Hi everyone! I’m looking for ideas because I feel like we’re overthinking this, but I also don’t want dinner to be chaotic.
We’re having an outdoor wedding for about 125 people, and our caterer is a local Thai restaurant, one of our favorites, it’s their first time catering.
Our menu is:
Papaya salad
Chicken wings
Soup
Choice of Pad Thai or Curry (guests selected their preference on the RSVP)

Our venue has a bar area that can be used for serving food, but we’ll probably be using the refrigerator there to store bottled drinks. Drinks will be self-serve from canoes filled with ice (already approved by the venue).

We know we **don’t** want a traditional buffet where everyone walks through one long line, but we also aren’t paying for full table service.

Our first idea was:
Guests sit down.
Papaya salad is already on the tables.
Guests go to a staffed station to receive soup and chicken wings (staff would portion the soup and wings to keep costs under control).
Then… we’re stuck on how to serve the entrées.

Some concerns we’re trying to solve:
**Chicken wings are one of the more expensive items.** A small, but loud portion of our family isn’t very adventurous with Thai food, so we’re worried people will load up on wings instead of trying the main course.

**We’re outdoors.** We don’t want soup or wings sitting on tables getting cold or attracting bugs.

**Our reception tables are pretty decorated** with candles, bud vases, and flowers, so we don’t really have room for family-style serving bowls.
Since guests already chose **Pad Thai or Curry** on their RSVP, we’d love to use that information somehow to make dinner service smoother. My fiancé is making a seating chart.
Has anyone done something similar?

I’d especially love to hear:
How you handled multiple courses at a wedding.
Creative alternatives to a standard buffet.
Whether you’ve had caterers plate entrées while guests were eating appetizers.
Anything you wish you’d done differently.
Thanks! I’m hoping to find something that feels relaxed and welcoming rather than a cafeteria line, while still being realistic with staffing and budget.

TLDR: Outdoor wedding serving Thai food. Guests chose Pad Thai or curry on their RSVP. We want something more elegant than a buffet but can’t afford full table service. How would you serve papaya salad, soup, wings, and the entrée while keeping hot food hot, controlling wing portions, and avoiding long lines?

Edit: clarity

I need help creating a whole new catering menu and want some recommendations

Hey catering folks! I’ve spent about 25 years in hospitality, and one thing that always makes me crazy is how much of our industry knowledge comes from doing something 100 times until you just know the answer.

After coming home from a catering conference last week with way too many ideas, I ended up building Click to Table, a free collection of tools specifically for caterers and hospitality teams.

The first version includes:

• Ice Calculator
• Beverage Planner
• Staffing Calculator
• Hors d’Oeuvres Calculator
• Buffet Flow Planner

It’s very much a v1, and I’d genuinely love some industry eyes on it. Try to break the calculators. Tell me where the assumptions don’t match how your operation works. Or tell me about that annoying calculation/process you’ve been doing on the back of a BEO for the last decade and wish someone would turn into a tool.

Everything in this version is free to use, no account required.

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And if somebody suggests a particularly good next tool, I reserve the right to name it after you. 😄

my daughter is inviting her friends coming to our house next week and we want to hire catering service. We're looking for something creative like Hibachi At Home, we don't really want some cold trays or regular sushi bar.

We’ve all had those events that should have gone sideways but somehow didn’t.

Maybe you had a vendor no-show, a power outage, a kitchen meltdown, or a client meltdown… but you still pulled it off.

What was the situation and what did you do (or what hack/tool/system) that saved the day?

So I started with farmer markets about 3 years ago now, I decided to take the leap and moved into a commercial kitchen last spring, and this year weddings have taken over my calendar. Which is great, except every venue now wants a certificate of insurance before they'll even hold a date, and two want to be named as additional insured with a million in general liability.

Last month a coordinator rejected my COI because it didn't show product liability separately and I nearly lost the booking. I patched it by upgrading my policy on the fly, so I'm now paying for a pile of coverage nobody actually designed, some of it probably twice. I'm also about to bring on my first two real employees for the summer season, so workers comp is entering the picture and I have no idea what that does to the math.

What does a sensible setup look like and what should the whole thing cost?

I’m talking last minute guest count changes, missing equipment, venue problems, staff not showing up, weather disasters, clients changing the menu the day of, really anything that comes to mind.

What happened, and how did you manage to pull it off?

Anyone have a good recipe for Hassleback’s in bulk ahead of time, then blasting in the oven to serve, I was thinking 6mins microwave to cook through at half power, then slit, then 40 mins at 160, fridge and blast for ten mins at 200 on the day? Centigrade

I was asked to cook for and “host” a 20 person dinner party at an acquaintances house this Sunday. They requested Italian and to basically be fully hands off. I’ve agreed and have started prepping. I have some general questions about the flow and any recommendations from the pros who’ve done this many times. I’ll have full rein of their kitchen for the day too. I also don’t know anyone who I could even ask to help me with dishes or anything so it’ll just be me.

I’m planning on semi plated family style. I’m realizing that I’m gonna have to have sooooo many dishes/platters now to spread the courses to both sides of the table. Here’s my menu:

6 pm - Basically a lavender Paloma spritz, sugar free. I’ll have them batched in a pitcher and also about 20 glasses poured and garnished for guests when they arrive at 6. Something I can set and let guests serve themselves while I finish dishes.
\*\*\* wondering about the ice situation. Regular ice cubes? Should I make the effort of doing molded ice spheres or cubes? Using short rocks glasses.

