Submitting Dietary Requests for a Large Group: Here’s How to Do It
When providing dietary preferences to a caterer, you should specify the number of guests for each preference—such as vegetarian, vegan, halal, or gluten-free—so that the caterer can account for those numbers when planning the buffet.
In short: Catering Compagnon incorporates dietary requests directly into the menu. Please specify the number of guests for each request when you submit your inquiry. We provide catering services in Amsterdam, Landsmeer, and Zaandam for groups of 30 or more.
With thirty guests, you can still manage to ask around a bit. With a hundred, it turns into a list you have to update three times. How you submit that list determines whether the buffet is set up correctly, as is the case with catering for 30 or more people in Amsterdam.
Communicating dietary preferences starts with the initial inquiry
Don’t ask if someone has any dietary restrictions, but rather what they are. An open-ended question yields answers like “no pork” or “prefer not to eat fish,” which is different from being vegetarian.
Use fixed categories: vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free, and other. For “other,” ask for more details. That saves us a round of back-and-forth when we’re putting together the menu.
Be sure to send out the survey early. With a large group, the last responses always come in late, so the sooner you start, the more complete the picture will be when you share the results.
What We Need
The total number of guests and, within that, the number of each dietary preference. So not a list of names, but numbers: twelve vegetarian, four vegan, eight halal.
For vegetarian meals, that number is the minimum, not the final count. Some of your guests alternate between meat and vegetarian options, so we’ll set aside more than the number you provide.
Allergies are listed separately. We do not include any specific ingredients in the recipes for these, but we provide information about the ingredients in each dish so that guests can decide for themselves what to choose. See also the buffets offered by De Catering Compagnon.
Submit and change dietary requests up until shortly before your visit
With a large group, the number keeps changing right up until the last minute. People drop out, guests join, and someone brings a partner that no one had counted on.
Therefore, please provide a general idea when you submit your request and let us know about any changes as soon as you are aware of them. Since we shop for ingredients daily and prepare the meals ourselves, we can adjust the menu right up until the last minute.
An estimate is more useful than waiting until the list is complete. With an estimate, we can get started; without any information, we’ll end up using a default ratio that might not be accurate.
How it ends up back on the buffet
We incorporate vegetarian, vegan, and halal options throughout our menu. The vegetarian dishes are mixed in with the rest, so that guests who occasionally eat vegetarian will naturally come across them.
We serve dishes that correspond to a specific request using a dedicated serving spoon. To learn how we handle this for halal meals, see our page on halal catering in Amsterdam.
We provide buffet service for groups of 30 or more, and barbecue service for groups of 40 or more. The same procedure applies to both when providing headcounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ask about dietary preferences for a large group?
With fixed categories: vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free, and other. An open-ended question yields answers that are difficult to process.
Should I provide names or numbers?
Quantities as requested. So, twelve vegetarian, four vegan, and eight halal. We don’t need names.
How many vegetarian options do you offer?
More than the number you provide. Some of your guests alternate between meat and vegetarian dishes, so that number is the minimum.
How do I report allergies?
Aside from dietary preferences. We provide information about the ingredients in each dish so that guests can decide for themselves what to choose.
Until when can I make changes?
Please provide a general idea when you submit your request and let us know about any changes as soon as you’re aware of them. Since we prepare the food ourselves, we can make adjustments even at the last minute.
Do you have a large group with different dietary needs in Amsterdam or the surrounding area? Contact us, and we’ll discuss the options and provide you with a customized quote.
