Hiring a restaurant team sounds simple until you're stuck with a sous chef who can't run a line or a GM who fudges numbers. Most disasters come from skipping the boring stuff. Here's what actually matters.
Licensing & Insurance Questions
Ask for copies of their liquor license, health permit, and workers' comp certificate before you even look at a menu. If they hem and haw, walk. One place I dealt with had a suspended license and didn't tell me until the week of the event. Also check if their insurance covers off-site events if you're doing a private dinner. Don't assume.
Experience & References Questions
Ask who ran the pass on a busy Saturday six months ago. That person is the one you're really hiring, not the owner who shakes your hand. Call the last three clients they listed. Ask one question: would you use them again for a critical event? If you get a pause, trust that pause.
Pricing & Timeline Questions
Get a line-item quote that breaks out food cost, labor, and service fees. A flat per-head number hides too much. Ask when they need final headcount and what happens if you add people last minute. Most places charge double for changes inside 48 hours. Know that going in.
Contract Questions
Read the cancellation policy out loud to yourself. If it says you forfeit the deposit no matter what, cross it out and negotiate. Also check who owns the menu design and photos afterward. One operator tried to use my event's images for their own marketing without asking. Put that in writing up front.
Compare local operators side by side on RatingsGraph before you sign anything.