Question 1

What is your attire?

Accepted Answer

Whenever you see us, we'll be in black shirts with our company name on them, and black pants. Our goal is to blend into the background and not be noticeable as we perform our duties.

Question 2

À La Carte Menu Pricing Explanation?

Accepted Answer

We price complete meals. For example, let's use an appetizers example with nice round numbers. Since COVID costs are up here's and example: cubed meats and cheeses with mustards and crackers at $6.00 per person, meatballs at $6.00 per person, crudité (veggies and ranch) at $3.00 per person, and sliced fruit at $3.00 per person, totaling $18.00 per person if you just added them up from a menu. We understand that not all items will be consumed in full portions if there are 4 choices for your guests. Therefore, we typically charge around $13.00 per person for these items. This pricing approach ensures that you receive value for the items you select, and any savings are passed on to you.

Question 3

Handling Special Requests?

Accepted Answer

We strive to accommodate special requests. However, limitations may arise due to food quality considerations. For instance, we may refrain from baking and transporting fish for extended periods of time to maintain freshness. Nevertheless, we can often grill items onsite, such as Salmon with a dill sauce, providing additional culinary opportunities.

Refer to other FAQ's regarding food allergies.

Question 4

Sample Menu Availability?

Accepted Answer

Under the menu tab on the website we have sample/starter menus. Custom menus are common and we can work with you to create your menu. The appetizers package featured on the back of the Bridal Show flyer has our most popular appetizers. Our extended menu has a lot of ideas including BBQ, grilled onsite, stations, additional appetizers, linens, China and bartenders. If you're interested in exploring further options, please contact us for our extended menu.

Question 5

Can you cater at a venue without facilities?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we often cater events in venues such as tents and barns that lack facilities. We really only need a table to unwrap the foil from our pans and a place to put our dirty pans temporarily. We can bring an EZ-up or two and tables if we need to. Everything comes back with us and gets run through our commercial dishwasher. Our vans are equipped with refrigerators/freezers, and we also bring a hand wash station for our staff.

Question 6

When do we arrive?

Accepted Answer

Our first van arrives approximately 2 hours before dinner service to set up appetizers and the buffet. A second van with the hot food for dinner arrives an hour before the buffet service to allow for any unforeseen delays. Timing may vary for events held in barns, tents, or with onsite grilling, as each catering event is unique.

Question 7

Do you include disposable dinnerware?

Accepted Answer

Base are the heavy duty foam 3 compartment plates, first upgrade is a plastic plate with the same heavy duty plastic silverware. The 2nd upgrade is also disposable that looks like real China including chrome colored plastic silverware, and lastly real China.

Question 8

What China upgrades do you offer?

Accepted Answer

Our extended menu China upgrades:

1. We have a simple plastic plate upgrade with the same white heavy duty plastic silverware and paper napkins.

2. Disposable plastic but looks like real china and silverware.

3. Real China. If you’d like our extended menu please contact us via phone or email.

Question 9

What area do you service?

Accepted Answer

We service about a 100-mile radius of Pittsburgh. If the travel distance is beyond a half an hour we have a fee to cover labor and the vans for the rest of the trip. Just to cover our additional payroll and van expenses.

Question 10

What venues have you been at?

Accepted Answer

We can cater anywhere that allows outside caterers. It's important to note that there are many illegal "garage" caterers with no insurance, etc. Our kitchen is equipped to handle up to 1,000 quality dinners per day for events like Weddings and Corporate Holiday parties. Quality staff for off-premise catering is valuable and difficult to find, and we pride ourselves on our expertise in this area.  You can see the venue list below.

Question 11

Can you provide RAMP Certified bartenders?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we do offer RAMP Certified bartenders, with one bartender for every 100 guests. Our bartenders prioritize efficiency to minimize wait times. For example, if you're having signature drinks, we pre-make the mixed part without the alcohol and put it in iced tea dispensers. Then, we add the alcohol for each individual guest drink. This helps to ensure guest satisfaction by preparing the guests' drinks as quickly as possible. We also provide Pop and water through the bar.

Question 12

What does the Barback service include?

Accepted Answer

Our Barback service includes everything except alcohol. This encompasses plasticware, mixers, garnishes, napkins, ice and coolers with your beer and wine. We do not handle kegs, and our bartenders are typically middle-aged women.

We will work with you on any signature drinks and hard alcohols so that we can bring the most popular mixers. A few weeks out we’ll also ask about how many types of beer bottles/cans, how many wines and if you would like bottles, cans, or boxes.

