Checklist: How to Choose a Caterer in Germany

Choosing a caterer in Germany comes down to four steps: write a short brief, request two or three quotes based on it, compare total price, scope and proof such as the organic certificate, and put guest numbers, cancellation, overtime and price changes in writing. This checklist walks you through each step, with notes on the German rules that international clients often miss.

Step 1: Write a brief

Without a common brief, every caterer calculates something different. Include:

• Occasion, date, start time and duration
• Approximate guest count and the date the final number will be confirmed
• Venue address and facilities: kitchen, power, water, cold storage, goods lift
• Preferred format: finger food, buffet, flying buffet, plated dinner, barbecue
• Dietary needs: share of vegetarian and vegan guests, known allergies
• Sustainability requirements: organic share, regional and seasonal produce, reusable tableware, leftovers
• Services required: staff, tableware, furniture, drinks, set-up and clean-up
• Budget range per person

Use the catering cost calculator to set a realistic budget range first.

Step 2: Questions to ask

Kitchen and sourcing

• Where is the food cooked, and how far is the kitchen from the venue?
• Where do meat, vegetables, bread and dairy come from?
• How seasonal is the menu?
• What does the caterer mean by “regional”? The term is not legally protected in Germany, so ask about origin and distance. See regional catering.

Organic and sustainability

• Is the business organic-certified? Which control body, what organic share?
• Is reusable tableware provided, and at what cost?
• How is food waste avoided? Can the caterer top up instead of over-producing?
• May leftovers be taken home or donated, and who is responsible?

Service and logistics

• How many staff are planned? A common rule of thumb is one person per 20 guests for a buffet and one per 12 guests for a plated dinner.
• When does paid time start, when does overtime apply, and at what rate?
• Who handles set-up, clean-up and waste?
• What happens if tableware breaks or the venue is damaged?

Hygiene and allergens

• Is the business registered with the food authority, as required for food businesses under Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004?
• How are the 14 major allergens labelled (Annex II, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011)?
• How is hot food kept hot? The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends at least 60 °C throughout the dish.
• Is there business liability insurance?

Costs

• Are prices net or gross? Since 1 January 2026, German VAT on food from restaurants and caterers is 7 %, on drinks generally 19 %.
• What exactly is included in the per-head price?
• Drinks package or charged by consumption? Is there corkage (Korkgeld) if you bring your own?
• How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due?

Step 3: Compare quotes

A low price per head can be misleading. Example for 80 guests, buffet:

Item	Quote A	Quote B
Food per person	34 €	46 €
Service staff (4 staff, 5 h, 40 €)	extra: 800 €	included
Rental tableware (5 € per person)	extra: 400 €	included
Delivery	extra: 100 €	included
Total	4,020 €	3,680 €
Per person, all in	about 50 €	46 €

The cheaper-looking quote ends up more expensive. Compare menu scope, certified organic share, staff hours and rates, tableware, drinks, delivery and the gross total per person. For typical price ranges by format, see organic catering costs.

Verifying an organic claim

Since 5 October 2023, Germany’s Bio-AHV regulation governs organic claims in catering and food service. Anyone labelling organic ingredients or dishes, or stating an organic share, needs a valid certificate from an organic control body (§ 3 (1) and § 10 (1) Bio-AHVV).

1. Ask for the certificate and check the business name and the site where your food is prepared.
2. Check the validity period.
3. Read the control body code, in the format DE-ÖKO-0xx (Germany, ÖKO, three-digit number of the control body).
4. Clarify the scope: which items are certified, and is an organic share shown, for example with the bronze (20 to 49 %), silver (50 to 89 %) or gold (90 to 100 %) logo under § 8 Bio-AHVV?
5. For events, only goods purchased for that event count towards its organic share (§ 14 (3) Bio-AHVV), so ask for the planned share of your menu.

Details in our guide to organic certification in catering.

Step 4: Contract and cancellation

Put these points in the quote and order confirmation:

• Date, times, venue and contact persons
• Full menu with quantities per person and organic components
• Guest count: confirmation deadline, permitted reduction, charges for extra guests
• Staff numbers, hours and overtime rate
• Tableware and furniture, rules for breakage and loss
• Drinks package or consumption, corkage
• Whether and how prices may change before the event
• Deposit, final payment and invoicing
• Leftovers and responsibility for food handed out
• Cancellation terms

Cancellation. Agree a staggered scale with rising percentages as the date approaches. Make sure you may prove that the caterer’s actual loss was lower; for flat-rate charges in standard terms, German law requires this option (see § 309 no. 5 BGB). Without a cancellation clause, statutory rules apply. If the catering contract is classed as a contract for work (Werkvertrag), you may terminate at any time, but the caterer keeps the right to the agreed fee minus saved expenses (§ 648 BGB). For larger amounts, have the contract reviewed.

Tasting and red flags

A tasting is common for weddings and larger corporate events, sometimes for a fee credited against the order. Watch how the caterer answers questions, not just how the food tastes.

Red flags: no written quote, organic claims without a certificate, vague answers on allergens or hygiene, no information on staff hours, pressure to sign quickly.

Find a caterer

Browse sustainable caterers with details on organic, regional food and reusables in our caterer directory, or use the enquiry form and we will get back to you with suitable caterers.