What do you need to tell the caterer about your building?
- Full address, floor and room, and the building's name in Chinese.
- Where deliveries must go: loading dock, lobby or a side entrance.
- Whether the delivery must be registered with the front desk or security.
- The lift rules: service lift, reserved times or size limits.
- A receiving contact and a phone number that is answered.
What should be agreed before the day?
| Item | Who confirms | When |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery window | Caterer and you | With the quote |
| Building registration | You, with the front desk | A few days before |
| Loading point and lift | You | Before the event |
| Receiving contact | You | Before the event |
| Where the food goes | You | Before the event |
Every request is checked against the actual delivery route, arrival time and building access.
What happens when the food arrives?
- Someone meets the delivery at the agreed point.
- Count the boxes or trays against the order before signing.
- Take special meals, such as vegetarian boxes, aside first.
- Put hot food in the warmers or serve it within the agreed time.
- Put perishable food away within two hours, or one hour in hot weather.
What are common delivery problems and how do you avoid them?
- Delivery blocked at the lobby: register the delivery and give the receiving contact's phone.
- A lift that is too small or busy at noon: ask about a reserved time.
- Wrong floor or room: send the exact floor and room name.
- Food waiting too long: give the food-ready time, not only the start time.
- No table space: say where the food goes and how large the table is.
Can the caterer set up inside the building?
Yes, with buffet setup or staffed service. Tell the venue how many people will carry the food, when they will arrive and when they leave. Disposable serveware needs no collection; reusable serveware is collected after the event.