Frequently Asked Questions / Things you need to know
How will I know you have got my order and that it will come on time?
You will be sent a confirmation confirming your order and delivery slot.
What if my guests have special dietary requirements or allergies?
We can cater for most dietary requirements for example, vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, wheat free, halal etc but we cannot guarantee that any of our products are nut free. Please detail any special requirements on the appropriate section of the order form. We will e mail you if there is any problem about your order.
When do I have to place my order by?
We have a cut off point of 12 noon the day before your desired delivery date for finger food and 12 noon 2 days before for fork food. The Website will not accept orders after these times however please contact the office and we may be able to assist depending on your order.
Why do you have a cut off point the day before?
We always order all our food the day before for the following day so as to allow us to prepare everything fresh for your buffet. This means we must have a cut off point to allow us to place orders with our suppliers for the following day.
Can I have an exact time for delivery?
Many of our clients ask for the same delivery time and it would not be possible to deliver every buffet at an exact time. Book a Buffet, therefore, operates a system of delivery slots from Monday to Saturday - Before 8am, before 9am, before 10am, before 11am, before noon, before 1pm, before 2pm, before 3pm, before 4pm, before 5pm. Just choose the one that suits you best and we will do the rest. On Sunday there is one delivery slot before 12 noon.
Please see our Delivery Section for more details
Can you supply paper plates etc with my buffet?
Book a buffet are able to provide you with anything you could possibly need from disposable plates and napkins through to chafing dishes for hot food, or linen and real crockery. Just go to the Finishing Touches category of the menu section and select what you require.
If something I have ordered is not available what happens?
If for any reason this were to happen, we would substitute the most an appropriate alternative for you.
What if I want to change my mind? Can I amend an order?
Book a Buffet are happy to amend orders for clients but amendments will only be accepted by telephone until 12 noon the day before delivery. If it is necessary to make amendments after that time Book a Buffet reserves the right to charge the cost of any abortive work.
What if I need to cancel my order?
We appreciate that for a variety of reasons cancellations will be necessary from time to time. However, we cannot accept cancellations on line. Any cancellations must be made by calling us on 0845 271 2077 by 12 noon the day before the delivery date. Any cancellations made after that time may incur a cancellation charge.
Is VAT charged on your products and services?
All prices quoted are subject to VAT at the current rate.
How can I pay for my buffet?
It is intended to offer an online payment facility but in the meantime the following options for payment are available.
- We are happy to open accounts for Corporate Clients and issue invoices.
- Payment is due 14 days after the date of the invoice. Payment can be made by BACS, cheque or credit card.
- If you operate a Purchase Order system we will ensure the relevant order number will be quoted on your invoice.
- You can also pay online by credit or debit card via our protx secured payment gateway
When will any packaging or hired equipment be picked up?
Generally any pickups required will be arranged for the following day (or on a Monday for weekend deliveries) unless it is absolutely essential for uplift on the same day as the order and this is agreed at the time of ordering.
Do I have to have one of the standard Buffet Menus or can I change the items in my buffet?
Customers can choose a standard buffet and add extra items of their choice from our product range or alternatively customers can build their own buffet choosing all their favourites using our finger and fork menus. The choice is yours!
Will my food be hot on arrival?
All our finger food is delivered cold on returnable plastic platters, crockery is available on request.
All hot dishes will be delivered ready to be heated up in chafing dishes which will be supplied with the food. Our driver will set these up for you and advise on lighting these. As a broad rule of thumb you should allow up to 2 hours for all hot food to reach the required temperature and choose your delivery slot to allow the appropriate time for heating up your food.
Can you supply staff to help serve my buffet and / or drinks?
Please contact us on 0845 271 2077 to discuss your requirements for service staff. Service staff are charged at £11.50 per person per hour plus VAT with a minimum charge of four hours.
Any other questions?
If you have any other queries which we have not covered please get in touch.