How do you manage catering emergencies?

1 Assess the situation

The first thing you need to do when you face a catering emergency is to assess the situation and determine the severity and impact of the problem. Is it a minor issue that can be easily fixed, such as a broken plate or a missing ingredient? Or is it a major crisis that threatens the whole event, such as a power outage, a fire, or a food poisoning outbreak? Depending on the nature and scope of the problem, you'll need to take different actions and communicate with different people.

2 Contact your caterer

The next step is to contact your caterer as soon as possible and inform them of the situation. Your caterer is your partner in delivering a successful event, and they should be able to provide you with solutions and alternatives. For example, they may be able to send a backup staff, equipment, or food from another location, or they may be able to source ingredients from a nearby supplier. You should also ask them for an estimated time of arrival or completion, and what they need from you to resolve the issue.

3 Communicate with your stakeholders

While your caterer is working on fixing the problem, you need to communicate with your stakeholders and keep them updated. Your stakeholders may include your client, your venue manager, your guests, your speakers, and your sponsors. You should be honest, transparent, and proactive in your communication, and avoid blaming or panicking. You should also apologize for any inconvenience and assure them that you are doing everything you can to solve the problem. You may also need to adjust the event schedule or agenda to accommodate the delay or change in the catering.

4 Implement a contingency plan

If your caterer is unable to provide you with a satisfactory solution, or if the problem is too severe to be fixed, you need to implement a contingency plan. A contingency plan is a backup plan that you have prepared in advance for any possible catering emergency. It may include having a reserve budget, a list of alternative caterers or food options, a contract clause that covers liability and compensation, and a crisis management team that can handle the situation. A contingency plan can help you minimize the damage and save your event from a total failure.

5 Monitor and evaluate the outcome

Once you have implemented a solution or a contingency plan, you need to monitor and evaluate the outcome and make sure that everything is running smoothly. You should check the quality and quantity of the food, the service and satisfaction of the guests, and the feedback and complaints of the client. You should also document the incident and the actions taken, and review the performance and accountability of your caterer. You may need to negotiate a refund, a discount, or a compensation for the inconvenience caused by the catering emergency.

6 Learn from the experience

The last tip is to learn from the experience and use it to improve your event planning skills. You should identify the root cause and the contributing factors of the catering emergency, and analyze what went wrong and what went right. You should also solicit feedback and suggestions from your caterer, your client, your guests, and your team, and incorporate them into your future events. You should also update your contingency plan and your contract terms to prevent or mitigate similar problems in the future.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?