New Customer Onboarding Checklist for Caterers

Get the date, guest count, and venue address immediately to see if you are actually available.

Determine if they need a $15/person drop-off lunch or a $150/person full-service wedding so you can prioritize the lead.

Use SkipCalls to handle after-hours wedding inquiries so brides don't call your competitors when you are sleeping.

Ask about nut, gluten, and shellfish allergies right away to prevent safety issues and menu rework later.

Provide a ballpark range ($500-$1,500 for small parties) to ensure the client’s budget matches your pricing.

Create a Banquet Event Order that lists every menu item, equipment need, and staff requirement.

Secure 50% upfront to buy ingredients and lock the date on your kitchen calendar.

Find out if the venue has a kitchen, loading dock, or stairs that will make moving heavy hot-boxes difficult.

Confirm if you or the client is responsible for plates, linens, and glassware for large $5,000+ jobs.

Send your proof of liability insurance to the venue manager to avoid being blocked on event day.

Lock in the guest count 7 days before the event so you don't over-buy or under-buy expensive proteins.

Place orders with your wholesale meat and produce suppliers to ensure the freshest stock for prep day.

Review the plating style and uniform requirements with your servers and sous chefs.

Complete all chopping, marinating, and sauce-making 24 hours before the event to reduce kitchen stress.

Use an AI receptionist to handle last-minute 'Where are you?' calls from the venue while you are driving the catering van.

Locate the event coordinator or host immediately upon arrival for last-minute table changes.

Track the temperature of hot and cold items during transport to ensure food safety compliance.

Place clear cards on the buffet identifying Vegan, GF, and Dairy-Free items for guest safety.

Sync with the DJ or speaker to ensure hot entrees are served exactly when the program allows for it.

Ensure the kitchen is cleaner than you found it to secure future referrals from venue managers.

Send a personal note to the host thanking them for trusting you with their event.

Charge the remaining 50% balance plus any day-of additions like extra liquor or guest counts.

Ask for a Google or Yelp review while the flavors of your food are still fresh in their minds.

For corporate clients, offer a 'Monthly Lunch' discount to turn a one-time job into steady income.

Mark your calendar to call them 10 months from now to book the same event for next year.