Catering questions, answered

We cater events throughout San Mateo and nearby Peninsula communities, subject to the date, address, order size, and service requirements. Requests commonly come from clients seeking Burlingame Catering, Millbrae Catering, Foster City Catering, and Belmont Catering. Share the complete event address so we can confirm delivery availability, staffing needs, and any building-access considerations.

Our services are designed for corporate breakfasts and lunches, executive meetings, private parties, birthdays, showers, memorials, holiday gatherings, weddings, and formal dinners. Orders may range from convenient tray delivery to a fully staffed reception with rentals, florals, beverage service, and coordinated tablescape styling.

Most drop-off orders require at least 72 hours of notice. Full-service events may be accepted with a minimum of 10 days, although booking two to four weeks ahead gives you better access to preferred menus, staff, rentals, and delivery times. Weekends and the months of June, November, and December usually fill first.

Yes. Many selections are available for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free guests. Dietary designations appear on applicable menu items and should be confirmed before the order is finalized. For allergies, provide the specific allergen and the number of affected guests so the team can review suitable options and preparation limitations.

Drop-off catering brings prepared hot or chilled food ready for your group to serve, while the host manages the meal and cleanup. Full-service catering adds professional attendants for setup, presentation, replenishment, guest service, and breakdown of the catering areas. Depending on the package, full service may also include serveware, dinnerware, linens, rentals, florals, and beverage support.

Yes. Browse the menu, select your dishes and tray sizes, add them to the cart, and complete checkout with the delivery and event information. For complex menus, unusual venue logistics, or help estimating quantities, submit a custom quote request instead of checking out on your own.

Most drop-off catering orders require a $500 food minimum. Boxed meals follow a separate structure and generally require 25 boxes per selected meal or menu. Staffing, rentals, multiple addresses, and other event services may have additional minimums or charges.

Most drop-off orders must be booked at least 72 hours before delivery. That is a minimum deadline rather than a guarantee that every time slot will remain available. Earlier ordering is recommended for weekday office lunches, weekends, graduation season, and holiday periods.

Yes. Breakfast, lunch, appetizer, dinner, dessert, and beverage selections may be mixed to suit the event. This is useful for all-day meetings, open houses, company retreats, or celebrations with more than one meal period. Dietary labels are shown on applicable items to help you build a varied menu.

The displayed price covers the selected menu item and its stated quantity. Delivery, staffing, rentals, service-related fees, and optional additions are calculated separately. Review the cart or proposal to confirm whether disposable place settings, serving utensils, chafing equipment, beverages, or other supplies are included.

Wedding catering can include menu planning, rental coordination, setup, professional service staff, buffet, plated, or family-style dinner service, and cleanup of the catering areas. Couples may also add passed appetizers, stations, coffee and tea, cakes, bartenders, tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, florals, and complete tablescape styling.

Yes. Mobile tastings are complimentary for confirmed wedding bookings and may also be purchased before signing a contract. If you later book with San Mateo Catering Company, the tasting charge can be removed from the final bill. Tastings are most useful after you have narrowed the menu to a focused set of options.

Wedding packages generally range from about $55 to $120 per guest, depending on the menu, service format, and staffing level. A buffet is usually more economical than an elaborate plated dinner. Premium entrées, rentals, florals, appetizers, cakes, beverages, bartenders, and challenging venue logistics can increase the final per-person investment.

We offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free selections and can label applicable buffet dishes. Plated receptions may require final dietary counts and a clear meal-identification system. Provide specific allergens and the number of affected guests early because food may be prepared in facilities that also handle common allergens.

Yes. The catering team can coordinate with your planner, venue manager, and rental vendors regarding access windows, floor plans, staging areas, serving time, and breakdown requirements. San Mateo, Burlingame, Millbrae, Foster City, and Belmont venues may have parking, elevator, security, or loading restrictions that need to be included in the final service plan.

Booking at least four to six weeks before the wedding is recommended, although popular dates are often reserved months earlier. A wedding may occasionally be accepted with as little as 10 days of notice, but availability is not guaranteed. Weekends and the months of June, November, and December typically book first.

Orders totaling more than $3,000 require a 50% deposit. The signed agreement and required deposit reserve the date according to the proposal terms. The remaining balance is due 10 days before the wedding.

