Questions to ask a caterer before you book in Lahore

What exactly does the per-head rate include?

Most Lahore caterers quote per head, but two quotes at the same rate can be very different. Ask for the full list behind the number:

• Main dishes, and how much of each per guest.
• Bread: naan, roghni naan or kulcha, and whether it is made fresh on site.
• Salad, raita, chutneys and achaar.
• The sweet dish, and whether a second dessert is extra.
• Cold drinks and water.
• Serving staff, crockery, cutlery and table cloths.

Vendors list starting prices on Bandobast, so you can see the floor on caterer profiles. The final rate moves with the menu, the date, your guest count and the area.

Can we do a tasting?

Ask for one, especially for the main dishes. A good caterer will cook a small portion of the dishes you are considering. Taste for salt and oil, check the meat is tender, and notice whether the rice is properly separate. If you are choosing between two caterers, taste both in the same week.

Ask who will actually cook on your day. Large caterers run several events on a peak night, and the head cook you met may be at another hall.

Are live stations and chai counters extra?

Live counters have become common at Lahore functions: fresh naan, BBQ, gol gappay, jalebi, kulfi or a chai and kahwa counter late in the evening. They are popular with guests, and they are almost always charged on top of the per-head rate, either per counter or per head.

Ask how long each counter runs, how many staff man it, and whether it needs extra space or power at the venue. A chai counter that opens after the main meal is a small cost that guests remember, especially at winter functions.

How many staff will serve, and how?

Ask for the number of waiters and supervisors per hundred guests, whether they wear a uniform, and whether they serve at the table or manage a buffet. For separate seating, ask if they can provide staff for both sides.

Ask how they handle the moment food opens. A well-run buffet has enough counters and staff to stop a crush. A poorly planned one has a single line that stretches across the hall.

Who brings what?

Clarify crockery, chafing dishes, serving counters, table linen, and whether tables and chairs come from the caterer or the venue. If you are using a farmhouse or lawn, ask whether they bring their own cooking setup and gas, and how much space they need behind the scenes.

If your venue has in-house catering, many of these questions go to the venue instead. Our venue guide covers what to ask there.

What if our guest count changes?

Ask how they bill: on the number you confirm, on the number who actually eat, or with a minimum. Ask how much extra food they prepare as a buffer, and what happens if more guests turn up than you confirmed. Agree a date by which the final number is fixed, usually around two weeks before.

Ask about leftovers too. Some families like to take extra food home or send it to a nearby masjid or shelter. Agree on containers and timing before the day.

Where is the food cooked, and how does it arrive?

Ask whether the food is cooked at their own kitchen and brought to the venue, or cooked on site. Both can work. If it travels, ask how it is kept hot, how long before serving it leaves the kitchen, and what happens if they are stuck in traffic. If it is cooked on site, ask how much space and gas they need, and check that with the venue.

It is fair to ask about hygiene too: where the meat comes from, how they store it, and whether you can see their kitchen. A caterer who is proud of their kitchen will usually be happy to show it.

How do payments work?

Agree the advance, when the balance is due and what happens if you cancel. If you book through Bandobast, you pay us rather than the caterer, and we hold the money until the event is done. How Bandobast protects your payment explains why that matters.

If you want caterers to come to you with offers, post a catering request with your menu and guest count on the request page. You can compare offers line by line and use these questions in the chat.