Can I come for a tasting? 

Yes, but it is very easy for a caterer to provide a delicious meal for one or two people at his convenience, and then not follow through with the same quality, or timeliness on the “Big Day”. You might be able to spend your time better by checking the caterers’ references to see if the caterer was on time, delivered what was promised, and presented it nicely. Please see our testimonials section and ask for more references if you’d like. (we have hundreds!!!!) Unfortunately, the more tasting sessions we do, the more we will have to raise our prices for everyone…. Luckily we don’t need to do many….

What are the main costs involved in a catering? 

Caterings can be generally broken down into 3 main areas:  The food itself,  any servers you might need, and any rentals you may need. Of course we need to add sales tax, but typically there are no service charges or delivery charges, if you are in our area…Gratuities are not mandatory and are at your discretion.

How do the rentals work?

We work  exclusively through Allie’s Party Rentals in San Marcos simply because we have found them to be the most reliable. We charge you the same price they would charge you and in some cases, if the order is small enough, we can  even save you the delivery charge by bringing it to the event ourselves…. Rentals are all charged by the piece so when thinking about your budget, try to itemize exactly how many pieces you will need for each person… For example; do you want each place setting to just have a plate, fork, knife, and water goblet, or would you like a bread plate, with butter knife, as well as a  linen napkin, salad plate, dinner plate, dessert plate, salad fork, dinner fork, dessert fork, dinner knife, teaspoon, coffee cup, saucer, water goblet, wine glass, and champagne flute??  That’s why there’s no easy answer as to how much rentals will cost.!!! See "Other Services" on rentals or visit www.alliesparty.com

What is included in the cost of my catering, supposing I don’t need servers or rentals?

Your price includes: High quality plastic disposable plates, forks, and knives, unless you wish to rent china. Also includes thick, dinner-quality paper napkins, all beverage cups, etc. No service or delivery charges to apply unless discussed with the client beforehand. Price includes delivery of and set up of all food items and any equipment needed to keep them at safe serving temperatures for two hours. (Chafing Dishes, Ice, etc.) Price also includes pick-up of our belongings (trays, etc) at a time pre-set by you. Price does NOT include gratuity, as we do not believe any gratuity should be  mandatory!

What are my options for catered events?

They are almost limitless, but the majority of events can be described as either buffet-style or plated meals (served at the table). Plated meals require an onsite-chef and more servers to get the food out on time. Therefore the cost is more. Any meal can be done on high quality plastic disposables or on china, depending on your choice. Buffets can be attended by servers or left to be self-serve, at our discretion. You may also have an entire event that is all appetizers either tray passed, or at a buffet. You may or may not need servers for an appetizer buffet, depending on how many people.

What do the servers do and when are they required?

For a sit-down dinner the servers act as your waiter and bring plates of food to your guests. If the meal is buffet style, then the servers will serve the guests, refill the serving dishes, clear plates and clean up. Our servers will also be happy to assist you by setting tables, cutting cake and even washing your dishes. Our servers may help you by pouring wine, or champagne toast but should not be considered bartenders. Of course you may naturally want servers, but they are required at our discretion when a group is so large (typically more than 30) that all the food can not be set out at once without having to refill dishes (especially hot chafing dishes).

Can I go through you to get my alcohol?

Café Catering does not have a liquor license but works with vendors who do…However it is quite costly and recommended that you purchase your own alcohol and have us serve. We have also made other arrangements, wherein if you purchase your alcohol over the phone at Holiday Wine Cellars in Escondido, we can pick it up for you and bring it to the event.

When do I need to get you my guest count?

We try to be as flexible as possible because we know things happen but, we ask for a final count NO LATER than 2 business days before the event. Have we taken last minute changes literally at the last minute? Yes, but we ask that you give us the best notice you can and sometimes we may need to add an additional fee if changes are later than 48 hours. 

Do you prepare extra, just in case?

Yes, and our portions are very generous, so running out of food is unlikely. Yet you should plan on ordering enough for the number of people you actually expect, rather than trying to stretch it.  We always tell people that as unfortunate is it is, running a successful event generally means having a bit too much food,  If everything is gone at the end of the event, you run the risk that someone left unsatisfied….

What happens to the leftovers?

If we are at an event that lasts over four hours we ask that our staff gets a chance to eat, since this is overage that we had planned on, otherwise they are yours, since you have paid for them.  (but you don’t HAVE to take them if that is not convenient!!!)

Will your staff box them up for me?

Yes, but please remember to provide some containers or order some from our website with your catering.  They do not come automatically with the catering, but are inexpensive…

What is the thing I should be the most concerned about when ordering a catering?

Well I’d  have to say two things: The first difficult issue is finding options for our vegetarian friends, and making sure that all the other guests don’t eat that food before the vegetarians do!  The second biggest concern for you as the planner is to know how many people are actually coming to your event, and how many to order for.   Sometimes this is difficult, and although are portions are generous, we always recommend ordering enough for people who may or may not show up…