How to Hire the Right Coffee Bar Caterer

Are you looking for a mobile coffee bar to cater to an event but don’t know how to go about doing it? Or even the right questions to ask to make sure the company is qualified? Our catering business works much the same as any food catering does, except that our focus is on coffee specialty drinks. Here are some questions to ask your potential coffee bar caterer before hiring!

You’re having a wedding and you imagine it like this:

The coffee experience at your wedding is part of the reception. Your guests get to know each other while connecting with you and your fiance’s love for coffee by trying your favorite signature drink created for them by the baristas.

So then it’s a matter of finding the right espresso caterer, a mobile coffee company that has trained their baristas to treat the espresso as the most important element of the evening while serving it in the friendliest, and most professional way.

• How long have you been in business? How many events have you done?
• What size of group are you able to serve?
• Who roasts your coffee? Is it locally roasted and ethically sourced?
• What kind of espresso do you use? What origins/blends do you have to choose from for brewed coffee?
• Do you grind the coffee on-site and pull espresso shots or do you use a pod?
• Can you provide alternative kinds of milk and can the menu be personalized?
• Can you customize the cups or offer other customized options?
• Do you bring a cart/table to set up on or does the venue need to provide? Can you set up on the venue’s bar/counter/table?
• How long can/will you serve?
• How much will it cost for my guest count?

A coffee bar can be used for appreciating the team, as morale boosters, and a general reward of caffeinated goodness.

A lot of the same questions listed above apply, with branding in the customization options. Maybe the caterer you’re talking to doesn’t provide the option to brand the cups and menus, but that’s not a deal-breaker for you.

• Do they have a certificate of insurance?
• Can they set up in your conference room or break room?
• Do they have reviews or references?
• Do you have a point of contact who will communicate quickly, schedule, and show up on time?

Your event might be smaller! Perhaps a baby shower with thirty people? Or a small office that just reached that important goal and needs to be celebrated? Will a coffee shop atmosphere take the theme of your event to the top level of perfection?

Have a barista come and spoil your people too!

This may start with your budget. There’s nothing wrong with contacting the company and finding out what their minimum group size and cost is. Also ask if they have the ability to set up in the house, office, or church where you are having your shindig.

Small events are ideal for an espresso caterer because the personal service and time for attention to each guest is where a barista can really excel with their knowledge and skills. Baristas are coffee nerds that love to talk all things coffee and discover what drink would be perfect for your guest. If your guests aren’t already hooked on one particular drink, maybe they might want to try something new!

Day. Made.

Not every event is ideal for espresso catering, and the term mobile coffee means a literal mobile truck. As with a food truck, the attendees of your event are going to be buying their own drinks. Vendors like this are available in most large cities, just like caterers, and they serve their events well with their own parameters.

• Do you require a specific group size or a minimum purchase guarantee? If so, what is it?
• What are we responsible for if sales aren’t covered?
• Do you have all the licenses and insurance that my event expects and/or requires?
• What events like this have you served before?
• Our event is for non-profit, do you offer any deals?

I hope this information is helpful for you in planning your event. As espresso caterers, we have been loving what we do – bringing coffee and connection to all kinds of events in the Dallas/Ft Worth, TX area – for over 18 years!

In fact, we love this so much that we help other people do this in other cities across the U.S. Maybe this is something you, an entrepreneur and coffee lover, would like to know more about. Have you always wanted to own a coffee shop? Yes? Check out our Franchise Opportunity!

Feel free to ask us questions about Espresso Catering and ideas for your party, office, school, or conference (someday again, hopefully.)