If you’ve got an event coming up, you might be deciding whether you want to have it catered or not. Well, there are advantages to doing it either way. If you’re confident in your own abilities to put together a meal for your guests, or if you aren’t having that many people, then feel free to avoid a caterer. After all, you don’t really need that small dinner party catered. However, there are a number of instances when you absolutely should get a caterer.
If You Have a Large Amount of People
If you have a ton of people coming to your event, you really want to consider catering. You might be the best cook in the world, but cooking for a large group of people is an entirely different animal than making dinner for your family. Where the threshold is can vary from person to person, but if you’re having more than a dozen people, you want to at least consider a caterer.
If You Have Special Considerations
If there are a number of people at your event that have allergies, for instance, or who are Kosher, then you might find preparing their food on your own problematic. This is something that caterers are designed for, accommodating for the needs of your individual guests competently. This can be regionally specific, as you’re more likely to find in New York City a good Kosher caterer, and in L.A. you’re more likely to find higher quality gluten free caterers. Wherever you are, you should be able to find a really good caterer that can attend to your own specific needs.
If You’ll Be Busy
Different types of parties have different obligations for the host. If you have to spend a good portion of the night greeting guests, or entertaining them, or playing games, then you should use a caterer to get the most out of that time. After all, you don’t want to miss the moment your kid blows out the candles because you had to be in the kitchen.
If Your Event is on Site
If you’re having a party in your own home, then you’re probably comfortable cooking for the party, as you’re familiar with your kitchen and all your equipment. This would not be the case if you throw your party somewhere else, so that’s another instance where a caterer would be best.
Many people think that a caterer is an unnecessary expense, but it really isn’t. Moreover, it might not even be an expense. Depending on the extent of the party you’re throwing it’s possible to save money by using a caterer. Food isn’t inexpensive, and amateur trying to prepare for a large event might incur a great deal of expense in doing so.
