How many times have you been in a restaurant and watched people act like fools? Have you been at the drive-thru ordering something and the people ahead of you are arguing over free sauce? Have you ever placed a large order at Starbucks and felt bad about it? Avoid being a jerk when ordering catering, at a restaurant, or elsewhere with these three tips from Encore Catering.
3 Tips for Not Being a Jerk When Catering Food for Your Office
Order Ahead of Time, At Least a Day Ahead
Most catering companies and restaurants need at least 24-hour notice to place a large order, typically ten or more people. Some places require even more notice. Make sure to do this research ahead of time. If you know you need a catered meal at the office, order as far ahead as possible to avoid any issues the day you need the food. If you have any changes or something comes up, call the catering Denver company or restaurant and let them know. It’s easier for them to accommodate changes than to take a large order last minute.
Be Specific with the Order
When placing your order online or over the phone, be as specific as possible with what you want or if people you work with have food allergies. While online ordering has become much better than in years past, not all online ordering systems can accommodate notes. If that’s the case, just call and place your order the old-fashioned way to ensure everyone’s needs are taken care of and everything is in order.
Bonus Tip: Most online ordering systems charge the restaurant a fee or percentage of the meal being placed. For catered meals, this may be a significant portion of the overall order. They appreciate when you call in so they can avoid paying that fee.
Don’t Complain If Something Goes Wrong
Mistakes happen. Don’t sweat it. With large orders, they seem to happen a bit more frequently than they should. While we’d all like everything in life to go off without a hitch, that isn’t always the case. If you notice an issue, speak up but be polite and firm about it. The catering company you’re using doesn’t want to deal with issues either so they will do what they can to fix it and make it right. Give them the chance to do it and you’ll see what good customer service is about.
Don’t be a jerk about catering a large meal or ordering a lot of food. While places are equipped to deal with these types of orders, they just need some time, patience, and understanding from you as a customer.
