Corporate Catering Liability

All corporations, regardless of size, have needed to organize business meetings with managers, customers, vendors, and instructors. The organization of these meetings, most often, is delegated to an administrative staff person with no food service experience, who is expected to provide foods that are impressive, fresh, meet all expectations (stated or unstated), and maintain a budget that normally is spelled out after the fact.

Below is a suggested criteria for qualifying service providers and protecting your corporation from any unnecessary liability challenges:

1. Before a caterer is considered, a Certificate of Liability Insurance and Workman's Compensation should be requested and checked for appropriate coverage. Two million dollars is normally sufficient. Should there be a challenge with all attendees of the meeting becoming ill, it is important to know that your corporation does not get hit for the liability exposure.

2. Has the kitchen generating the food for your event been inspected by the California Health Department and what grade did they receive.

3. Have the persons preparing the foods passed a Food Handler's Certification Course and certified by the State of California.

4. How will the food be delivered and what insures that the temperature of the food will be appropriate arriving at your site? Many caterings are currently being delivered in pick-up trucks.

5. Do you receive a computer driven invoice for your catering previous and at arrival? Handwritten invoices are a warning flag that Sales Tax and Workman's Compensation numbers are not going to be accurate. If the delivery person would happen to injure himself or herself while delivering, there is a strong possibility your corporation would share, if not assume all, the liability.

6. Take an hour and tour the kitchen un-announced. Having been in the food service business the last 35 years, I can assure you that your selection process becomes very easy at this step.

7. Meet those that process your catering orders. A healthy relationship with your caterer will go a long way to getting exactly what you want consistently.