Catering questions, answered

We cater workplace breakfasts and lunches, nonprofit and corporate events, birthdays, showers, memorials, holiday parties, weddings, and other private gatherings. Service can range from a straightforward drop-off order for a small group to a staffed buffet, plated dinner, or family-style celebration for hundreds of guests.

We serve events throughout Oakland, including Downtown, Uptown, Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, Temescal, Rockridge, Fruitvale, and Montclair. We also consider nearby East Bay locations based on the event date, order size, and exact address. Share the full delivery location so we can confirm availability and access requirements.

Most drop-off orders require at least 72 hours of notice. Staffed and full-service events may be accepted as late as 10 days before the date, but reserving two to three weeks ahead provides better availability. Weekends and the months of June, November, and December tend to fill first.

Yes. Many menu selections can support vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free needs. Dietary information is shown on applicable menu items and reviewed again on the final order. Please identify specific allergies and the number of affected guests so the team can evaluate the available choices accurately.

Drop-off is best when you want hot or chilled platters delivered ready to serve and are comfortable managing the meal and cleanup. Full service is the better choice when you want attendants, professional buffet equipment, coordinated presentation, food replenishment, and breakdown handled for you.

A straightforward Oakland drop-off order can usually be built and purchased directly from the online menu. Request a custom proposal when you need help estimating quantities, coordinating several meal periods, accommodating complex dietary needs, adding staff or rentals, or planning a larger event with detailed logistics.

Yes. You may mix items from different menu sections in the same order. This is useful for all-day meetings, open houses, memorials, company retreats, and celebrations with more than one food-service period. You can also combine individual trays to create a menu that fits your group instead of choosing one fixed package.

Many menu items are offered in a small size that serves approximately 10 guests and a large size that serves approximately 30. The right quantity also depends on the number of dishes, time of day, event length, and whether the food is a complete meal or light refreshment. Request guidance when you are unsure.

Most drop-off catering orders require a $400 food minimum and at least 72 hours of notice. Availability may close before the minimum deadline, especially for weekday lunch periods, weekends, graduations, and holiday dates, so placing the order as soon as your plans are firm is recommended.

Applicable menu items are labeled for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free needs. The displayed menu price covers the food and stated quantity. Delivery, staffing, rentals, handling, and other optional services are calculated separately and shown in the cart or proposal before the order is finalized.

A staffed buffet offers variety and a relaxed flow, family-style service brings shared dishes directly to each table, and a plated dinner creates the most structured and formal experience. The best fit depends on your venue, timeline, budget, floor plan, and the atmosphere you want guests to experience.

Wedding service can include menu planning, setup, staffing, buffet or table service, replenishment, and cleanup of the catering areas. You may also add appetizers, coffee and tea, cakes, bartenders, tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, florals, and tablescape styling. We can coordinate timing with your planner, venue, and rental partners.

Yes. Mobile tastings are complimentary for couples with a confirmed wedding booking. A tasting may also be purchased before signing a contract; when the wedding is later booked with us, the tasting charge can be removed from the final bill.

Wedding catering generally ranges from approximately $55 to $120 per guest, depending on the menu, buffet versus plated service, staffing level, and package selected. Rentals, florals, appetizers, cakes, bartenders, premium entrées, and other enhancements can increase the final per-person total.

We can incorporate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free dishes into applicable wedding menus. Buffet selections can be labeled, while plated dietary meals can be prepared using the final quantities and seating information you provide. Specific allergies should be disclosed early because food is prepared in a shared environment.

Booking at least four to six weeks ahead is recommended, although earlier is better for popular weekends, extensive rentals, custom florals, or more complex service. Limited weddings may be accepted with as little as 10 days of notice, but June, November, and December dates often fill much sooner.

Orders totaling more than $3,000 require a 50% deposit. Your date is reserved after the required agreement and deposit have been completed according to the proposal. The remaining balance is due 10 days before the wedding.

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

Our team handles catering setup, food presentation, professional buffet, family-style, or plated service, replenishment, and breakdown of the catering areas. Optional additions can include passed appetizers, coffee and tea service, bartenders, guest rentals, florals, and coordinated tablescape design.

Staffing depends on the guest count, service style, venue layout, and amount of guest interaction required. A buffet typically uses approximately one server for every 25 guests, while plated dinners generally use one server for every 15 to 20 guests. Events with 50 or more guests commonly include a captain.

No. Gratuity is optional and is separate from any service-related charges shown on the proposal. When a gratuity is provided, it is distributed among the team members who contribute to the event, including cooks, drivers, servers, bartenders, customer-service staff, and rental staff.

Package inclusions vary. Some full-service options include ceramic plates, traditional utensils, glassware, and linens, while more budget-conscious packages use elegant disposable dinnerware. Review the inclusions for the specific package; reusable tabletop items and upgraded rentals can be added when they are not already included.

Most full-service packages begin at 25 guests. For a smaller gathering, drop-off catering with an attendant may provide the setup, monitoring, or cleanup support you need without requiring a complete full-service package.

Three to four weeks of notice is recommended for the best staffing availability. Some full-service events may be accepted as late as 10 days before the date, but weekends and the months of June, November, and December are especially busy. Large events and bookings involving rentals or florals should be reserved earlier.

Yes. The food is prepared before the team arrives, so most events do not require an on-site commercial kitchen. A protected staging area is still helpful for organizing food, equipment, and service items. Depending on the menu, access to water, power, refrigeration, or a back-of-house workspace may also be useful.

Please share loading-zone rules, parking limitations, security check-in, elevators, stairs, long walking distances, staging space, setup windows, and firm departure times. These details are especially important for downtown buildings and urban venues because they can affect delivery timing, staffing, and labor requirements.

