Catering questions, answered

We cater office breakfasts and lunches, client meetings, birthdays, showers, memorials, holiday parties, weddings, and other social or professional events. You can choose anything from a simple platter delivery to a staffed buffet, plated dinner, or family-style celebration for several hundred guests.

Yes. In addition to Walnut Creek catering, we regularly consider events in Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, Danville, Concord, and other nearby Contra Costa County communities. Availability depends on the date, order size, staffing needs, and exact address, so include the complete location when requesting service.

Drop-off orders generally require at least 72 hours of notice. Staffed events may sometimes be accepted as late as 10 days before the event, but two to three weeks is a safer planning window. Weekends and the months of June, November, and December tend to book first.

Yes. Many menu items are suitable for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free needs. Tell us the exact restrictions and quantities when ordering so we can help create a balanced menu and identify the appropriate dishes on the final order.

Choose drop-off when you want prepared hot or chilled platters delivered ready to serve and your group can manage the food and cleanup. Choose full service when you want professional staff, buffet equipment, replenishment, coordinated presentation, and breakdown handled for you.

Yes. The a-la-carte menu lets you combine breakfast, lunch, appetizer, dinner, side, dessert, and beverage selections in one order. This flexibility works well for office catering in Walnut Creek, open houses, memorials, family celebrations, and events with more than one meal period.

Most straightforward drop-off orders can be priced and purchased through the online menu. Request a custom proposal when you need help with quantities, multiple delivery times, complex dietary planning, staff, rentals, florals, or a more detailed event schedule.

Many dishes are offered in a small tray serving about 10 guests and a large tray serving about 30. The right quantity depends on the number of selections, whether the food is a full meal, the time of day, and how long it will be available. Our team can help when the serving estimates do not clearly fit your group.

Most drop-off orders require a $400 food minimum and at least 72 hours of notice. Popular weekday lunch windows and weekend dates may close earlier, including Lafayette catering and Pleasant Hill catering deliveries during busy seasons, so earlier ordering is recommended.

The listed price covers the selected food and stated serving quantity. Delivery, staffing, rentals, handling, and optional upgrades are calculated separately. Applicable charges are displayed in the cart or proposal before you finalize the order.

A staffed buffet gives guests variety and a relaxed flow. Family-style service brings shared dishes to each table for a warm, communal meal. Plated service creates a more formal and precisely timed reception. Your venue layout, budget, timeline, and preferred atmosphere will help determine the best fit.

Wedding service may include menu planning, setup, professional staff, meal service, replenishment, and catering-area cleanup. You can also add appetizers, coffee and tea, cakes, bartenders, tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, florals, and tablescape design. We coordinate relevant timing with the venue and planner.

Yes. Mobile tastings are complimentary after a wedding is confirmed. A couple may also purchase a tasting before signing a contract; if the wedding is later booked with us, that tasting charge can be removed from the final bill.

Wedding catering generally ranges from about $55 to $120 per guest, depending on the menu, service style, staffing level, and package. Rentals, florals, premium entrees, appetizers, cake service, bartenders, and other enhancements can increase the final per-person investment.

Applicable menus can include vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free dishes. Buffet selections can be labeled, while plated dietary meals may require final quantities and a clear meal-identification system. Share serious allergies early because food is prepared in a shared environment.

Four to six weeks of notice is recommended at minimum, although earlier booking provides more flexibility for sought-after weekends, rentals, florals, and complex service. Limited weddings may be accepted with as little as 10 days of notice, but June, November, and December often fill much sooner.

After you approve the proposal, a catering agreement is sent for signature. Orders over $3,000 also require a 50% deposit to secure the date. The remaining balance is due 10 days before the wedding unless your agreement specifies otherwise.

Yes. Bartenders and expert bartenders are available for hire. Walnut Creek Catering Company does not sell or supply alcohol, so the couple or venue must purchase and provide it. Venue rules, insurance requirements, service hours, ice, mixers, and bar equipment should be confirmed during planning.