Question 13

How many guests will one grill handle?

Accepted Answer

We use one grill for up to 100 guests. We can also grill additional items such as marinated squash and zucchini as your vegetables. In addition we serve normal dinner entrees of beef, chicken, pork, portabella’s and fish. For dessert we can also grill pineapple, peaches and other items.

Our extended menu offers a variety of grilling options that we can email upon request.

Question 14

What happens to any leftover food we bring back?

Accepted Answer

The majority of leftover food is donated to Vandergrift Meals on Wheels, with some portions supporting additional families in need. We prioritize minimizing food waste and supporting our community wherever possible.

Question 15

Pickup Option?

Accepted Answer

We provide pickup services in Vandergrift at no additional charge. The food is carefully packed into disposable pans for your convenience. However, please ensure suitable arrangements are made to keep the food hot during transit.

Question 16

Dropoff/Delivery Services?

Accepted Answer

Dropoff or delivery services are usually available, depending on our existing bookings for the day. A fee will apply and we recommend contacting us in advance to confirm availability and discuss logistics.

Question 17

Staffed Events?

Accepted Answer

While staffing is possible, it may not always be the most cost-effective option, especially for smaller events with minimal drink service. However, we can provide staffing for your event if required. This handles setup, maintaining the buffet and busing the dirty plates.

Usually Weddings and Corporate events are staffed.

Question 18

Most Popular Service Option?

Accepted Answer

Our most popular service option for small parties is dropoff/setup/pickup. With this option, we handle everything from bringing the food, plates, chafers, serving utensils, and drinks, (if applicable) to setting up the chafers for the buffet and loading the first pans of food.  Additionally we leave a hot box with the extra food ensuring everything is ready for your event. We have you call us when you’re about done and we come back to put leftover food into disposable pans for you to take home. Then we clean up our equipment and leave.

Staffing is available at an additional charge.

Weddings and Corporate events are usually staffed.

Any event with a grill or carving station are staffed.

Question 19

Where is your commercial kitchen?

Accepted Answer

Our commercial kitchen is located in Downtown Vandergrift.

Question 20

How many Weddings do you do per day?

Accepted Answer

We used to do 3 or 4 weddings per day, but now we're doing 1 or 2, depending on the first wedding booked for that date. Large weddings (over 250 guests) or those with special requirements like real China or Barback, and others that may require extra crew, are the only wedding for that day. This can determine how many weddings or other catering events we can staff on any given date.

Question 21

Do you offer concessions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we do concessions for festivals. Our offerings include Italian foods, sausages, lemonade, and shave ice.

Question 22

Do you operate a food truck?

Accepted Answer

We have a food trailer that we use occasionally, mostly for concessions at events.

Question 23

Best value option?

Accepted Answer

Buffet is the best value for your money, not only does it provide more food selection, the guests also get to choose their portion sizes.

Question 24

Do you handle family style?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we can and will. We do think a buffet works better and is more cost-effective considering family-style has a lot more waste and adds labor costs vs a buffet.

If this is what you want we can do it. (Note: This seems to often be requested near Uniontown)

Question 25

Do you provide table service (set down dinners)?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer table service. Please contact us for more information as there are several details to discuss. This includes rolls & butter, salads & dressing, water goblets including initial filling & refilling, maybe pitchers on the table, how many entrees and what vegetables and potatoes you would like.

Most of the time this requires real China. Table service significantly increases the required labor.

Question 26

Why do most menus have pasta and marinara?

Accepted Answer

Many menus include pasta and marinara sauce because younger guests, particularly children, often prefer non-meat options. While some guests enjoy pasta as a side dish, for others, it serves as their main course. We mention this because we encounter this scenario regularly, and we understand that party planners may not always be aware of it. With this we can ensure they have a preferred entrée as well. However, you're not obligated to include pasta on your menu at all.

Question 27

What’s so special about your bacon?

Accepted Answer

We make it salty and well smoked on purpose to use in our carbonara, bacon wrapped tater tots, as a topping for salads, potato stations (baked, tots, mashed) and possibly in our mac n cheese and cheesy potatoes.

Question 28

What is a tasting?

Accepted Answer

We have a few tastings a year where people can sign up, as we limit how many can come to try all of our most popular foods and see displays of nightcap bars, linens, China, etc.

Typically we leave the old tasting posted as the menu is usually the same and when the next tasting date is set, we’ll update the information. Many people find it useful when picking a menu and other items/services offered.

