Prospective Caterer:_________________________ Your Event: ______________________________ 

 

Date of Event:___________   Interviewer: _______________________

 

 

1. What is the starting wage of your delivery people?

2pt___ ($15/hour or more)   

1pt___  ($12-$14)                        

0pt___  (less than $12)

 

2. What’s the delivery radius of your catering services?

2pt___ (8 miles or less)

1pt___  (9-13 miles)          

             0pt___ (14 miles or more) 

 

3. What is the average age of your delivery vehicles?

            2pt___ (2 years old or younger)

            1pt___  (2-4 years old)

            0pt___ (We deliver in our cars)

 

4. How long do your employees stay with you…on the average?

2pt___  (4 years or more)

             1pt___  (Between 2-4 years)

             0pt___  (“It’s like a revolving door in here, I can never keep track”)

 

5. How much food do you give extra?  

            2pt___ (10% or more)

            1pt___ (“We give just about enough”)

            0pt___  (‘I’m not really sure. We don’t run out of food too often.”)

           

6. How many years have you been in business?

            2pt___  (9 years and above)                      

            1pt___  (5-8 years)

            0pt___  (under 5 years)

 

7. Where are your “healthy alternatives” listed? 

             2pt___  (They give a clear answer where you can find lots of solutions on their website)

             1pt___  (“Well, let’s see… I think we might have vegetarian lasagna and maybe some 

                            roasted veggies”)

             0pt___  (“Come on, we’re running a restaurant here, not a hospital”)

 

8. Can you fax me a copy of your liability insurance? How much are you covered for?             

            2pt___  (“We’re covered for 3 million dollars. I’ll fax the certificate right over”)

            1pt___  (“Sure I have it around here somewhere. I might be able to dig it up”)

            0pt___  (“Yeah right. We don’t even get health insurance.”)

 

9. What was your score on your last health department inspection? Can you fax me a copy?

             2pt___  (90-100)

1pt___  (84-89)

             0pt___ (below 83)

 

10. Can I get a tour of your commissary?

            2pt___ (“Sure, no problem, let’s set something up with the Executive Chef next week”)      

            1pt___  (“I’m not really sure, no one’s ever asked us to do that”)

            0pt___ (“Oh, you wouldn’t wanna see what happens in this kitchen”)

 

11. What percentage of your staff are certified food handlers with the Department of Health?

2pt___  (40% and above)  

             1pt___  (25%-29%)

             0pt___  (under 25%)

 

12. How many refrigerated vehicles do you have?

            2pt___ (2 or more)           

            1pt___  (“We have 1 refrigerated truck”)

            0pt___  (“We’re lucky if the air-conditioners work?”)

 

13. What’s your guarantee policy?

            2pt___ (“We have a 100% money-back guarantee. You’re the sole judge and jury”)         

            1pt___  (“Well, if you’re not happy, call a manager and they’ll discuss it with ya”)

            0pt___ (“I guarantee that once we deliver, you will pay…or else”)

 

14. What’s your sampling(or tasting) policy? 

2pt___ (“I’d be happy to set something up next week. What would you like to taste?”)

1pt___  (“Well, um…we don’t really do that, what did you have in mind”)

0pt___  (“We don’t do that around here” or “You’re gonna have to pay big bucks for that”)

 

15. Do you have an Executive Chef? What’s his name?

            2pt___  (“Oh, of course, his name is Kurt Linneman. He’s developed over 1000 recipes.”)

            1pt___  (“Well, we all kinda make the recipes around here.”)                      

            0pt___ (“Sure, it’s Chef Boy-ardee”)

 

16. What’s your corporate pricing policy?

            2pt___ (“We have that info, up front, on our website. We have great volume discounts")

            1pt___  (“Well, since you asked, maybe there is a little wiggle room.”)                    

            0pt___  (“One price fits all, we don’t do discounts”)

 

 

 

 

If you love them and they score 30 points or more: Don’t let them get away! Book your event right now, and every event after that! You have a superstar caterer.

 

If they score 29 points or less (or if you’re unsure): Shaky, at best. You can say: “Thank you for speaking with me. I am just now starting my event planning process. I’ll give you a call if I decide to place an order.”