Catering Horror Stories

[Groundpounder]

What is the worst catering screw up that has ever happened to you?

 

[mmmdonut]

One time I was hosting a party for abour 50 or so and I specifically told them chicken salad finger sandwiches... I told them... SPECIFICALLY. Well wouldn't you know it when the trays arrived, it was a bunch of TUNA! TUNA!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't serve tuna finger sandwiches to a group of 50 lesbians!!!

Needless to say I will not use them again. I'll order a party sub from Subway.

 

[AA717driver]

doughnut--LOL! Ya got me!

I'm pi$$ed that we paid $80 for two turkey sandwiches and a couple bags of chips from Mercury SBA the other day. Guess I've still got sticker shock from coming out of the airlines.TC

 

[con-pilot]

Well AA717driver I have had less for more, it really upsets me what some catering companies and FBOs get away with in this business.

When I have the time I will cook the catering at home and put on the airplane. One of my hobbies is cooking by the way.

And yes I do charge the company for the food when I perpare it, but not for the labor. But, the wife and friends enjoy the leftovers the night before!

 

[FracCapt]

I'm pi$$ed that we paid $80 for two turkey sandwiches and a couple bags of chips from Mercury SBA the other day. Guess I've still got sticker shock from coming out of the airlines.TC

After hearing some of my catering stories, an ex g/f of mine started up her own small catering company. She didn't last very long....the largest local catering company bought her out for a tremendous profit! Did I see any of that money? NoooOOOOOOooo! Well...I guess it has something to do with the fact that she dumped me a couple months prior....but...well...I just CAN'T imagine that would be the cause!

 

[Flying Illini]

I've always thought about starting a catering company. The profit margin just has to be huge in that business. Two dry ham sandwiches and a cookie with a bag of chips for $60 (it's cheaper here in the midwest). Amazing. Rediculous and amazing.

 

[2000flyer]

Overnight parking, light jet, $150

Fuel, $3.90/gal.

Cheese and veggie tray for four in Colorado (you can guess what airport). $450.

A$$ chewing from CP....PRICELESS????

(thankfully it was another company based on the field )

 

[TaxiDriver]

FBO at Bermuda Dunes.....they were trying to be helpful and refrigerated all the high $$ bottles of red wine. Good thing the pax ended up not wanting to drink the wine during the flight.

============

Heard this one the other day. Large charter company hired a new blonde bombshell with no experience as a cabin server. The catering order was primarily sushi costing over $2000.00. About half way through the flight, all was well, and the passengers said they would like to have their sushi served. About 15 minutes later, the pax were wondering why the cabin server hadn't started serving the sushi and inquired how much longer until being served.

The cabin server replied, "Your fish was delivered uncooked, it is almost all cooked and ready to be served."

 

[56xdriver]

The worst is when you order the deluxe from Rudy's and find that there is no shrimp. What a downer.

 

[NJAowner]

Worst NIghtmare

A caterer in the midwest who forgets the crew food (nothing against midwesterners, but their sandwiches usally much less meat than in the east). I will share our meals, but each sandwich can barely feed a goldfish. At least catering from Rudy's (since we depart from NJ) is usually based upon each person eating as much as an NFL linebacker.

 

[Diesel]

njaowner try ruddy's soup. My favorite is the roasted tomatoe. Also the mediterranian platter is pretty good too.

 

[Pugh]

Ok I'm not even a pilot yet but this is something I've wondered. How come they charge so **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** much? Is it just because they know most people who own bizjets can afford an $80 sandwich? Or is it some sort of cartel equivalent to OPEC but with sandwiches?

 

[Tinstaafl]

Crew meals on ambulance flights into Aberdeen, Scotland. Ranged from a packet of chips, leftover British Airways regional airline ham & cheese on a dry croisant & a mini can of soft drink (supposedly a 'hot' crew meal....) to reasonably edible. All from the same caterer & costs the same but quality so random you could run the national lottery on it.

Told our company once that what was provided was in no way related to what was ordered in quantity or quality. It didn't even meet the requirements for 'cold' meal ie sandwiches & drink

Had to have something at dinner time while trundling back over the North Sea after an emergency flight. I always had a thermos of hot tea with me + usually brought something to nibble on for myself & the flight nurse. Really helped me stay alert when called out in the small hours in typical N. Sea weather to go to an island with no navaids so wasn't just a luxury.

