Catering supplies are a necessary part of every successful event. Whether you’re planning a corporate party or creating an exciting family celebration, you’ll need to have the right catering supplies to ensure that everyone is well fed and has plenty to drink. For most people this means choosing between renting or buying the catering supplies – so, what are the pros and cons of each?
Problems with buying your own event catering supplies
There are a number of cons to buying catering supplies for your event. The upfront cost of catering equipment can be significant, and even if you own the catering equipment then, after the event, you’ll need to cover maintenance and storage, which can be expensive.
Other costs can add up once you’ve bought the catering supplies you need, for example if the catering supplies are damaged during an event then it’s you who loses and you’ll have to buy more. It may also be the case that your budget restrictions may mean that you aren’t able to access top of the range catering supplies, where renting supplies means the cost for this can be significantly lower.
At the same time, there are no guarantees of service or performance of the equipment you buy. You’re on your own – if something goes wrong with the supplies you’ve purchased there is no support available, other than from a manufacturer, so there is no peace of mind about whether your choices will be sufficient or long-lasting.
Why some people consider buying catering supplies in advance
Of course, buying your own catering equipment does mean that you can choose exactly what you want in terms of aesthetics and functionality for your event, and once the event is finished you’ll still have the catering supplies for next time, so some people do choose to buy catering supplies in advance.
Others choose to buy equipment as logistics may be easier in some cases too, since they can buy the equipment at their convenience, and you don’t have to negotiate about delivery or availability of the catering supplies. At the same time, if the catering supplies are damaged during the event, there are no compensation costs to pay – although there will be the replacement costs to pay personally.
Catering supplies hire myths
There can be some disadvantages of renting catering supplies if you don’t choose the right catering supplies partner, such as you could end up paying more for your catering equipment than necessary. Of course, the quality and performance of the items you’re supplied with will depend on how well they have been maintained and the care taken in transporting them – so again, this largely relies upon the company you choose, their reputation and reviews.
Some catering companies may only stock a small amount of choices and supplies so it is possible that you may be limited in terms of choice to what the supplier has available, and when items are damaged, the supplier may request a payment to cover repair or replacement – it is important to check this arrangement in advance so you can ensure that you know the terms.
Why choose to rent catering supplies for your event?
Renting catering supplies has a huge number of benefits and can make your overall event run much more smoothly. You will get access to a much wider range of much higher quality equipment than you may be able to afford to purchase, so you can put on a higher quality event at a fraction of the cost. Economies of scale mean you can pay less to rent high end supplies for a short period of time than to buy something of much lower quality and own it.
A catering supplies partner can also provide support in a number of ways, from scheduling and planning through to solving any supplies issues that arise on the day. Renting catering supplies can make your budgets easier to manage, not just because you’re paying less but because the payment times are predictable and easy to work around.
If you have a small up front budget for an event that you’re hoping to generate income from, renting means that you can make the payment for the supplies at the point at which you have cash in the bank. The right catering supplies partner will take care of all the maintenance and ensure that items arrive ready to perform. If you don’t have much spare time on the day itself, the catering supplies partner can manage the drop off and set up.
These are just some of the reasons why it makes sense to hire, rather than buy, your catering supplies. We have a wide range of items on offer – contact the team at Co-Ordination Event Hire to discuss your needs today.