A minimum of 25 boxes applies per meal selection. Classic and artisan boxed lunches may allow eligible sandwiches and wraps to be mixed within the order, while breakfast and dinner boxes generally require at least 25 of the same selected box.

Every meal is sealed in its own box and includes the appropriate utensils and a napkin. This format is designed for quick distribution at offices, conferences, training sessions, outdoor programs, and other events where a buffet line would be inconvenient.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free boxes can be labeled upon request. Provide the exact quantity needed for each dietary category so the kitchen and delivery teams can organize the order correctly.

Cold boxed meals should generally be served within two hours when held at room temperature. Hot boxes are delivered in insulated carriers and should usually be served within one hour. Schedule delivery close to the intended meal time and provide refrigeration when cold meals must be stored.

A minimum of 72 hours of notice is required for most boxed-meal orders. Orders with large quantities, multiple dietary variations, detailed labeling, or several delivery locations may require five or more days. Earlier booking is recommended for important meetings and recurring workplace programs.

Yes, provided each delivery address meets the $400 order minimum. Additional delivery charges may apply. Supply the quantity, requested arrival time, building instructions, and on-site contact for every location so the route can be reviewed before confirmation.

Cold breakfast and lunch boxes begin at approximately $18.75 per person. Hot lunch boxes begin around $30 per person, and hot dinner boxes begin around $40 per person. The final price depends on the selected menu, beverages, desserts, dietary modifications, delivery details, and other additions.

Yes. Weekly and monthly corporate schedules may qualify for a dedicated coordinator and locked pricing. Recurring programs can support team lunches, executive meetings, employee training, rotating shifts, and multi-day programs with an agreed menu rotation and change process.

November and December dates fill quickly, so booking three to five weeks ahead is recommended for likely availability. Popular weekday lunches and Thursday-through-Saturday evening events may fill even earlier, especially when staffing, rentals, or floral design are required.

Yes. We offer buffet, family-style, and plated holiday service for workplace events ranging from approximately 25 to more than 400 guests. Full setup, professional staff, rentals, beverage service, bartenders, florals, and cleanup can be included in the proposal.

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

A limited number of events are accepted on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve, and a holiday surcharge applies. Oakland Catering Company is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Yes. Available additions include guest tables, chairs, linens, china, glassware, buffet equipment, seasonal centerpieces, floral arrangements, and coordinated holiday tablescapes. Tell us what your office, home, or venue already provides so the proposal includes only what is still needed.

Holiday orders cancelled at least 72 hours before the event are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Confirmed orders cancelled with less than 72 hours of notice are subject to a 100% cancellation fee because food, staffing, rentals, and other resources may already be committed.

Our floral offerings include bud-vase groupings, guest-table centerpieces, statement arrangements, floral meadows, ceremony arches, mantle installations, custom bloom bars, flower-crown bars, balloon arches, and complete tablescape styling coordinated with linens and dinnerware.

You can review the floral offerings and examples on the page to compare arrangement types, scale, and overall style. For a more customized event, submit your colors, venue, inspiration, priorities, and budget so the design team can prepare a tailored proposal.

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

Yes. Share preferred varieties, colors, inspiration images, and any flowers you do not want. Because flower supply changes by season and market availability, exact stems cannot always be guaranteed. When a substitution is needed, the designer selects a comparable flower that preserves the intended color, texture, shape, and mood.

Reserving florals at least three to four weeks before the event is recommended. Some smaller orders may be accepted with approximately 10 days of notice, depending on the date, design complexity, staffing, and flower availability. Large installations and fully styled events should be booked earlier.

Floral setup is included so the arrangements are placed correctly before guests arrive. Breakdown and disposal can 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. The fresh flowers may be kept upon request, and guests are welcome to take arrangements or individual stems home. Some vases, structures, stands, or mechanics may be rented and must remain at the venue for collection; those items will be identified before the event.

Available inventory includes chiavari and resin chairs, guest tables with linens, cocktail tables, buffet tables, china, glassware, flatware, chafing dishes, and selected tabletop pieces. Floral arrangements and coordinated tablescape additions can also be incorporated into the event plan.

Yes. Tell us what the venue already supplies, your guest count, service style, room dimensions, and any available floor plan. We can help identify the tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware, glassware, and serving equipment needed without duplicating items already available on-site.

Rental orders require on-site attendants for delivery, setup, safe handling, breakdown, and preparation for collection. This helps ensure commercial furniture, china, glassware, and service equipment are installed correctly and are not left for the client or venue staff to manage.

There is no strict minimum for the rental items themselves. However, attendants are required for every rental order, which affects the overall cost. For that reason, most clients combine rentals with catering, florals, staffing, or a full-service package.

Yes. Each guest table rented through us includes one standard linen. A broad selection of colors is available to coordinate with company branding, wedding palettes, seasonal themes, flowers, and other tabletop choices. Specialty or layered linens may be priced separately when available.

Normal wear from appropriate event use is covered. Significant damage, breakage, loss, or items unavailable for collection are billed at replacement cost. Our attendants oversee setup and breakdown, but the client remains responsible for the rented inventory during the event.

Delivery typically takes place on the event date, approximately two to four hours before the event begins. Pickup may occur later that evening or the following morning, depending on the venue’s access rules. Loading docks, elevators, parking restrictions, and firm exit deadlines should be disclosed in advance.

Yes. Once you approve your quote we send a catering agreement to sign. Orders over $3,000 also require a 50% deposit to reserve the date.

Yes — guest counts and menu changes are welcome up to 10 days before your event. After that we may not be able to adjust quantities.

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 Oakland and nearby communities. Our team delivers and provides full-service catering directly at offices, homes, wedding venues, and other event locations.