Thompson Catering Frequently Asked Questions

Are you available on my event date? 

That’s a great first question to ask. The further out the date, the better. Often, we can take last-minute jobs depending on what’s already booked and if we can get supplies into our kitchen in time.

How many events do you cater per year, and how many will you be handling on my event day?

We do hundreds of events per year. Some might be for 20 people, others for 2000. Often, we can have up to 10 events in a day, depending on staffing, vehicles, and menus.

How long have you been in business?

We have been in the catering business for over 40 years. It started out of a grocery store called Thompson’s IGA. We closed our last store in 2000 and have been doing catering full-time ever since.

Have you catered at my venue before? 

We’ve catered many venues within central Kentucky. We can also create a venue with one of our large tents. In addition to catering and tents, we offer tables, chairs, dance floors, staging, and more.

Do you specialize in any specific style of service, such as buffet, plated, or food stations?

90% of what we do is buffet style or in stations. We can offer plated and serve table-side, but it requires additional staffing.

Do you offer a menu tasting? 

Tastings are available for $100. Up to 4 people can attend. If you book us following the tasting, we will take $50 off your event invoice. Dates for tastings book up and may not be available.

What are your recommendations based on my budget?

What’s your budget? We can do drop-off catering, which saves you on service fees and labor. It’s the same hot, delicious food, but without the uniformed staff and chafing dishes. We lay everything out, say thank you, and leave you to enjoy it.

Can you accommodate any dietary restrictions or allergies? 

We often accommodate vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free guests.

How many staff members will be provided, and what will their roles be (serving, clearing, bartending)?

The number of staff depends on the headcount, menu, and what is asked of our staff. For 100 guests served buffet style, 3 staff members would be required. For plated, table-side service, we would need roughly 8 staff members. If your guests start eating at 5 pm, we arrive around 3 or 3:30 pm to set up our stations, serve your guests for 1 to 2 hours, help bus tables, clean up our area, and leave.

Additional fees are added if we’re asked to stay late and clean the venue, wash dishes, etc. Our contracts are written in a way so that all parties know the expectations. Special requests can often be accommodated, like cake cutting, assembling place settings, and trash removal.

Do you provide place settings, or are rentals needed? 

We provide disposable plates, utensils, and napkins for most of our events. We do not offer chargers or flowers. Real china, silverware, glassware, and linen napkins can be added for an additional charge.

Will you handle third-party rentals or table bussing? 

We typically do not handle third-party rentals. Occasionally, we provide equipment from other rental companies for an additional charge. Yes, we bus tables.

What equipment do you need, and what equipment does the venue provide? 

We can provide tables and linens for an additional fee. Most venues offer these items. We always bring chafing dishes and silver serving utensils for a full-service catering event.

What is your arrival time for setup? 

1.5 to 3 hours before, depending on the event.

Do you have a liquor license to serve alcohol? 

Yes, we have a caterer’s liquor license. We do not sell by the bottle. Guests are not allowed to take leftover alcohol with them. We follow ABC restrictions closely by carding guests and refusing alcohol to anyone who is intoxicated.

Will you provide a champagne toast service? 

Yes, we will.

What is the deadline for menu changes and the final headcount? 

We ask for a final menu 10 days ahead of the event. Clients are to provide a firm headcount that will not go down, no later than 10 days before the event date. You may add to the headcount as late as 3 days before. Once we buy perishables, we cannot return them. It’s easy to run out and get more supplies for last-minute RSVPs.

What happens to leftover food after the event? 

You’re welcome to keep it, or we’d be happy to donate it to a local shelter.