We did a Q&A on small bites menus in our blog a few years back:

We’ve been hearing from a lot of people recently that compare our Bites menus to other types of catering. People love the smaller look and the greater variety that comes with these types of menus. Since these are less familiar than more traditional options, we’ve decided to do a Q&A with our own Chef Elizabeth to outline how the Bites option is different from other types of catering (incl. Bite Catering Couture’s own line of sit down and buffet menus):

Q: Why do people tend to choose Bite menus?
CE: My customers really love the look of the individual Bites, the diversity of a Bites menu, and the flavors that you can pack into a small Bite to really make each one pop. People get excited about what’s coming out next…there’s fun new food every few minutes over 3 hours. Also, customers tend to really enjoy the ability to mingle freely with their guests, as they aren’t tied to their table.

Q: How are Bites parties different from sit-down parties?
CE: Bites menu allows for a stand-up party where guests can mingle freely and eat interesting items over time. This leads to a more social feel for larger groups, where more dynamic conversations can take place. This can also really save money on rentals like tables, plates, and silverware. In addition, its much more natural for people to eat gradually. We’ve found that people enjoy their food more and listen more to their bodies on quantity when they can eat over the course of an evening.

Q: What goes into making small pieces?
CE: Each Bite is a little hand-crafted work of art made by a skilled chef. We actually put much more time and flavor into each one, as each Bite has to stand on its own. I don’t think most people understand how much goes into making each one…we can’t make large batches the same way other caterers can with trays of meats or dishes.

Q: That sounds like a lot of work. Are Bites a lot more expensive than other types of catering?
CE: It is a lot of work. Fortunately, our format allows for a lot of savings on other things, so the overall cost is about the same as any premium caterer. Rentals is the big one…since people are standing up and aren’t using plates, you can save a lot of money on tables, chairs, plates, silverware, and all of that. You can often use fewer staff as well, as the food doesn’t all need to come out at the same time…it comes out over the course of 3 hours. We can arrange some of our room temperature Bites in gorgeous displays that can substitute for decorations.

Q: Are there ways to save money using Bites options?
CE: We know many people are on a budget these days. We do offer drop-off and limited service menus for those who love our food, but don’t want to pay for chefs on site. The menus are either room temperature or Bites our clients can heat and serve themselves. We send them out well packaged and with instructions on what preparation is required. Drop-off allows for fun food at your party while being our most economical option.

Q: What size parties work well with Bites?
CE: Our Bites are a good fit for parties generally between 20 and 200 people. Smaller than that hits our minimums and larger tends to need more of a buffet format.

Q: What kind of budgets work with a Bites menu?
CE: Our lighter menus start at about $20/person in food cost and our more filling and elaborate menus range from $35 to $100+/person in food cost. Since we make our Bites from scratch, we can customize menus to meet a variety of dietary preferences.

Interested in seeing more? Check out our Bites/appetizer menus to get some inspiration for your next party!