There is always a lot of pressure on caterers at clubs to provide high-quality food in appropriate quantities. Hiring an outside caterer is an option that many clubs opt into in order to minimise the stress that can be involved with self-catering.
Going with external help will help bring in a variety of food, and also present opportunities for developing relationships with businesses outside of the club that can be handy for sponsorships, etc. One of the most critical parts of organising catering from an outside source is ensuring that what the club wants is clearly laid out. The caterer needs to know when to have the food ready, how much is required, transport options need to be sorted, and any other special requests need to be managed. On top of that, if there are special events outside of a regular schedule, the caterer should be made aware of these sorts of things, and conditions put in place in the event of a change.
It is advised that catering agreements are sorted out before a club finalises a catering company. Instructing a skilled lawyer to draft an agreement that includes all of what may or may not be required is an excellent way to ensure that the club has accountability for their catering. Before sending the agreement away, it is essential for it to be thoroughly reviewed between board members in order to make sure that nothing is left out.
