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Catering Management
CHAPTER 1
The Catering World: Types of Catering

Objectives:
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
✓ Discuss the catering industry.
✓ Identify catering segments.
✓ Define on-premise and off-premise catering.
✓ Explain the different types of catering events held on-premise and off-premise.
✓ Provide examples of the different kinds of on-premise and off-premise operations.

The Catering Industry

Catering - is a multifaceted segment of the food service industry. There is a niche for all types of catering
businesses within the segment of catering.

Banquet and Catering service are among the most lucrative businesses in the hospitality industry.

Catering management
• Defined as the task of planning, organizing, and controlling.
• Each activity influences the preparation and delivery of food, beverage, and related services at a
competitive, profitable price.
• These activities work together to meet and exceed the customer’s perception of value.

BANQUET vs. CATERING

Banquet - refers to a party, a seminar or any event that takes place in a function area of a hotel or a
food establishment.

Catering - also pertains to services for an event but in a venue chosen by client which could be his own
house or office or elsewhere.

The Catering Segments

The food service industry is divided into 3 general classifications:

1. Commercial segment - traditionally considered the “for-profit” operations, includes the independent
caterer, the restaurant caterer, the home-based caterer, hotel/motel and private club catering
operations.

2. Non-commercial segment – the “not-for-profit operations, consists of the following types of catering
activities: business/industry accounts, college and university, health care, recreational food service,
social organizations, and transportation.

3. Military segment - encompasses all catering activities involved in association with the armed forces
and/or diplomatic events.

The Catering Event

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Catering
Event

Corporate
Social Event
Event

On-Premise Off-Premise On-Premise Off-Premise

Event Event Event Event

Two Main Types of Catering

1. On-Premise Catering - indicates that the function is held exclusively within the caterer’s own facility.
Example:
A caterer within a hotel or banquet hall will prepare and cater all of the events without taking
any service or food outside the facility.

Hospital Catering – is an on-premise catering operation for events that occur within a hospital’s
environment.
High school Catering – operations service events exclusively for high school population.
Private or Nonprofit Caterer
University/College Caterers – responsible for providing food and related services to the
students, faculty, administrators, and guests.

2. Off-Premise Catering - transports all of the food, serving products, and personnel to a location other
than the building or facility where the food is prepared. Important: there must be accessed to
equipment needed to prepare the food and observe “food sanitation”
Example:
Catering companies
Dual Restaurant-Catering Operations

Questions caterers need to ask:

➢ Client Checklist:
a. Is the location of the event conducive to the caterer’s capabilities to produce the food
and service necessary to satisfy the guests’ needs?
b. Is the caterer comfortable with the management at the hall or facility? Is the caterer
comfortable with the client? Is the caterer comfortable with the personalities?
c. Can the caterer work within the quoted budget specified by the guest?
d. Is the caterer’s staff compatible with the hall’s staff?
e. Was a background check completed on the financials of the hall and client?
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