09/20/2026
A tale of two events.
We had an event filled weekend. I want to start by singing the praises of my crew. A heartfelt thank you to Kathy B, Matt K, Jason S, Maura S, Mike B, Mel K, Joe C, Kara G, and Sophia for their outstanding work and passion for this business. We were brought in to help celebrate the opening of the Ford Student Center at Amherst College. A big shoutout also goes to the Amherst College catering team, especially Greg W. and Abby. Due to planning and logistics, we were ready to accommodate the surge of guests and students that actually surpassed what they'd originally anticipated.
Now, Saturday brought a different kind of challenge, an event that didn't quite go the way we'd hoped. I want to thank Heather H for being a consummate professional. Our LSH team did everything we were supposed to do. The client hired us for an event with a guest count of 200. Everyone in attendance was invited and required to RSVP, so the client knew exactly how many people were coming. They verbally told us 180 attendees and signed a contract for 200. I always prepare for at least 10% above that (220 total for this event). When I arrived at the venue, I counted 26 tables set for 10 people each. Then the decorator showed up with an additional 100 chairs. The catering team was also given a headcount of 200 to work with. By the end of the evening, both we and the food vendor had run out of supplies.
I genuinely believe the misleading headcount was intentional, a way to keep costs down while hoping the caterers would simply make it work. But my name and reputation are too important to me to just wing it. If I'd known the real guest count, I would've brought at least two additional staff members, prepared twice as much fruit, stocked twice as many mixers, etc. In today's digital world, one negative review or bad experience can seriously hurt a business and cost them countless future customers. While they may have saved some money, they ended up hurting my business in the process. Running out of product isn't acceptable to me. Having long lines isn't acceptable to me. Even though the clients were happy with us at the end and said they'd recommend us to others, I wouldn't have been proud of what I saw if I was on the outside looking in. I would rather pass on an opportunity if I don't think I can exceed the client's expectations.
Good caterers want to use their skills to help you make your event truly special. When you're not upfront about your guest count, you're missing out on that opportunity.