Undoubtedly, catering expenses are one of the most crucial event costs. Whether it is a wedding, corporate event, or a simple social event, knowing how to set the right catering budget is essential to a good result. Keif’s Catering recommends that before going ahead with the event planning, get a clear estimation of how much it will cost in the end.
This blog will help you with the steps to negotiate catering prices for events, separate the catering expense for occasions, plan for wedding catering prices, and per-head catering prices, compare catering prices, and take practical cost-saving steps for occasion catering.
Understanding Event Catering Costs
One of the main aspects of event catering is that the expenses are unpredictable, largely because of the difference in the type of event and the number of people to be fed. Thus, at Keif’s Catering, the costs of catering services offered are based on the kind of event and are affordable to any client. Other issues that have to be taken into consideration when enthusing on the budget include type of food, type of service, and other specifications. For instance, the charges for a formal dinner where diners order their meals by being served at the table will be relatively higher than charges for a buffet-styled dinner where people help themselves with serving or for a family-style dinner. Moreover, the availability and incorporation of additional ingredients like the finest quality meats or other unordinary ingredients could also increase the total cost.
Wedding Catering Costs
Catering is one of the largest expenses in most weddings, and it is mentioned in many lists of the main wedding expenses. It is a practice that looks at the number of guests, type of food, and level of waiting that is provided during the wedding. The packages provided by Keif’s Catering service include the economy service, luxury service, and house service, among others. The average cost per serving can range between $50 to $150 depending on how elaborate the occasion is, the number of dishes to be served, and the type of dishes. Before making employ of the services, one should be able to come to a comprehension of what is included in the package; for instance, if the food relates to appetizers, the type of champagne or wine to be offered or even the type of dessert to be served, among others.
Catering Cost Per Person
Perhaps one of the easiest methods to use in order to forecast your catering expenditures is to calculate the catering price per individual. This plan makes it possible to expand the scale of your spending according to the number of people you anticipate in your home. HM Keif’s catering company, I give a breakdown of the prices for all the menus, giving a per-head price. Elements that affect the direct cost of catering per head include appetizers, the types of courses, portions, desserts, and drinks. Adapting the costs of catering to the person also enables the organizer to come up with a suitable diet and come up with money for it instead of going broke in the process.
Catering Cost Comparisons
You should always compare the various costs of catering when preparing your budget for the event. The comparison of the various catering services will enable a person to determine who among the various services is offering the services at a cheaper rate. This is a clear implication that at Keif’s Catering, potential clients are free to compare the various services in a bid to understand their various offerings. When comparing costs of catering services it is wise to look at the prospects like; number of foods available, type of foods, level of service, and charges. One also needs to consider recommendations and reviews to avoid getting a company with a low reputation when looking for a caterer. Direct association of the catering costs, to the requirement of an occasion could, therefore provide a more precise and realistic comparison.
Cost-Effective Event Catering
As is demonstrated through the analysis of decisions, event catering can be made fairly inexpensive. In this regard, at Keif’s Catering, we offer several ways in which we compromise our prices without the quality of the services we offer to our clients. This can be done by either shortening the number of courses to be served or being more creative by using cheaper items. Buffets also eliminate the need for many workers compared to plated meals, which can be cheaper. Further, the use of locally available produce especially during their respective seasons will also help cut costs and at the same time promote local producers. Thus, by cutting down the costs for catering and targeting the most essential parts that you would like to spend money on, you will be able to create a unique event, staying within the budget.
Catering Cost Breakdown
It is essential to perform a preliminary analysis of the money spent on catering in order to develop an optimal business plan. Yes at Keif’s Catering, I work in the projections department, and therefore, always make sure to break down the costs in detail. Catering costs have major subcategories, which include food and drinks, personnel, equipment, and other requirements. Cocktails are usually the highest followed by food and drink; these charges depend on the menu and portion required. Wages include human resources needed for the preparation of the meal, serving the meal, and cleaning up. Tent hire accessories could comprise of tables, chairs, cloth, and dinner sets among others. Extra services for instance, cake cutting, selling of drinks, or special consideration for persons with special dietary needs also have a bearing as they will also escalate the fees chargeable. If you have your catering costs segregated, you shall be in a position to notice where you might want to cut on or rather go with a cheaper option.
Conclusion
Planning the budget of your event calls for you to know the costs of catering and how they can be managed to suit your event’s requirements. At Keif’s Catering, it is our desire to assist our clients solve the issues of catering costs for any occasion, wedding catering costs, and any other economical measures to be taken. Thus, knowing the catering cost per serving, comparing the catering cost, and determining how the budget is distributed helps improve the event. So, with the correct planning and when coupled with the help of the right catering company, then you can surely put on a spread that has your guests wanting more and does not break the bank.