Catering, but not really..please read...

Ok, I'm expecting someone to throw a shoe at me for asking this, but here goes:
How do you guys feel about catering a very small event, and not having to provide flatware, plastic ware, or beverages? They come to me to pick up their dishes and they serve the food themselves? All I have to do is cook...

That isn't catering, it's takeout. I do it for large and small groups all the time. My last order was for 350 people. They picked up the insulated containers of ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and sides. They brought back the containers the next day.

So, you prepare the food, the customer picks it up from you, takes it home, warms it up, and serves it themselves with whatever. Sorry, that is not the definition of catering.

quote:

Originally posted by myterry2

So, you prepare the food, the customer picks it up from you, takes it home, warms it up, and serves it themselves with whatever. Sorry, that is not the definition of catering.

It may not be the true definition of catering, but does it really matter? If he's selling the food and making the money while not having to deal with all the rest, I say more power to him. We have a local caterer here that can give full-service catering, but she also makes entire meals for large groups like extended families that the customer picks up and serves themselves. She gets lots of business at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She does very well at it, but no one looks down on her.

I think it's great. But I have people come to me and want to save a few dollars and ask all kinds of very strange things, and my only worry is if the customer is allowed to do anything with the food I prepare, other than serve it they will screw it up. Ive had it happen before and guess who took the heat? Yes ME. I had four or five customers come to me and ask what went wrong at the Jones party I catered. And the name of the party was different from the person (Smith) that ordered, and picked up the food from me. It took me two months to find out what happened. The person that ordered and picked up the food left my stand and went to a local grocery store and bought an equal amount of BBQ and mixed it with mine. It really sucked. I worry every time someone takes a large order home for a party. You never well almost never hear of all the good things it's those gone bad deals that you have no control over that haunt you forever.
Jack

quote:

Originally posted by Dr of BBQ

I think it's great. But I have people come to me and want to save a few dollars and ask all kinds of very strange things, and my only worry is if the customer is allowed to do anything with the food I prepare, other than serve it they will screw it up. Ive had it happen before and guess who took the heat? Yes ME. I had four or five customers come to me and ask what went wrong at the Jones party I catered. And the name of the party was different from the person (Smith) that ordered, and picked up the food from me. It took me two months to find out what happened. The person that ordered and picked up the food left my stand and went to a local grocery store and bought an equal amount of BBQ and mixed it with mine. It really sucked. I worry every time someone takes a large order home for a party. You never well almost never hear of all the good things it's those gone bad deals that you have no control over that haunt you forever.
Jack

Wow! I will definitely look out for that...thanks!

I'm the chef for a catering company. We have from time to time had pick up orders from people who are too cheap to want a drop off/set up. I don't like doing it at all. Once the food leaves our kitchen, it's in the hands of amateurs. I totally agree with Dr of BBQ. You will take heat from those who know not what they do with the prepared food.
Send a server, charge them for the server, and convince them you are doing them a favor by sending a server. Because you are!