But jeez.....British cuisine???

 

[sdflyer2]

One of the major reasons for the high pricing of dedicated aircraft catering is the lack of volume. With the economics of higher volume you can spread your fixed costs over a larger number of orders.

Your fixed daily costs are basically the same wether you are producing food for 500 or food for an 8 pax bizjet.

Don't buy catering from individuals that cook it at home. Make sure they are licensed, using an approved commercial kitchen and have liability insurance.

Would hate to have to explain to the boss/pax why the inflight meal gave them the runs....

I will agree, some caterers feel that just because you own a bizjet you should be able to pay $12 for a bagel with cream cheese.

We sometimes will order from local restaurants, grab the crew car, pick it up and cut out the ripoff artists...

 

[flydaddy0499]

I always order from a local grocery store and pick it up myself, sometimes via crew car. In some cases, it's cheaper to rent and car from Enterprise (read screwed-a-prise) and pick it up from a grocery store than to pay the vaseline rate from the catering company.

 

[murfdawg998]

how about when Rudy's sends everything individually wrapped instead in bulk as was requested?? the Global has lots of galley space but 6 pax goin to Africa we were definitely running out of room.

or how about when they send stuff that is supposed to be microwaveable (spelling?) and it's not?? or what about those newspapers you're charged for but aren't there?? or the boquet (spelling?) of flowers that shows up as a centerpiece?? In short Rudy's frequently screws up all the little things and they CAN because they are, more or less, the only game in town

 

[ActionJackson]

Waaaaah!

Waaaaah, my flowers are wrong! Ha - just kiddin'.

 

[Kingairrick]

4 sanwdiches on 1 tray from the "in-house" (same owner as the FBO) at Jims Air in SAN the other day for $450.00.
Stay away.....far away...

 

[Gearmunky]

The company legend of the $500 dollar shrimp tray at MIA. Told Signature where to stick that one.

 

[757BBJ_Capt]

We once ran over a skunk during landing on a quick turn. As fast as I could, I notified our caterers, but of course, they could not get out here quick enough, so we did not get crew meals that day. **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**nnnn it!!! I was so hungry.

 

[CatYaaak]

Speaking of "the only game in town" and expensive catering, how about this?

In sub-sahara Africa...days waiting for a VIP and entourage to finish up a safari. On the morning of our departure one of his friend/cousin/whatever's BBJs shows up...having flown in from Paris, France as a favor....for the sole purpose of delivering catering to our aircraft since I guess none of the catering on the entire continent of Africa was up to snuff. The transfer was performed by the catering crew and overseen by the chef that arrived on the BBJ. After unloading all the unpronouncable horse doovers, entrees, and desserts, and having accomplished this Very Important and Critical Mission, the Boeing departed, headed back to Frogland from whence it came.

On the flight back to Sandland, the Frog BBJ-supplied catering went virtually untouched, since everyone ate the slain meat the Great Hunters had culled straight from Nature, and had locally-prepared. I think I had either hippo or cape buffalo meat.....or maybe it was giraffe (I'm no connosoir, so I can't be sure). The "only game in town" turned out to be quite literally, Game.

Later, the night shift handlers back where we're based ate the silly, unspellable French stuff, so they were happy too. Kind of expensive catering tho.

 

[AA717driver]

Signature MIA is almost as expensive as flying a BBJ 6 hours to deliver catering.

My first trip with this company, we ordered a few salads and sandwiches from MIA as a backup. One-thousand freakin' bucks! No one at the home office even blinked.

Rudy's is great. In LAX, unless we're pressed for time, we'll run down to the Bristol Farms grocery store on Rosecrans and hit the deli. Great food (hot or cold). The boss will stop at Jimmy's deli on his way down from Malibu. They have great Pastrami and tuna salad.

I'm still thinking Mercury sucks all around.TC

 

[NJAowner]

Pastrami & Tuna

AA717 Driver -- what is a "Pastrami and Tuna Salad". Sounds gross. I love a pastrami sandwich. Tuna salad is fine. But eeeessshhhhh, I'd never put the 2 together.

Fly safe.