So often you’ll hear phrases like, “You get what you pay for,” and negative aspersions cast on the word cheap, with good reason. Cheap often connotes low quality, and even though you can save money with cheap services, it’s not always worth the loss in quality.

But that brings in the question of affordability; what is the difference between affordable and cheap. As it turns out, quite a lot. When you look for affordable catering in Philadelphia, as opposed to cheap catering, here’s where you’ll spot the differences in the levels of quality and service.

Affordable caterers listen to what the client has to say

When you look for ‘catering near me’ in the Philadelphia area, you might be tempted to look for the cheapest option you can find, but that is probably going to carry repercussions in customer service.

Catering is inextricably linked to customer service and satisfaction. Yes, the food matters, and it is central to the experience, but without a two-way street of communication between the catering service provider and the customer, the planning will not go smoothly.

A cheap catering company is going to be likely to pass off a ‘canned’ service or a limited selection of options for your event, and that means you won’t be able to tailor the event to your vision.

No corners cut in quality

Catering is also about the quality of the food that the catering service provides for you, and a full-service catering company should have no qualms about preparing fresh food the day of the event and delivering it in a timely manner.

They should also place an emphasis not only on freshness of preparation but on the freshness of ingredients before they are even prepared. Here at Waterfront Gourmet, we not only prepare our catered orders fresh for delivery the day of, but we also use locally sourced ingredients where possible. It’s one of the ways we pass freshness and quality along to you, and it’s one of the key differences between “cheap” and “affordable” catering.

No lowered standards of service

Placing fewer constraints on the service offered isn’t just limited to planning out a menu, but also to target a specific event at a given time of day or for a given venue. That means you might not have a lot of options for when your catered order is delivered or what makes up the menu.

For example, you might want to leave specific notes for a caterer handling a special event like a wedding reception, or the big day of a large reunion or a graduation or a birthday party celebration. Working with a caterer whose chief aim is to keep costs down (and not deliver an expectation-shattering experience) is going to limit you.

It also will make it tougher for you to arrange for corporate catering in a timely manner, as well as breakfast as lunch catering. Sometimes time is of the essence, and with cheap, you get what you pay for.

Affordable does not mean a limited menu or low-quality food

Worse than everything else we’ve covered so far, looking for catering in Philly and setting for a cheap caterer is going to limit the adaptability of your menu options. Freshness is one thing, but adaptability is another, and this is all about service.

A cheap caterer will have little to no interest in accommodating your requests for dietary concerns or restrictions, but we never will offer you less than our best. Whether you need vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options can have your catered event covered in no time.

Cheap caterers will try to get everything done in a rush or ahead of time

A search for ‘catering near me,’ you’ll come across a lot of catering companies in the Philadelphia area, but many of them will be interested more in getting everything done as fast as they can than they will be about providing your corporate event or rehearsal dinner with a meal that was freshly prepared right before delivery.

That’s because some caterers cut costs by doing things according to a set process to keep costs down, and not with the idea of providing a fresh meal.

Regardless of the catered event, we will be serving, we prepare every order for delivery the day of, whether early in the morning for breakfast or late in the evening.

Affordable is about providing value

Ultimately, affordability is about providing value, whether your search is for ‘catering near me’ or ‘catering near a business.’

For example, we will work with you to come up with a menu that takes into account the needs of your guests and will satisfy a diverse range of tastes.

We use only the best of fresh ingredients, locally sourced where possible, and prepare every single order the day of, right before delivery – not hours ahead of time.

We also deliver catered orders free of charge, paying a little bit back to our customers in thanks for their service.

It’s ultimately all about the value, and when the matter is one of affordable catering in center city Philadelphia, PA, it comes down to value. Cheap caterers save you money; affordable catering provides value for the money you spend.

If you have a special event coming up and you want to save yourself some trouble while providing an amazing culinary experience to your guests, contact us at one of our Waterfront Philadelphia locations and let us know what you’re looking for. We’ll work with you to come up with a unique menu that’s sure to impress your guests!