Self-Catering Experience

We recently planned a party for my Mom on her 80th birthday. There were 30 guests. After exploring our options for a catered affair, we decided to use a local restaurant/catering company for the food service. Since many of the guests lived in the neighborhood and would have required transportation to the caterers location, we decided to host the party.

The element of surprise was over once we hit the day of the party. Our decoration team was in full swing and the house was transformed by 3 PM for the 6 PM party.

Many of the guests do not drink alcoholic beverages due to age and medication restrictions. We purchased lots of non-alcoholic beverages and a selection of beers and wines. The food cost was the major expenditure.

Overall, we were very happy with the food presentation. We spent $80 on the cake and everyone felt the baker hit a home run. The caterer features a family style Italian menu. We ordered Cold Antipasto, Garlic Bread, Chicken Marsala, Ziti with Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, Garlic and Oil, Stuffed Shells, Eggplant Parmigiana, and a Fruit and Cheese Plate.

Everyone was happy, there were plenty of leftovers, we saved about $12 per person and we paid zero for service (vs. 18% at the location). Disposable plates, forks, knives and spoons kept cleanup to about 1 hour for 6 of us. Given the number of seniors and children, this option worked well and saved us money. Since the party, the restaurant has benefited from positive word of mouth and several guests said they would use this company's catering option in the future.