How to Have the Ideal Taco Catering Experience

What should clients know? What should the caterer know? Taco-themed events and menus are hot, but it has to be done correctly.

 

The entire world of entertaining and event hosting has been turned on its head in recent years. This is partially because everyone wants their event to be memorable if not even meaningful. But simply trying new and attention-getting things isn’t always the best strategy. There still needs to be conscious thought as to how such things as venue, menu and entertainment fit the event you are planning.

 

Perhaps the best example of this is how this can be done right or wrong is the increasingly popular taco cart catering-driven party. Tacos in general win the day because they are so versatile that ingredients can be adapted to virtually any taste. The fact you can spice them up make them all the more popular, as we seem to be in a gastronomic era where adding “heat” to almost anything is a sure winner. There is the added advantage of tacos largely being a handheld dish, which relaxes the need for formal service ware, tables, assigned seating, etc.

 

Taco-themed events by taco caterers can but aren’t required to be in a Latin American or Caribbean theme. Also, mobile taco catering opens up the use of venues that might not have a banquet-worthy kitchen. If a truck can haul the taco carts to the location, you pretty much have the self-contained kitchen in the carts themselves.

 

So popular have these taco-inspired events become that taco carts are appearing at events like bar mitzvahs, quinceañeras, family reunions and bachelor parties. Taco catering for weddings, business events and fundraisers has become increasingly common.

 

Still, there are tips for both hosts and caterers that should help guide the event:

 

The party planner should: Have a ballpark count on attendees at least two weeks in advance, then a more accurate count, when possible, five days before the event. Tacos are versatile but not magic; food quantities and the total number of carts needed should be adjusted accordingly. Also, the venue host should be consulted regarding liquor license issues, if any, should a mobile margarita bar be in the plans. The age range of guests needs close consideration as well, as the need for at least some seating might be required of elderly people and young families.

 

Taco caterers should: Talk through the nature of event attendees such that the right ingredients are selected – will there be vegetarians (almost always there are), might some avoid shrimp or pork, and is a gluten-free taco something the taco caterers should provide? If the venue is particularly unusual, a dry run to position at least one taco cart at the location – or at least a site visit and inspection – might be in the budget.

 

Perhaps both the party planners and mobile taco catering companies alike should be mindful of how the event should focus on attendees. You can wow them with a dance team and great tacos. But throughout, the ease and enjoyment that guests experience is what they likely will remember. That’s why the working partnership between clients and caterers is so very important.