Find Top Catering Services Near You

Catering Services

When you’re hosting an office lunch, meeting, training session or any other type of business event, the last thing you need to worry about is feeding your guests. Food is a key part of hosting a successful event and demonstrates your professionalism and hospitality.  

As a business owner you already have enough on your plate. Hiring a professional catering service can relieve you of the stress of preparing food so you can focus on core business activities. Our goal is to introduce you to the different catering services on offer and how to hire the best catering services for your business. If you’re preparing for an upcoming event, we can also connect you with caterers in your local area.

Who needs corporate catering services?

You can get catering for pretty much any type of event. Catering services are tailored to your specific needs whether it’s an ongoing weekly delivery of breakfast seminar platters or one-off events. Here are some common examples of when you might need to hire catering services:

• Team and client meetings
• Launch parties 
• Conferences
• Workshops and seminars
• Training sessions
• Office lunches 

What is a catering service?

A catering service specialises in preparing and delivering high-quality food. Most catering companies today offer a wide range of options so you can accommodate all guests and dietary requirements. Caterers prepare the food in advance and deliver it to your specified location so there’s minimal effort required on your part. 

Who provides corporate and office catering services?

There are a number of different catering service providers to choose from depending on the type of event you’re hosting including:

• Office delivery catering: This type of catering service prepares and delivers food straight to your office. Many cafes offer breakfast boxes and lunch platters to businesses including wraps, salads, sandwiches, rolls and soups. This is a great option for small meetings or events when you want to provide your team with something quick and easy to eat.  
• Restaurants: This type of catering is usually held at a restaurant and is popular with social events or functions. Restaurants may also be able to prepare and cook a selection of dishes usually from the in-house menu and deliver it to your office or event venue (a bit like UberEats except you order it directly through them).
• Catering companies: Catering companies specialise in providing and serving food to guests. They usually have a menu of different options to choose from or you can create a bespoke menu. Full-service catering companies can also provide you with waiting staff to attend to guests.
• Mobile catering services: Mobile catering services include things like food trucks and vans. It’s a popular option for outdoor events and social gatherings. 

What are the different types of catering services?

There are so many different styles of catering to choose from. A good caterer will offer a range of options to suit your needs and budget including:

• Morning tea
• Platters
• Grazing tables
• Canapes
• BBQs
• Buffet style
• Plated meals
• Boxed meals 
• Individual orders 

As you can see, there are many options to choose from. The service you choose will depend on things like the type of event, the number of guests, your budget and the atmosphere you want to create. Christmas office party? Finger food platters, buffets and grazing tables are always a great shout. Important client meeting? Perhaps go for a restaurant or plated meal service instead. 

What are the advantages of hiring a catering service?

Some of the top benefits of hiring professional catering services are:

• People love good food: Let’s face it, we all love eating good food. Providing high-quality food will quite literally leave a good taste of your brand in your employees’ and guests’ mouths. Your guests will leave with full bellies and a good impression of your business.
• The importance of an employee-centric culture: The top companies in the world prioritise their employees’ health, wellbeing and workplace satisfaction. Eating has brought people together for aeons and is a great way to connect people at your events.
• Convenience: There are so many things to think about whether you’re running a small team meeting or a large event. Catering removes the pressure of preparing food for multiple people so you can focus on the business side of things.
• Accommodate all dietary restrictions and requirements: Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, halal, pescatarian—these are just a few of the many dietary needs you may need to consider. 
• Save money: It’s very easy to miscalculate the amount of food you need, especially for a large group of people. Hiring a caterer saves you from wasting money on excess food.

How much do corporate and office catering services cost?

This is a tricky question to answer as catering costs vary greatly depending on:

• The type of event 
• The type of catering service/cuisine you choose
• The number of guests 
• The level of service required (e.g. do you also need waiting staff?)

How do I choose the best catering service?

To ensure your events are smooth sailing, it’s important to choose a caterer that delivers quality food, has a great reputation and offers competitive prices. They should be easy to work with and make the catering process as straightforward as possible. To find the best cater follow these steps:

• Submit a job 
• Review proposals and business profiles (including customer reviews)
• Shortlist your preferred providers (review the menus and ask for samples if needed)
• Finalise the details 
• Hire and host a great event 

Firstly, submit a job detailing exactly what you need. Review the proposals and check out the different menus on offer to see if they can deliver what you need. Make sure they can cater to dietary needs and requirements or have options to customise the menu if needed. Some caterers specialise in certain services such as office sandwich platters while others may specialise in more formal events. 

Read customer testimonials and reviews from other SavvySME members and see what they say about their food and customer service. A good caterer will be more than happy to let you sample the menu. Lastly, make sure they provide you with a quote that clearly displays what you’re paying for. You could get quotes from a few caterers to make sure the price is fair and competitive. 

The key thing is to give yourself enough time – plan in advance and don’t leave it to the last minute. If you’re looking for catering services for your next meeting or event, we can help you find the best caterers in your local area here on SavvySME. Simply answer a few questions to get started.