How much say should guests have in the catering choices?

Question

We are planning on having our catering done by a local pizza place where we had our first date :) Its a pretty well known (at least in our area), trendy, and somewhat upscale place so I don't think it would be too tacky to have them cater. (plus we're having a more casual wedding reception)

This place has a huge menu with many different pizza options. They have all the usual pizza toppings and specialty pizzas, but they also have more unusual toppings like goat cheese and mock-dock and cool specialty pizzas like baked potato, shrimp pesto, barbeque, and mexican pizza. On top of that, they also have a lot of delicious appetizers, sandwiches, pasta and salads which they do catering sized orders of.

Knowing our friends and family, the vast majority of the guests are going to love our catering choice, but I know of at least 2 (out of 70-100) people who may not be thrilled about the pizza part of it. I want to provide some alternatives but I'm not sure what to get and how much of it. All of the salad, pasta and sandwich platters serve about 10 people, I don't want to over or under order.

We're serving buffet style, so we don't need a super precise number of what each person wants, but I do want to make sure that everyone finds something they'll like. Typically on RSVP cards they give 2-4 dinner options, but with all our options I'm not sure how to simplify it that far. Should we just order an assortment of pizza's with appetizers and an alternative or two for the pizza? Or should we try to gauge guest interest so we have a better idea of what to order? How should we do that?

Also, the pizzas come in 10", 12" and 16" sizes. The largest size serves the most people for the cost of it, but the slices might be a bit big and unwieldy. I'm thinking we should maybe opt for the medium sized. How many slices should we count on people eating if we offer appetizers beforehand?

Thanks for any advice!

Answer 1

I had pizza at my wedding reception and everyone loved it. Great choice! Here's my take on your situation:



1.) Order the largest/cheapest size pizza. People will most likely eat it with a knife and fork if it's too big to pick up. No point in spending more money for more crusts that no one will eat anyway.



2.) Say you're ordering 10 pizzas (simplfied for the sake of the math) - 4 are cheese & pepperoni/sausage (whichever meat is most popular in your area), 2 are all veggie, 2 are meat lovers, and 2 are gourmet. That will give everyone something to choose from, withough getting crazy with everyone creating their own pizza via the response cards.



3.) I would not get all cheese. I have planned many company lunches, school parties and my own pizza wedding reception. All cheese pizzas are always left over. Similarly, do not worry about gluten free anything - much too hard to control - you'd hate for the wrong label to get on the wrong pizza. Better to let anyone with that type of food restriction work out their own eating plan.



4.)I would have enough salad for everyone, whether they eat it or not.



5.) For those two people who won't like pizza, you cannot make everyone happy. They will either eat the pizza and salad or they won't. If you try to order them a special dinner, other people might like the looks of better, and wonder where they can get the same thing. Or worse, feel like they were having to eat the pizza buffet when others got their own personal meal. That would be awkward.



6.) If you decide to do a pasta, not everyone will eat it, so best to ask the restaurant how to figure out the pasta proportions. I would guess that you'd end up ordered pizza for everyone, salad for everyone and pasta for about 1/2 of the number of guests.



7.) I had 120 people at my wedding. We ate 31 pizzas and about 1 tray of pasta. We took 1 tray home.



8.) Finally, I would design my reception cards to clearly say that it will be a Pizza Party, so that those who have pizza eating issues can be well warned and can plan ahead.

Answer 2

I think you're over thinking this. First, since you're serving buffet style, there is no need to put meal choices on the RSVP card. You only do this if you're serving a plated meal.



Just serve a nice variety of pizza choices, some sandwiches, salad, and a pasta choice. Talk with the restaurant - they probably have experience in catering and can guide your choices. As far as the pizza slices, I agree with you that the slices from larger pizzas can be unwieldy. Ask the restaurant to cut the pizzas in squares. Much easier to serve and eat. Plus you get more slices from each pizza.



You can't completely please each and every guest at your wedding. All you can do is provide a nice variety of choices. If you have the restaurant provide servers, you can control portions so you don't run out before each guest has been served. A good caterer will make sure there is more than enough so every guest is served and usually there is more than enough for anyone wanting seconds.

Answer 3

I think it sounds awesome by the way.



To answer your question, make it simple. When we married, I had chosen like 6 wines for our guests to choose at the bar (we married at a winery). They told me, too many choices, people will get to the bar and not know what to choose. I think the same thing applies here. Offer like 4 different pizzas, but any more than that and you have people wandering around inspecting the toppings on each pizza to figure out which one they want, traffic jam. The 2 people who cannot eat pizza, you can arrange for a different meal for them. Does the restaurant do pasta? Im not suggesting offering pasta to everyone, just two servings.



What are your side dishes? I would have 4 or 5 pizzas, 2 salads, and then a few sides. You may save money with the 16" but it is not worth it when your guests are struggling to keep themselves clean. Get the med or small size, keep your guests comfort in mind.



On the RSVP, you offer no choice. If you take everyones tastes into account, you will be more lost than you are now. Everyone loves pizza (well except two)... they will love whatever you choose.



** Why not list some of the pizzas you are considering here and get our opinion? I would do plain cheese, a basic pepperoni and mushroom, and then maybe 2 or 3 of these cool specialty pizzas you mentioned.

Answer 4

First, this sounds really yummy, but do NOT derail yourself by trying to cater to a couple people who may not like it. Once you start down that road, especially with putting this on the response card, you'll need a spreadsheet to keep track of it. Someone might say they like anything but pepperoni...how do you factor that in?



