How to Cater a Breakfast: Steps to Success

If your delivery person is scheduled to have the orders checked, vehicle loaded, and leave your location with three continental breakfast deliveries at 7:00 a.m., how much time is required to prepare the out-going orders?

The baked goods

• Scoop and bake muffins
• Par-baked danish, scones, croissants
• Tea breads, coffee cakes

How to prepare

• Pre-heat the oven (15 minutes)
• Cooking time (15 minutes)
• Cooling time (15 minutes)
• Platter with garnish, lids, and labels (15 minutes)

*Total time = 1 Hour

During that hour

• Coffee is brewed and poured
• Sliced fruit or fruit salad can be prepped and already on the platter. Fruit, depending on the volume, can be done the afternoon before. (Tip: In this case, top off with berries that morning. Otherwise, they will bleed overnight.)

Load delivery vehicle

Assuming that all went well with no curve balls, someone would need to be at your operation at 6:00 a.m., at the latest.

The breakfast setup

All deliveries must include set-ups with paper goods, condiments, and serving utensils. These should be assembled the afternoon before.

Set up items for continental breakfast

A Continental breakfast includes coffee, tea (on request at additional charge), juice, sliced fruit or fruit salad.

• Coffee
• Hot water
• Hot cups
• Stirrers
• Sugar / sugar substitute
• Milkers and creamers
• Tea bags
• Lemon wedges
• Napkins
• Drip plates (underneath air pots or Cambros)
• Plates
• Napkins
• Knives
• Spreader
• Butter / jelly
• Cream cheese
• Small bowls for fruit salad
• Serving spoon
• Forks

Disposables

When we use the descriptor “Corporate Drop-off Catering,” disposable paperware/plasticware, serving platters, lids, serving bowls, chafer racks and inserts, tablecloths, and utensils is applicable for 95% of orders. For coffee and hot water, some operations use cardboard / plastic insulated “Joe-to-Go” boxes that you would see from a chain retail operation. We use, and prefer, air pots and Cambros with our wrap-around logo adhesives. These need to be tracked so they can be retrieved.

Train your staff

It’s quite the process, but you and your catering team can be the best in the biz at catering a breakfast for your customers! Don’t stop until it’s perfect! They will truly appreciate your effort and timeliness.

If you need more tips, please visit us at www.thecorporatecaterer.com!  You can visit Michael’s website or email him.