The team prepares the catering area, organizes the food and equipment, presents the meal, provides the selected buffet, family-style, or plated service, replenishes dishes, and breaks down and cleans the contracted catering areas. Additional services may include passed appetizers, beverages, rentals, florals, and tablescape styling.

Staffing is based on the guest count, service format, floor plan, access, and amount of guest interaction. Buffets typically use about one server for every 25 guests, while plated dinners generally use one server for every 15 to 20 guests. Events of 50 or more commonly include a captain.

No. Gratuity is optional and is not automatically included. Any service-related charges shown on the proposal are separate. When gratuity is provided, it is distributed among the team members who contributed to the event, including cooks, drivers, servers, bartenders, customer-service staff, and rental staff.

Inclusions vary by package. Some full-service options include ceramic dinnerware, traditional utensils, glassware, and linens, while value-focused packages may use elegant disposable plates, utensils, and cups. Review the package details carefully; upgraded rentals can be added when needed.

Three to four weeks of notice is recommended for the best availability. Some full-service orders may be accepted as late as 10 days before the event, but weekends and busy months can fill sooner. Large Concord catering events or celebrations requiring extensive rentals and florals should be reserved earlier.

Most full-service packages begin at 25 guests. For a more intimate event, drop-off catering with an attendant may provide useful setup, food monitoring, and cleanup support without requiring a complete staffed package.

Yes. The food is prepared before arrival, so most events do not require an on-site kitchen. A protected staging space is still helpful, and some service plans may benefit from access to water, electricity, refrigeration, or a back-of-house area.

We serve Walnut Creek and evaluate staffed events in nearby communities such as Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, Danville, and Concord. The exact address, date, guest count, travel requirements, and venue access determine availability. Submit the full location so the team can confirm service.

Boxed-meal orders require at least 25 meals per meal selection. Classic and artisan boxed lunches can include a mix of eligible sandwiches and wraps, while breakfast and dinner boxes generally require 25 of the same selected box.

Each guest receives a sealed, individually packaged box with the selected food, an appropriate utensil set, and a napkin. This format is convenient for offices, trainings, conferences, outdoor programs, and groups that need fast distribution without a buffet line.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free boxes can be labeled upon request. Provide exact quantities for each dietary category so the kitchen can organize the order clearly. A label does not guarantee preparation in an allergen-free facility.

Cold boxes may generally remain at room temperature for up to two hours. Hot boxes arrive in insulated carriers and should be served within about one hour. Schedule delivery close to the meal time and arrange refrigeration when cold meals must be stored longer.

A minimum of 72 hours is generally required. Orders with large quantities, detailed labeling, several dietary variations, or multiple addresses may need at least five days. Corporate orders in Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, and Concord should be placed early for preferred weekday delivery times.

Yes, provided that each delivery address meets the $400 minimum. Additional delivery charges may apply. Give us every address, requested arrival time, box count, dietary list, and on-site contact so the route can be evaluated accurately.

Cold breakfast and lunch boxes start at approximately $18.75 per person. Hot lunch boxes begin around $30 per person, and hot dinner boxes begin around $40 per person. Premium selections, beverages, desserts, delivery, and other additions may change the final total.

Yes. Weekly and monthly corporate schedules may qualify for a dedicated coordinator and locked pricing. Recurring Walnut Creek catering can support team lunches, executive meetings, training programs, rotating shifts, and regular deliveries to Lafayette or Pleasant Hill offices.

Holiday dates fill quickly, so booking three to five weeks ahead is recommended for likely availability. Popular weekday lunches and Thursday-through-Saturday celebrations may close earlier, especially when the event requires staff, rentals, or multiple service periods.

Yes. We offer staffed buffet, family-style, and plated holiday meals for offices and organizations ranging from approximately 25 to more than 400 guests. Service can include setup, attendants, rentals, bartenders, florals, tablescapes, and catering-area cleanup.

Yes. Holiday entrees, sides, salads, breads, and desserts can be ordered a la carte for a more casual office or family gathering. The food arrives prepared and ready to serve, while your group handles the meal and cleanup unless attendants are added.