Keep it simple. Stick to 3 types of pizza: a pepperoni, a vegetarian (even meat eaters like these), and then pick a specialty. For most people, if you run out of one type, they'll just go for a different type. And the restaurant should help you figure out how many you'll need. It's impossible to guess without knowing what your apps are and also what other options are out there.



Then I'd try to get subs to feed maybe 10, tossed salad and garlic bread.



For your sanity, you might want to find a couple co-workers or even people from the restaurant that you'd pay to manage all this. You've got a pretty large group, and you might want to set it up so that the pizza portion is served to guests rather than let them get their own.



Finally, make sure you get high quality plastic plates and tableware. Pizza places don't have this, since many people eat with their hands or use their own stuff at home. But you want something nicer and MUCH sturdier for a wedding.



PS - On the specialty pizzas, I forgot to mention that another reason you want to limit it to one is that there's a VERY high risk of uneaten portions. Someone could take 2 pieces and not like it at all. With more traditional flavors, nobody has ever bitten into a pepperoni pizza and said it didn't taste like they thought it would. Besides, if your guests already like this place, they can get those unique ones any time they want.

Answer 5

Usually the only time the meal options are listed on the invitation is for a plated meal when the person needs to make a choice up front. With a buffet, this is not necessary. If you offer some pizza, salads and pasta, surely anyone can find something they can eat. If a person doesn't care for pizza (are they nuts?), they can easily make a meal of pasta and salad.



As for varieties of pizza, the more offbeat it is, the less people will generally gravitate towards it. The restaurant can make suggestions here. More people will want a cheese pizza than a goat cheese and sardine pizza...Your caterer knows which pizzas are popular, and it may not even be a kind you'd normally consider, like maybe pineapple and ham are popular sellers, even though its not something I'd ever choose.

Answer 6

In my opinion, it's polite and gracious to take into account people's dietary restrictions. If someone is so picky or stuck up that they can't find SOMETHING to eat from the buffet you described, then I think they can just clutch their rumbling belly until they get home.



In my opinion, just get an assortment. If you run out of the mock duck and goat cheese (which sounds AMAZING by the way) - there will be something else people can try. PIzza, some pasta salads and garden salads ought to do it. And, frankly, if you run out - then you run out. Sometimes with these things it's a crap shoot and you don't know what people are going to want.



Frankly, there are enough wedding planning battles to fight and I think you're going to drive yourself crazy trying to predict what kind of pizza people are going to want. It's a great idea with tremendous sentimental value. Don't give people menu card options as it'll just complicate what should be a simple process.

Answer 7

There seems something for every dietary limitation with the many pizzas you are going to order so I would not put anything about food on the RSVP cards. I would order the smallest size pizza since there will be less waste that way should a guest take a large piece, taste it and decide they do not like it. I would think 3 pieces each would be most generous( after appetizers). Arent you simply tired of everyone's food discriminations. It used to be nothing was ever mentioned about the menu at an event and if someone did not like it or 'thought' they were needing gluten free, fat free, etc they never spoke of it but simply did not partake of that particular food item. Now we have gone crazy trying to please everyone. Keep it simple . Your guests would have a very enjoyable time even if there were only one kind of pizza so try to relax . Best wishes on what will be a perfect and fun wedding!

Answer 8

I don't think guests should have any say really (except maybe your and/or his parents if they are helping to pay for it). It is your wedding and if they don't like the food then they don't have to eat. I am sure if they are really hungry they can eat pizza or part of the pizza (crust, cheese, whatever) and since you will have appetizers, I wouldn't worry about it. I would order a variety of pizzas but maybe having more traditional choices like cheese and meats. I wouldn't even bother putting it on the RSVP card. Also, I don't know if it is possible, but could the pizza be cut into squares like a Greek-style pizza? That might make it easier to eat. I am having a wedding too and I am not really giving my guests too much choice, although I have heard a lot of complaining about the kind of food I am having since it is seafood and most of them are from the midwest and not really in to that. You have a fun idea, I am sure it will work out fine. Good luck.

Answer 9

You choose a couple types of specialty pizza (4 to 6 maybe), have tons of plain pies and traditional (pepperoni, bacon, peppers, etc) and the salads and sides. People eat what is offered or they go hungry, plain and simple. The only thing you SHOULD worry about with the menu is offering a gluten-free option. Most pizza places now offer gluten-free pizza so I would definitely get a couple of those as well and label everything really well.



Good luck!

Answer 10

Just use common sense and you will please a majority.



Order a variety of pizzas (cheese only, veggie only, meats, etc;)



And sides that compliment pizza:



Caesar salad (plus another kind?)

Garlic Bread/Sticks

Pasta (a white and a red)



Pizza is a crowd pleaser, if you run out of one specialty kind, there will be another kind people like. It won't be the end of the world.

Answer 11

choose several different types of pizza and be sure to include plain cheese and cheese and pepperoni for the traditionalists and children. use the medium sized pizzas and figure about 3 to 4 slices per person to be sure you have enough.



add at least one sandwich platter, enough salad to serve everyone, and pasta with two sauce choices. (red and white)



if you have any left overs, these are things which keep well and can easily be eaten at home so make sure you have more rather than not enough.

Answer 12

Honestly, I would not serve pizza at all. I would serve a pasta dish, a salad and perhaps a chicken dish. Dont forget Italian bread.

Answer 13

Ranting is not allowed.