Catering reduces the hassle of organizing events, whether it is a family holiday or a celebration in the office. When ordering a buffet table or a full-fledged banquet, the client expects the maximum compliance of the received dishes with the picture and description in the menu. Why sometimes expectations are deceived, how to choose a cater and what to look for when ordering, so that the festive table is refined and tasty? Popular catering questions and answers will help you figure it out.
Pick your recipe
Why are hot dishes delivered cold?
The category "hot dishes" means dishes that are consumed hot. This does not mean that they are delivered in a pre-warmed state. According to GOST R 55051-2012 "Catering services. General requirements for catering", the shelf life of heated hot dishes is no more than 3 hours, including delivery time. Not always guests come immediately, which means the risk of losing products is very high. Therefore, most of the buffet and banquet menus are delivered under heating.
Food looks stale; dough products are damp or too dry
The appearance and taste of dishes is influenced not only by the manufacturing time and delivery order, but also by the correct unpacking. If you receive salads and snacks in closed containers, they must be opened immediately so that condensation does not form inside the package. On the contrary, pastries and desserts based on shortcrust pastry must be stored in a closed container until served, so that the structure of the dough is not broken. In addition, a number of components are really prepared in advance: baskets, tartlets, wafer bases are baked in advance, since they must be completely cooled before filling in order to maintain taste and shape.
Why is the serving of the dishes different from the presentation in the photo?
The marketplace catalog presents possible options for serving ready-made dishes when serving them in restaurants. Field service involves the use of disposable tableware, as well as laying out dishes that ensure their safety during transportation. If you are preparing a festive event, order a special table setting or take care of it yourself. Not all companies have such a service, as a rule, it is caterers who offer it, while large restaurants offering catering in addition to their main business deliver food in standard takeaway packaging.
Fruit sets may vary in composition, depending on the season. An order in the marketplace is convenient in that it controls the compliance of the actual composition of dishes with presentation photos in the catalog. Therefore, you will receive what you see.
Why is delivery late?
Caters plan delivery taking into account the type of dishes ordered, the proximity of the delivery location and the load on the route. Unfortunately, it is impossible to foresee abnormal situations, such as accidents, blocking highways, inspection of faculty. To prevent your event from breaking, we recommend ordering catering with a margin of 25-30 minutes. Also, do not forget to warn the security service about the arrival of the courier, if you have a throughput system, and leave time for table setting.
There was less food than we expected. There were not enough devices either
The weight of the portions, as well as the composition of the sets, is indicated on the site. For the convenience of customers, restaurants add an indication of the number of persons for which the portion is designed. In addition, if you order a buffet menu, you should understand that these are snacks, and not a full dinner. To feed an adult, it is better to choose banquet dishes.
Cutlery (forks, chopsticks, etc.) are offered based on the number of servings. If you need appliances for a certain number of people, indicate this in the notes to the order.
The courier did not bring all the dishes that were ordered.
There are errors in picking orders. They occur due to inattention of the staff when assembling a volume order or if you change the composition of the order several times. In any case, the missing dishes will be delivered at another time. Most of the caterers compensate for the shortage with an additional dish, discounts on the current order. For corporate and large private orders, it is better to create a corporate account. In work with companies, only responsible and reliable caters are allowed, and each order is additionally controlled by a personal manager of the marketplace. This eliminates the risks of incorrect delivery of orders.
Why can't I pay by card or get a discount?
When settling with a courier, only cash payment is possible. You can pay by credit card on the website of the catering aggregator. In addition, the promotions and discounts offered by the marketplace are applicable only for non-cash payments on the aggregator's website. If the courier did not provide the check, you cannot download the electronic one, contact the manager for help.
To use birthday discounts or coupons, you must go through the registration procedure by filling out all the fields on the form. A number of bonuses are available only for registered users.
The food is tasteless
Even a restaurant with the highest number of Michelin stars cannot guarantee the correspondence of the taste of the ordered dishes to your idea of them. However, all catering companies guarantee compliance with the cooking technology, the use of only fresh products and the return of orders from under the knife.
To avoid surprises, order a trial batch, if time permits, and read the reviews.
Dishes lose their appearance during delivery
Situations when tartlets are soaked, and salads turn upside down - they happen. The safety of dishes upon delivery depends both on their type (the presence of sauces, components from the dough, fruits, jellies), and on the packaging format. When ordering, ask what packaging is provided for salads, warming dishes, cupcakes, jellied meat, burgers, whether there is a marking of the composition (toppings in pies or pancakes), and also how much your order will be on the way. If in doubt, choose the most stable dishes - canapes, pancakes, rolls.