A limited number of events are accepted on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve, and holiday surcharges apply. The company is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Yes. Tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, serving equipment, seasonal centerpieces, floral arrangements, and coordinated tablescapes may be added. This is useful for Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Danville, Pleasant Hill, and Concord holiday catering when one team needs to organize both food and presentation.

A confirmed holiday order cancelled at least 72 hours before the event is subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations with less than 72 hours of notice are subject to a 100% fee because food, staff, rentals, and other resources may already be committed.

Available designs include bud-vase groupings, centerpieces, statement arrangements, floral meadows, arches, mantle installations, custom bloom bars, flower-crown bars, balloon arches, and complete tablescape styling coordinated with linens and china.

You can explore the published floral offerings and arrangement types on the page. For a more tailored event, request a custom proposal based on your venue, colors, inspiration, desired pieces, and budget.

Current starting points include bud-vase clusters from $95 for three, lush centerpieces around $195 to $350 per table, statement arrangements from $350 to $600, tabletop broken arches from $800, meadows from $400 to $600, installations from $1,350 to $8,500, mantle designs from about $750 to $2,000, and bloom bars from $48 per guest.

Yes. Share preferred flowers, colors, inspiration images, and varieties you do not want. We honor specific requests when the flowers are available. If a stem is unavailable or out of season, the designer may substitute a comparable flower to preserve the intended color, shape, and overall look.

Booking three to four weeks ahead is recommended. Some smaller floral orders may be accepted with approximately 10 days of notice, depending on the date, design complexity, staffing, and flower availability. Large arches, meadows, and custom installations should be reserved earlier.

Yes. Setup is included so each arrangement is placed in the intended location before guests arrive. Breakdown and disposal may be added when you want the team to return after the event and remove flowers, mechanics, installation materials, and floral waste included in the agreed scope.

Yes. Fresh flowers may be kept upon request, and guests are welcome to take arrangements or individual stems. Some vases, structures, stands, or mechanics may be rental items and must remain at the venue for collection; those pieces will be identified in advance.

Rental options include chiavari and resin chairs, guest tables with standard linens, cocktail tables, buffet tables, china, flatware, glassware, chafing dishes, and selected tabletop pieces. Floral and tablescape additions may also be coordinated with the rental plan.

Yes. Provide the guest count, service style, room dimensions, floor plan, and a list of venue-owned furniture or tabletop items. We can help identify the remaining tables, chairs, linens, place settings, glassware, and serving equipment without duplicating what is already available.

On-site attendants are required for delivery, setup, safe handling, breakdown, and preparation for collection. This ensures that commercial furniture, china, glassware, and serving equipment are installed correctly and are not left for the client or venue staff to move.

There is no strict minimum dollar amount for the rental items themselves. However, staffing is mandatory for all rental orders and affects the overall price. For that reason, rentals are usually most practical when combined with catering, florals, or a staffed package.

Yes. Each guest table includes one standard linen, with a broad range of colors available. Specialty fabrics, layered linens, runners, or other upgrades may cost more when available. This helps Walnut Creek and Lafayette catering clients coordinate furniture with their event palette.

Normal wear from proper event use is covered. Significant damage, breakage, loss, or items unavailable for pickup are billed at replacement cost. The attendants oversee setup and breakdown, but the client remains responsible for the inventory while it is in use.

Delivery typically occurs on the event date, about two to four hours before the start time. Pickup may happen later that night or the following morning, depending on venue access. Tell us about loading areas, stairs, elevators, parking restrictions, and firm exit deadlines before finalizing the order.

After you approve the catering quote, we’ll send an agreement for signature. A 50% deposit is required when the order total exceeds $3,000.

Yes. Your order can be revised up to 10 days before the scheduled date. After that, we may be unable to change portions or selections.

Our commercial kitchen and primary operations are based in Pleasanton, California. We are a service-area catering company serving events throughout the Bay Area, including Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, Danville, and Concord. Our team delivers and provides full-service catering directly at offices, homes, wedding venues, and other event locations.