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Don't we all wish we could find services that are cheap, good and delivered fast? This unfortunately is rarely the case, especially in hospitality, where margins are thin and when an operator is asked to lower their prices or to deliver food in a very short time, something's gotta give.
This is an important "Trilemma" that many couples and party organisers will face, and for us operators it is important to manage expectations and be honest. Good + Fast = Expensive. An operator will need extra prep time, extra staff and frankly extra effort and focus to achieve this, and they will charge a premium. Fast + Cheap = Poor quality. If you are on a very low budget and (true story) you are wondering whether a food truck can compete on price with Costco, you are asking yourself the wrong questions. Personally I would rather serve some store -bought premium sandwiches than a cheap hand-made pizza, at my party. Or instead of having a food truck on the premises, why not order some large pizza trays? Good + Cheap = Slow. This may be the case with local smaller operators or micro family run bussinesses (possibly doing this part-time). The food will be good, the price very reasonable, but it will take longer to get everyone served. They may cook fewer pizzas at the time and employ friends and family. A good option for smaller parties, and events where time is not a priority. In our case, we do this if for a living, we employ people and we are VAT registered. Unfortunately cheap is not one of our attributes (although if you are VAT registered yourself or your company is, we may indeed be cheaper than a non-registered operator). My advice would be to steer away from fast and cheap, especially for an important event. I would rather have a good product from a lower category than a cheap product from a higher one.
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To save your sanity when using marketplaces like Add to Event, Poptop, or Togather, you must avoid the "shotgun approach." If you request a general quote for "wedding catering," you will be flooded with dozens of generic replies that make comparison impossible.
Here is my advice, as an operator on how to get the most out of these platforms and their pitfalls. But first let me tall you how they work and how they make money. Poptop and Togather: will charge the operator a commission, which is typically between 12 and 15%, on top of this they will charge you a service fee. Operators will simply pass these costs on to you. ADD TO EVENT: will charge the operator per eqnuiry, the fee depends on the expected revenues and typically ranges between £6 and £11. Keep in mind that an operator may send several enquiries a week so costs will ramp up quickly. Hence quality operators will nit pick the enquiries they reply to. Hitched.co.uk: is free to use, unless operators want a premium plan (from £600+VAT a year) The Danger of Choice Overload Marketplaces are designed to give you options, but too many leads can become a full-time job.
To get the best vendors to respond and keep your workload manageable, follow these rules:
The "Three-Vendor" Rule I strongly suggest focusing on three to five quality quotes for any single category. Once you have three solid options that meet your specific cuisine and budget, stop. Adding a sixth or seventh quote rarely provides a better option; it just adds two more hours of admin to your week. In conclusion go for quality over quantity, be specific and remember going direct is awlays best ( and cheaper) |
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