You don’t need to attend a tasting, most people book without attending. It is such a great opportunity to have a table of up to 6 people to try these foods. This is why we have tastings. We usually contact our folks who have called, emailed, or filled out a “contact us” form at a show before publicizing a tasting if we have any room left.

Question 29

Do you use canned vegetables?

Accepted Answer

We use frozen vegetables other than for on the grill, then we use fresh. Frozen taste so much better than canned.

Question 30

What is aujus or au jus?

Accepted Answer

"Au jus (pronounced "oh zhoo") is a French term that means "with juice." It’s basically very thin juice. Think of it as bouillon, just less salty, in case you don’t know what it is. It’s a condiment we send with carving stations for steamship or top round, along with horsey sauce and horseradish."

Question 31

What is your booking process for a Wedding?

Accepted Answer

After we have a good proposal, we’ll put it into our simple contract.

Basically, we work together to ensure accuracy with menus, other items, and the number of guests. A 20% deposit holds your space on our calendar for your date. We have limited crews and only book what we can do well.

There are two long lead-time items: steamships and RAMP-certified bartenders. Aside from these, you can make reasonable changes to menus and other items (China, linens, etc.) until two weeks before the event. At that time, we’ll send you a final invoice, and you can send in a check. Since we purchase almost everything fresh the week before (aside from the two items above), we don’t require final payment months in advance. We strive to be as flexible as possible throughout the process, including payment.

We prefer cash or checks as credit cards add a 5% processing fee. You can mix and match check and credit card payments and only pay the 5% on actual credit card payments. For instance, the deposit can be paid by credit card with the 5% fee, but if the rest of the balance is paid in cash or check, there won’t be an additional 5%. Payments are posted in our software and will appear on future proposals and the final invoice.

We aim to make your day as stress-free as possible with our portion of responsibilities, including the contract process.

Question 32

Fast Food vs. Catering – Which Offers Better Value?

Accepted Answer

Fast food vs. Catering – Everyone is price conscience.  And I believe that we are always the best value.  Let me help put something in perspective for you.

If you go to Wendy’s, McDonalds, Arby’s, etc. and get their most popular sandwich meal it’s going to be $10-$12.  Lets break that down, the drink all in (syrup, cup, ice, straw) is less than 40 cents, the fries aren’t much more, and you went and picked it up. The only item with any real cost was the entrée.  So when you’re thinking of a party with a couple entrees, more substantial side items than fries, and typically more side items, think of what you pay for fast food that you have to go get.

To us the last thing that makes sense is inviting a bunch of your favorite people to enjoy the party then  get sub-par food due to cost.  We work with folks to try and stay within their budget.

Question 33

What is a tasting and do I need to come?

Accepted Answer

A tasting is a chance for Brides, Corporate folks, Planners, Venues to come try our most popular foods.  It’s an excellent opportunity to bring 6 folks and get their opinions.  We have a few per year when they fill up and we don’t advertise them.  We do leave an old one on the website so you can see what we typically have.

Some folks book because they’ve had our food before, or simply create a menu of their favorite foods. For Brides and repeat Corporate customers this is a chance to experience other foods, our staff, and get any questions answered.

We also have displays of ur linens. China upgrades, Night Cap Bars, RAMP Certified Bartenders and Barback, giving you a full picture of what we can add to your event.

You don't have to attend a tasting, there are other items and services we offer at a tasting in addition to the food.

Question 34

Lernerville Speedway!

Accepted Answer

Want something different for your party? We Cater 50 to 800 at Lernerville.

We can work with you on a menu, whether you want  onsite grilling or the food already prepared. There is currently only 1 pavilion there. Racing is Friday night and we already Cater a few of them.

There is the possibility of rental other days of the week. We can help with a package deal for tickets.

Question 35

Why is my guest count important?

Accepted Answer

First of all it has to do with if you’re getting a Steamship Round of Beef.  We need to order then a month ahead and starting in 2025 can’t even specify a size range as we used to.  So they can be 60 to 100 pounds.  If undersized it’s easy we prepare a top round as backup as that’s the best part of the Steamship to begin with.
 
Other than a Steamship it lets us know how much work for our Cooks, shopping, how many staff and Vans for your event when we figure what work we can take on.  We’re flexible with menu and guest count but when pricing it’s an important factor.  The price per person is higher for 50 guests versus 200 guests with the same menu.  PLEASE See our FAQ about a la carte pricing.

Tommy's Catering FAQ

Frequently asked questions