Yes. Bartenders and expert bartenders are available. San Mateo Catering Company does not sell alcohol, so the couple or venue must provide it. The proposal will clarify mixers, ice, glassware, refrigeration, and other bar supplies.

Full-service catering includes event setup, professional attendants, buffet, family-style, or plated meal service, food replenishment, and breakdown and cleanup of the contracted catering areas. Optional additions may include passed appetizers, beverage stations, coffee and tea, rentals, floral design, tablescapes, and bartending staff.

Staffing is based on guest count, service style, menu, venue layout, and timeline. A buffet generally uses about one server for every 25 guests, while plated dinners typically require one server for every 15 to 20 guests. Events with 50 or more guests commonly include a captain who supervises service and timing.

No. Gratuity is optional and is not automatically included. Any gratuity provided is distributed evenly among the cooks, drivers, servers, bartenders, customer-service staff, and rental team members who contribute to the event. Service-related charges shown on the proposal are separate from voluntary gratuity.

Inclusions vary by package. Some full-service options include ceramic plates, traditional utensils, glassware, and linens, while more budget-conscious packages use elegant disposable dinnerware. Upgraded china, glassware, linens, tables, chairs, and other rentals may be added when they are not already included.

Booking three to four weeks ahead is recommended for the best availability. A full-service event may sometimes be accepted as late as 10 days before the date, depending on the menu, staffing, rentals, and complexity. Weekends and June, November, and December are especially busy.

Most full-service packages begin at 25 guests. For a more intimate gathering, drop-off catering with an attendant may provide support with setup, food monitoring, or cleanup without requiring a complete full-service package.

Yes. The food is prepared before arrival, so most events do not require an on-site commercial kitchen. We may still need a suitable staging area and, depending on the menu, access to water, electrical outlets, refrigeration, or a protected workspace away from guests.

Full-service availability extends throughout San Mateo and nearby Peninsula communities based on the event date, address, and scope. Burlingame Catering, Millbrae Catering, Foster City Catering, and Belmont Catering requests should include the complete venue address so travel, parking, delivery, and staffing requirements can be confirmed.

Boxed-meal service generally requires at least 25 boxes per meal. Classic and artisan boxed lunches may allow eligible sandwiches and wraps to be mixed within the order. Breakfast and dinner boxes usually require a minimum of 25 of the same selected box.

Every meal is sealed and individually packaged with the appropriate utensils and a napkin. This format makes distribution easier for offices, trainings, conferences, outdoor programs, school events, and groups whose guests may eat at different times.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free boxes can be marked upon request. Provide the exact number required in each category and identify serious allergies separately so the team can review appropriate options and preparation limitations.

Cold boxes should generally be eaten within two hours when kept at room temperature. Hot boxes arrive in insulated carriers and should usually be served within one hour. Coordinate delivery closely with the meal period, or arrange suitable refrigeration for cold meals that will be held before distribution.

Most boxed-meal orders require at least 72 hours of notice. Large quantities, multiple dietary variations, detailed labeling, or complicated office access may require five or more days. Earlier booking is recommended for conferences, executive meetings, and multi-day programs.

Yes, provided each delivery address meets the $500 minimum. Additional delivery charges may apply. Supply a separate meal count, requested arrival time, access instructions, and on-site contact for every San Mateo, Burlingame, Millbrae, Foster City, or Belmont location.

Cold breakfast and lunch boxes begin around $18.75 per person. Hot lunch boxes start at approximately $30 per person, and hot dinner boxes begin around $40 per person. The final total depends on the selected menu, premium choices, dietary modifications, beverages, desserts, and delivery details.

Yes. Companies ordering weekly or monthly meals may receive a dedicated coordinator and locked pricing. Recurring service is useful for team lunches, trainings, executive meetings, and staggered shifts. Menu rotation, quantities, dietary needs, and change deadlines can be established when the schedule is created.

November and December fill quickly, so booking three to five weeks ahead is recommended for likely availability. Popular weekday lunch periods and Thursday-through-Saturday celebrations may sell out earlier, especially for large staffed events or orders requiring rentals and florals.

Yes. Corporate holiday service is available for groups of approximately 25 to more than 400 guests. Options include staffed buffets, family-style meals, plated dinners, appetizers, beverage service, bartenders, rentals, florals, and cleanup of the contracted catering areas.

