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Alpha Catering

How to choose a caterer in Dhaka

Most catering decisions in Dhaka are made from a phone call and a forwarded photo album. That is enough to find someone who can cook. It is not enough to find someone who will still be standing at 8pm with 80 guests waiting. These six questions take about ten minutes and separate an operation from a phone number. Ask them of any caterer, including this one.

  1. 1

    Where is the food cooked?

    A central production kitchen with hygiene control is a different operation from a rented burner at the venue. One has a process that survives a bad day. The other has a cook who might. Ask to see the kitchen, and treat a refusal as the answer.

  2. 2

    Are the prices published?

    A caterer who shows prices before you call has nothing left to adjust after hearing your budget. A caterer who quotes only after learning what you can spend is pricing you, not the food. Ask for the item list with numbers on it.

  3. 3

    Who else trusts them daily?

    Event photographs prove one good day. A daily contract proves a year of them, because a cafeteria cannot be staged and a client who is unhappy leaves in a month. Ask what they cook every single day, and for whom. Alpha runs cafeterias for HSBC at four locations and Standard Chartered at two.

  4. 4

    Is there a real service line?

    One number, staffed, with someone who can actually confirm an order. Not a personal mobile that goes unanswered on a Friday. Alpha’s line is staffed 10am to 10pm every day on +880 1755-664455.

  5. 5

    Are the terms in writing?

    Advance, balance, and what the quote excludes should be on paper before the event, not discovered on the night. Serving staff, setup, crockery and delivery are commonly charged separately across the market, so ask which of them are in the number you were given. Alpha takes 50% to confirm private events with the balance due by the event day.

  6. 6

    What happens at your headcount?

    Every caterer has a guest count they are comfortable at. Ask how they handle yours, not their best one. A caterer who is honest about being wrong for a 300 guest wedding is telling you something useful about the 40 guest dinner they are right for.

What to do next

If you are comparing caterers on price, the fastest way to start is with a published list rather than a phone call. Alpha publishes every item and every platter price.

Phone and WhatsApp +880 1755-664455, 10am to 10pm, every day.