Every caterer shows you the same photo album and quotes a similar number. The difference between a function guests enjoy and one they politely endure shows up in answers to specific questions — not in the brochure.
About the kitchen
- Where is the food cooked — your kitchen, my venue, or someone else’s kitchen? A caterer who sub-contracts cooking cannot control the outcome. Ask to see the kitchen. A caterer who will not show it has told you something.
- Do you hold an FSSAI licence for that kitchen, and can I see the number? It takes ten seconds to answer and is worth asking.
- Who is the head cook for my event, and do they cook that cuisine daily? Andhra meals and Hyderabadi biryani are different crafts.
About the food
- Can I taste the exact menu before I pay the balance? A tasting of different dishes than the ones you ordered is not a tasting.
- What quantity per head are you planning for each main? If the answer is vague, the quantity is vague.
- Which items are cooked on site and which arrive pre-cooked? Both are legitimate; not knowing which is not.
- How are vegetarian items kept separate? Separate vessels, separate counter, separate serving spoons.
About service — where most functions actually fail
- How many service staff per hundred guests? Buffet needs roughly 4-5 per hundred, plated 8-10. Get the number in writing.
- How many counters, and how are they spread? One counter for 400 guests means a forty-minute queue no matter how good the food is.
- What is the replenishment plan for the first thirty minutes? Most guests eat in one concentrated rush. Plan for the rush, not the average.
- Who is my point of contact on the day, and will they be physically present? The person who sold you the package is often not the person at the venue.
About money
- Is GST included in the per-plate rate? An 18% surprise on ₹3 lakh is ₹54,000.
- What happens if guest count goes up or down by 15%? Agree the band and the rate before, not after.
- What is excluded? Transport, extra service hours, crockery upgrades, counter setup, generator, waiter uniform — each is a real line some caterers keep outside the quote.
- What is the cancellation and postponement policy in writing?
Answers that should worry you
- “Don’t worry about quantity, it will be enough” — the single most expensive sentence in catering.
- A single-number quote with no dish list.
- Refusal to do a tasting, or a tasting only after full advance.
- No written staff count.
- Pressure to decide today for a “special rate”.
Before you pay the advance
Get one document that contains: every dish by name, per-plate rate, guest count and the band it is valid for, staff and counter numbers, timings, what is excluded, GST treatment, and the cancellation terms. If a caterer will produce that in writing, most of the rest tends to follow.
Compare rates first in what ₹300, ₹500 and ₹800 per plate gets you, then see sample menus in wedding catering menu ideas.
Vinora Events quotes per plate with every item listed and offers a tasting before booking. Call +91 97036 16476 or see catering in Hyderabad.
