venue

Last-minute rush almost always forces you to make mistakes or end up choosing costly alternatives. You can save a lot of hassles by planning early, especially if you need to book a venue for your party. Since popular party venues are often booked in advance during the holiday season, planning early would let you visit a few properties to select the one that best suits your party theme and budget. If you still fail to get your chosen venue booked on a weekend, you can plan your party mid-week or go for atime that's unconventional like an afternoon or morning party. In case you are hosting the party at your home or in your backyard, you may still have to make some special arrangements (lighting, décor etc), which can all be completed conveniently if you plan somewhat in advance.

Have a variety of food options

When planning the menu, it's always wise to have both traditional and some unique items to appease the palate of guests and even surprise them. You shouldn't forget about having food to suit the dietary requirements of your guests who prefer vegan or gluten-free delicacies. In case you are on a strict budget, you may give the full bar a miss and offer your guests beer, wine and some specialty cocktails instead. If you find it tough to decide what to serve as your Hors'd oeuvres, appetizers, entrée, mains and dessert, you can create some theme-oriented, concisecatering menus that make the selection process easier. You may even sample some items on the catering menu of your shortlisted caterer to arrive at the right choice for you holiday party.

Decide on the service and staff hands you need

Whether you want your guests to sit down comfortably while the food is being served or prefer a buffet, you need to discuss the requirements with your caterer. Though some people believe buffet to offer significant savings, you may end up paying more if you don't find out the charges applicable for the service staff. Since plated meals need more servers and the food served in a buffet may cost almost the same as a plated meal, opting for buffet is still preferred by many planning a holiday party on a budget.

Know and plan for the hidden costs involved, if any

When reviewing the price options, you should enquire your caterer about the details of additional fees, if any. Some catering companies often have hidden fees added to specific elements of their services, which can add up to a significant amount if you don't ask about them before signing the contract. For example, if your catering toronto company is supplying rentals, make sure to ask about the extra labor fees that they are likely to charge for setting up and tearing down the décor. If you need some fancy rentals for your party, your catering company may charge extra for arranging them from a reputable company. Perhaps you know an open bar to be expensive but having a cash bar at your party too may cause a significant dent in your budget as the catering company would invariably charge a fee for the bartenders and getting alcohol license to serve in your event.

Final words

Holidays give you the ideal setting when you can sit back and relax with family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. This is the season when you have a lot to be grateful for. One thing that invariably tops the list is the love you share with your near and dear ones. So, take time to plan ahead and choose a catering company that would handle all the proceedings of your holiday party with utmost efficiency and professionalism, thus letting you enjoy the festive spirit and not worry about the things like ensuring food on your guests' plate or a drink to suit their preference.