The Pros and Cons of Office Catering & Other Food Catering Options

When you hear someone talking about catering, most people will think about a wedding, convention, or fundraiser with waitstaff walking around serving hors-d’oeuvres on a tray. However, from industrial catering to office catering, there are a wide variety of different types of food service providers whose positions fall within the catering industry. Therefore, it is essential to understand the pros and cons of each type of food service option available before you choose a catering company for your big event.

Business Catering

Business or office catering companies furnish food for business meetings, conferences, corporate parties, lunches, and other business events. It is a high-demand market, and caterers can vary significantly in the specific styles of food they offer (ex. buffet, boxed meals, etc.) The downside to this catering style is that cuisine options are often limited to the most popular food choices in the local area.

Industrial Catering

Industrial caterers provide food for large quantities of people. In most cases, you will see them as a cafeteria-like service for factories, hospitals, prisons, universities, and more. The pros for using this form of caterer are that they reserve their services for long periods of time and that the caterers are generally under contract for either an annual or semi-annual basis. Therefore, the food is typically organized and served cafeteria-style. The downside to industrial catering is that the food quality is unlikely to be top-notch. Due to the massive quantities of food being made, it is harder for caterers to cook dishes that you might find at a sit-down restaurant.  Industrial catering is often closer to fast food or staple options.

Mobile Catering

Mobile caters are vendors that move around from place to place in a vehicle designed to carry both food and equipment. While these mobile options are great for fairs, festivals, meals-to-go opportunities, and parking lot vending, these portable units don’t stay in one place very long. Therefore, they rarely use contracts and can leave when it is convenient for them (unless you have some form of agreement in place.)

Special Event Catering

Special event caterers provide catering services for special occasions such as wedding receptions, anniversary parties, and other large-scale party events. The pros of using this form of catering services are their focus on presentation and their devotion to great service. Chefs have more creativity when cooking each meal, and many special event catering options will also provide additional services (such as decoration design and planning assistance for the event.) The downside to special event catering is it can be harder to book. Depending on the size of the company, after a caterer reserves their services for an event, they may no longer have the ability to help with another unless it is during a different time frame.

While each catering option has their own drawbacks and charms, there is certain to be a company that can take care of your event. Choose a catering company based on their services and the type of event you are hosting. For more information about the distinct types of catering options available, call Waterfront Gourmet at 267-308-5108 today, or send them a message using their online form.