Wondering why catered fare at a wedding is soooo much more expensive than similarly-priced food at a restaurant? It is because the food has to be served at one time, and the catering staff is only capable of doing one event per night. In any restaurant, whether diner or fine dining establishment, the food is staggered. This means the kitchen is putting out about 15 dishes at a time, not dishes for guests at a 50+ person wedding. Serving a whole lot of food at one time seriously increases staff requirements, resulting in labor costing two to three times what it would even at a mid-tier restaurant. Rather than thinking you are getting the short end of the wedding stick due to catering prices, consider the fantastic convenience you are paying for, and the labor being put into it. A caterer who cuts every imaginable corner and serves less-than-great food…it may be cheaper, but who wants to deal with that?
