Whenever event and hospitality clients such as brides and corporate party planners hear the word "catering," the first thing that comes to mind is how much it would cost. Then the overwhelmed feeling that comes with the assumed price tag follows and this kind of mental barrier will limit the client's ability to make the best choice for his or her event. The good news is that, by helping your client have a basic understanding of the various types of caterers, this scenario can be avoided. Chances are, a plain inquiry can turn into a real reservation. Whether on-site or off-premise, we've come up with a list of caterers that you can simply share with your potential customers.

4 TYPES OF CATERERS

SPECIAL EVENT CATERING

This type of catering specializes in providing food for weddings, vow renewals and anniversaries, birthday parties, quinceanera celebrations, and intimate banquet receptions. Aside from excellent culinary presentation, aesthetic place settings and on-trend table linen ensemble are expected from caterers engaged in this type of food service. Nowadays, brides and birthday celebrants are more hands-on with their event preparation so we highly recommend having  tablecloths, elegant napkins, table runners and other table decorations on hand when having a meeting with them.

BUSINESS CATERING

As the title suggests, caterers in this niche provide food for corporate functions, client meetings, annual company parties, training sessions and conferences. Unlike weddings and social events, business catering is in demand year-round. It's a highly-competitive part of the catering industry because every caterer hopes to keep a long list of business clients. Catering for trade shows also fall in this category.

INDUSTRIAL CATERING

These caterers are more known as "meal providers." Service is generally not expected. Industrial caterers provide food for schools, airlines, factories, hospitals, and other organizations. There are short-term and long-term contracts usually involved and there are stricter regulations in place.

MOBILE CATERING

Think of mobile caterers as providers of "meals-to-go." This type of catering moves from place to place, usually in a huge van or truck that's designed to carry food and catering equipment. They are usually seen in fairs, weekend and farmers' markets, and festivals. You'd see them in large parking spaces too sometimes.

From this list, your prospective client ( for example, a bride) should be able to have an idea as to why there are different tiers in pricing. For example, since wedding catering demands more aesthetic presentation and event planning aspects, it generally is on the top ladder of pricing. However, it is not always true! Here are some ways on how you can help your client save money.

1. GUEST COUNT. How many will be in attendance will significantly affect the catering cost. Advising your bride or client to finalize his guest list before contacting caterers will be more efficient, will eliminate confusion and last minute menu adjustments. 
2. CATERING THEME. The simpler the theme, the less expense there will be. If your client wants a more personalized setting, you may want to mention that each custom design such as specialty table linens and napkins can be offered as an upgrade. 
3. SERVICE AND DELIVERY METHODS. Do you want a drop-off type of catering or full-service? The latter of course will cost more in the rate meter.
4. CATERING BUDGET. Before a client comes up with a guest list, it is important to come up with a realistic budget. It will be easy to narrow things down after that's been established.