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Banqueting is a term you hear a lot around hotels and large event venues, but what does it actually mean, and how does it relate to catering? In this article we explain what banqueting covers, where the term comes from, […]

You send a great quote, and then... nothing happens. Sound familiar? Most caterers lose more enquiries to poor follow-up than to price. This article looks at why leads go cold without a nudge, and how a few simple habits, plus […]

Customer details scattered across emails, a spreadsheet and your planner's memory lead to missed follow-ups and duplicate work. A CRM brings all your customer information, quotes and communication together in one place, so you respond faster and nobody falls through […]

A drinks package is where a lot of caterers either lose most of their margin, or make it, depending on how you set it up. This article shows you when a flat per-head rate works better than billing on actual […]

A mobile chip van at a market, festival or corporate event sounds simple: fryer on, chips out, done. In practice there's more to sort out once you're working away from your usual base. This article shows you what to arrange […]

Something shifts every year in what guests expect from an event, and summer 2026 is no different. From plant-based as a standard menu item to data that helps you respond to enquiries faster and more personally, these are the trends […]

A catering day with too little structure turns chaotic fast, even if the prep work was solid on paper. A run sheet sets out who does what and when, so everyone knows exactly where they stand on the day itself. […]

A dish that looks profitable on paper can still lose money once food cost gets out of hand. If you only check profit at the end of the month, you'll spot an inflated purchase price after the margin is already […]

A client who cuts the guest count on the day, or guests who simply don't turn up, comes with the job. Without a clear change policy, you foot the bill for purchasing and staff that were already locked in. This […]

During peak periods you can't always rely on your core team, and it's tempting to just book whoever an agency has available. But casual staff you've never briefed before cost you time and risk on the day itself. This article […]

A wedding gets booked a year in advance, a funeral gets arranged within days of a death. That means working with far less lead time: no tasting, no weeks to compare suppliers, and sometimes barely a day to schedule staff. […]

For a corporate party you're not negotiating with the guests themselves, but usually with an HR or office manager working to a fixed budget per head. The numbers work differently too: where almost everyone shows up at a private party, […]

Brunch catering calls for a different sum than drinks or a walking dinner: guests sit for longer, eat in several rounds, and expect a broad spread from sweet to savoury. For you as a caterer, that means a different approach […]

Couples almost always ask it: how many canapés do we need, and which ones should we choose? For you as a caterer, that's not just a menu question, it's a sum that hits your margin directly. Plan too few and […]

A business client books differently from a couple planning a wedding. They are not looking for a one-off celebration, but monthly working lunches, team events and meetings that simply need to run on time. […]

When you serve drinks at an event, you are responsible for more than just the purchase cost. The rules around alcohol on location are stricter than many caterers realise. […]

The food is ready, the order is complete, but things can still go wrong on the way to the venue. Temperature is the most underestimated risk factor in catering transport. Too warm, too long, or without the right storage and […]

Your website looks good, but enquiries trickle in slowly. That's rarely about your prices or your offer. The problem is usually in the path a visitor has to take from "this looks good" to "I'll send a message". Small changes […]

You've sent a great quote, the client agrees, and then you hear nothing for a while. Or worse: two weeks before the event someone calls to say it's off. A deposit prevents both situations. But how much do you ask […]

Two servers or five? One chef or two? How many staff you need per event is a question every caterer faces for every new booking, and too few or too many both come at a price. The type of service […]

A wedding isn't a corporate event with a different tablecloth. The couple often plans a party this size just once in their life, and everything about it is personal: the menu, the timing, the guests they've known for years. That […]