People booking catering are planning something important: a wedding, a quinceañera, a graduation, a company lunch. They compare a few caterers, usually late at night on their phone, and send an inquiry to the ones that look easy to work with. Use this checklist to make sure that’s you.
Packages and pricing
- Clear packages, like a taco bar, a dessert table or a plated dinner
- What each package includes: food, servers, setup, plates and utensils, cleanup
- A price per person or a “starting at” price
- Minimum guest count and any travel fee
Planners use prices to build a shortlist. If you leave them out, many people move on to a caterer who doesn’t.
Event pages
A page for each type of event you do often, such as weddings, quinceañeras, corporate events and birthdays. Each page can show photos from that kind of event, a suggested package and answers to the questions those clients ask. It also helps you show up when someone searches “quinceañera catering Denver.”
Photos that sell
- Close-ups of the food
- Your setup at real events, so people can picture it at theirs
- Your team serving guests
Good, real photos do more than any description. If you don’t have them yet, book a short photo session at your next event.
An inquiry form that saves you time
- Event date and start time
- Type of event and number of guests
- City or venue
- Package or items they’re interested in
- Budget range
- Best way to reach them
With these answers you can reply with a real quote instead of five back-and-forth messages. Reply fast; the first caterer to answer often gets the job.
Proof and trust
- Reviews from past clients, ideally with the type of event
- Venues you’ve worked at
- Health permits and insurance, if venues ask for them
- A short story about who you are and where your recipes come from
Answers to the usual questions
- How far in advance to book, and how deposits work
- Dietary options: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergies
- Cancellation and date-change policy
- Whether you need power, water or space at the venue
Easy to share
Planners often send options to a partner, a parent or a boss. A clean website link with packages and photos is easier to share than a stack of Instagram posts, and it makes your business look ready for bigger events.