Yes. Holiday entrées, sides, salads, breads, and desserts may be ordered à la carte for an office lunch or private celebration. The food arrives ready to serve, while the client manages distribution and cleanup unless attendants or equipment are added.

A limited number of events are accepted on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve, and holiday surcharges apply. The company is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. These limited service periods should be reserved well in advance.

Yes. Holiday events may add tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, serving equipment, seasonal centerpieces, floral arrangements, and coordinated tablescapes. Combining these services can simplify setup and create a cohesive look for corporate or private celebrations.

Holiday orders cancelled at least 72 hours before the event are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Confirmed orders cancelled with less than 72 hours of notice are subject to a 100% cancellation fee because food, staffing, rentals, and other resources may already have been committed.

Available designs include bud-vase groupings, centerpieces, statement arrangements, floral meadows, arches, mantle installations, custom bloom bars, flower-crown bars, balloon arches, and complete tablescape styling coordinated with linens, china, and other event details.

Yes. You may review the offerings displayed on the page or request a custom consultation and proposal. A custom design plan can outline the intended palette, style, representative flowers, recommended pieces, and pricing before the floral order is finalized.

Current starting prices include bud-vase clusters from $95 for three, lush centerpieces around $195 to $350 per table, statement arrangements from $350 to $600, the signature tabletop broken-arch set from $800, meadows from $400 to $600, installations from approximately $1,350 to $8,500, mantle designs from about $750 to $2,000, and bloom bars from $48 per guest. Custom work is priced by scope.

Yes. Share preferred varieties, colors, inspiration images, and any flowers you do not want. Exact stems cannot always be guaranteed because availability changes with season and wholesale supply. When substitutions are needed, comparable flowers are selected based on color, shape, texture, and overall visual effect.

Booking three to four weeks ahead is recommended for better design and sourcing flexibility. Some orders may be accepted with approximately 10 days of notice, depending on the event date, scale, installation requirements, staffing, and flower availability.

Setup is included so arrangements are placed before guests arrive. Breakdown and disposal may be added when you want the team to return for arches, meadows, mantle pieces, rental vessels, mechanics, and floral waste after the event.

Yes. Fresh flowers may be kept upon request, and guests are welcome to take arrangements or individual stems. Some vases, stands, structures, or installation mechanics may be rental items that must remain on-site for collection, so ownership will be clarified before the event.

Rental categories include Chiavari and resin chairs, guest tables with standard linens, cocktail and buffet tables, glassware, china, flatware, chafing dishes, and selected floral or tablescape additions. Inventory and quantities are subject to availability for the event date.

Rental orders require on-site attendants for setup, safe handling, breakdown, and preparation for pickup. This protects the equipment and prevents the client or venue from being responsible for moving and managing commercial tables, chairs, china, glassware, or service pieces.

There is no strict minimum for the rental products themselves, but on-site staffing is required. Because staffing affects the total cost, most clients receive better value by combining rentals with catering, florals, or a full-service package.

Yes. Every guest table rented through us includes one standard linen. A broad selection of colors may be available to coordinate with the event palette, flowers, company branding, or other tabletop details. Specialty fabrics or layered linens may be priced separately when available.

Normal wear from appropriate event use is covered. Significant damage, breakage, loss, or items unavailable for collection are billed at replacement cost. This may include missing glassware, china, flatware, linens, chairs, serving equipment, or decorative pieces.

Delivery is typically scheduled on the event date, about two to four hours before guests arrive. Pickup may take place later that evening or the following morning, depending on the event end time, venue access, staffing plan, and whether the property permits items to remain overnight.

Yes. You may use suitable tables, chairs, or other inventory already supplied by the venue and rent only what is missing. Provide table dimensions, floor plans, loading information, stairs, elevators, parking restrictions, and setup deadlines so the correct items and labor can be planned.

Yes. We provide a catering agreement after your quote is approved. Orders totaling more than $3,000 require a 50% deposit to confirm the booking.

Yes. We’re happy to revise your menu or guest count before the 10-day deadline. Once production is underway, adjustments may not be possible.

Our commercial kitchen is based in Pleasanton, and we cater throughout the Bay Area. We regularly serve San Mateo and neighboring Peninsula communities such as Burlingame, Foster City, Belmont, Millbrae, and Hillsborough, delivering directly to offices, homes, wedding venues, and other event locations.