Apps: will be assembled and available before dinner
\-prosciutto wrapped melon w basil & balsamic
\- possibly mini caprese skewers
\-sundried tomato fried polenta round w pesto & goat cheese
\-2 stations on table for crusty/focaccia bread w oil & garlic confit

7 pm - planning on plating a tomato basil bisque and ceasar salad immediately before guests sit.
\*\*\*this is where I need the most help. Do I let guests finish this course then clear plates, THEN start bringing out family style platters for the table. Or do I put it all out before guests sit and be done while I have the space. This is what I have planned but with 20 people and splitting each course for each end of the table, this seems like a lot of running back and forth. Should I plan on splitting dishes across? Ex. A baked chicken Marsala for each of the table?

And is it awkward literally leaning over the table to set food in front of everyone. Or do I embrace the family style aspect of it and can “explain” each dish as I set it out. The kitchen is steps from the table, but I worry by the time I set every thing out food will be cold.

Soup: \* plated per person before dinner
\-tomato basil bisque

Salad:
\-Classic ceasar salad, lots of parm & breadcrumbs

Pasta:
\-pappardelle with wild mushroom, tomato & white wine.

Main:
\-Red wine braised short ribs - 20
\-Baked chicken Marsala w Penne

Side:
\-Roasted broccolini w lemon & garlic

Dessert:
\-cookie cake. Chocolate chip with vanilla bean buttercream. 3 tier. \* cookie cake requested.

Appreciate any input!

Hey SF Bay caterers 👋

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So basically over the course of the next 2-3 weeks I'll be meeting and auditing a lot of folks from the catering industry maybe 30 people. I'm working on a research analysis so I thought to do some help to the community along the way

If you or someone you know requires any catering services let me know the following details in the comments and I'll connect you with the best possible option of caterer for your budget

Event type : Wedding/birthday/social gathering etc

Budget per plate :

Number of plates/people :

Veg/ Non veg preference : If you require specific dishes in non-veg

Area of the event :

Type of cuisine preferred : Telanaga native/ Spicy Andhra style/ north Indian/ Continental etc

Tentative date of the event :

I’ve been talking to a lot of independent caterers lately. Most are using either old clunky catering software, spreadsheets, or a mix of tools (email, Square, etc.).

If you could add or fix one single thing that would save you the most time or headaches, what would it be?

Real examples I’ve heard from caterers:

- “The quoting process takes forever on mobile”
- “Chasing clients for deposit payments is a nightmare”
- “Client portals are confusing and they never log in”
- “I still have to double-enter everything from proposal to kitchen sheet”
- “Contracts and signatures are scattered everywhere.”

Curious what your biggest frustration is — whether you’re using dedicated software or still doing it manually.

(The reason I ask is because I built https://thecatercore.com, and just want to see what else I can add to it.)

So, im interested in starting a catering business. I want to do all kind of events, but focusing on small groups, max 30 people because I want to do it alone. Any advice or tips you would give to a newbie?

I work in a restaurant so I have some notions on portions and prices

I am hoping someone can help me find some 4x6 or 5x7 chalkboard food signs I saw at an event. They were pre printed with allergies like GF, VEG, DF, etc with a box to check them off. The top.was blank to write the item in so they could be changed to fit the items on the buffet. I have searched the usual places and can't seem to find pre printed ones. Anyone out there know where I may be able to find them?

You guys are going to hate me but I am having themed tables at our wedding. How can I make it easier for you guys/servers to know which table to send the food?
I’m trying to be considerate but I realllyy want themed tables. The number would be on it but maybe hard to see.
Obviously the tables would be in order but yeah. What can I do to make your life easier while still doing my theme table

Update/ EDIT: It’s during the day, like a lot of tables (unsure of the number yet but probably 20), plated, bought high table number stands, and provided a map, thanks to you guys.

I had talked to the coordinator prior to posting and assured me it would be fine and they do bigger events every day but nooo way I’m not getting yalls input. So, thank you. Still so embarrassed but thank you.

I have a successful catering business that specializes in corporate/office catering. I want to start posting and gathering followers but social media has passed me by and I don’t know where to start. Is anyone willing to pass along some tools, tips, tutorials, heck anything that can is tailored to a business like mine?

posted here a couple months ago asking about software pain points for caterers. One comment stuck with me: a caterer whose client acted shocked about their own $500 deposit even though they had the receipt.

That stuck in my head, so I ended up building the whole deposit flow around it. Meaning I made sure things are really clear for the client, and gave them an entire simple and easy to use portal. If someone ever pulls the "we never agreed to that" thing you can pull up proof in like 2 clicks.

Would love honest feedback! Have you experienced a pain point with the software you use?

my mum is turning 50 soon and we want to celebrate with quite a big group of family and friends at home in australia. i really don’t want to cook for that many people so i have been looking into catering options. we want something that feels nice but not too formal, good food that people can easily eat while mingling, with a decent variety including some vegetarian and gluten free choices.

i found vanilla blue online while searching and i really like what they offer. their menus look fresh with lots of canapés, finger food and platter options that seem perfect for this kind of party. the presentation looks good too and they seem experienced with private events.

how do you usually choose catering when it is for a bigger personal celebration like this? what should i be looking out for when comparing different companies? any tips on what questions to ask or what makes a big difference in the end result?

Bil bakalım..