Decent catering for the corporate aircraft scene?

[Sulako]

Man, if I could do my career over I'd get into corporate jet catering - the profit margin on a sandwich platter must be pretty good when the catering company delivers it on a silver platter and says "You can keep the platter". That was a couple of years ago in California and the platter of sandwiches for 7 people was $345. They weren't even particularly good.

We use Whole Foods for catering out of our home base. Whole foods is pretty great, and because they don't know the catering is for an airplane they manage to keep the prices to about $15 per person for a boxed lunch, or about a third of what the catering companies based at the airport would charge.

I'm curious if there are other decent places to use while on the road. Any success stories or places to avoid?

[Team Firecracker]

It's taken me a decade to realize that 90% of the time grocery stores give you the best catering. Unless it's some bizarro/impossible order. but then it won't be precise enough anyway. I still can't come to grasp the prices restaurants/caterers charge.

[ng78]

Yup, done the grocery store self-catering as well, and I think that's the way to go time permitting. Ordering catering from the FBO is always a complete rip-off.

Out of Toronto, we've used Sky Catering (I think that's what they were called?) and they were quite reasonable considering.

[sissyphus]

I bought a $90 chicken sandwich in YWG not too long ago. But it did come with a side of pickles. So, its not too outrageous.

[ahramin]

Definitely grocery stores. Downtown Calgary I had a lot of luck getting sandwich plates and such from the cafes on the +15.

Pizza deliveries can work extremely well depending on the clients.

[just curious]

Bruno's or Pussateri's in Toronto on Avenue Road. Not that my pax are the catering type, or that they'd deliver to the Arctic...

They do however have a kickass grocery store with catering.

[Siddley Hawker]

I remember getting catering at Tony's, I think it was called, in Newark. We went there to pick up 12 Japanese partners, so I ordered 12 seafood dinners. I think the bill came to $600.00. Beautiful presentation though.

[xsbank]

Get the hotel to do your catering for you. Assuming you stay at hotels? Call the head chef the night before and explain EXACTLY what you want and tell them to have it at the front desk 15 minutes before you expect to check out (they will forget and it will take that long to get it from the kitchen). Check it carefully at the desk, don't accept ANY mistakes or any crap. That's another reason for the 15 minutes. Charge it to your room, then it will please the bean counters. If they fzck it up, get them to deliver it to the plane themselves at their cost.

Or, get your clients to bring their own lunch. When I fly Air Canada from Vancouver I bring sushi.

What sort of operations are you dealing with where catering costs are a problem?

If you get crap catering, send it back and tell them to sit on it. They'll only do that once. Like trying to charge $50 for a kilo of ice.

The problem with corporate, if you try and squeeze every dollar you show them that you CAN save them money then they will expect it and you will be suffering through a cheap-ass operation that doesn't pay expenses or treat you with respect. If they can't stand the cost of catering for God's sake they should take the bus.

[Changes in Latitudes]

Unless there is a function on the FMS that activates "DIRECT SANGUAGE" I ain't orderin' dem fools in the back no sammiches.



Actually, for the right corporate job, I'd get up at 3am and make them personalized sandwiches myself with little notes of love in them like my mom does, I mean, did.

[Galaxy]

Back in the day, when I worked at an FBO, we marked the catering up an additional 20% on top of the caterer's bill. A "Convenience" charge!

If you want to save a few dollars, ask the fbo for the caterer's phone number. Call and pay yourself directly through the catering company.

[co-joe]

This one time, at Sunwest, the pax didn't want their salty omelettes and sausages, so I sat in the plane and ate all 6 of them myself after the flight... I get thirsty just thinking about it.

[Beechball]

How about Subway sandwich platters. They're found in all cities big and small. They usually need about 3 hours notice minimum but it's a pretty good spread for last minute catering.

[all_ramped_up]

In the States you can call up Panera Bread.

They make great stuff. The one in Savannah, GA (KSAV) is really helpful and will deliver right to the FBO for you as well.

[ahramin]

Hey guys, this is a great thread. Keep 'em coming. I'm sure this will be very useful to most of the newbies in the corporate scene.

[Apache64_]

Spitfire grill is pretty good out of YYC. They only do catering for a/c. They are pretty decent. could use some improvement but who doesnt. IF you use them more than 2 or 3 flights a week they get pretty boring. Though I think they do requests, I have no clue, I don't order them, I just eat em!

Cheers

Apache

[Airtids]

I know a girl who has a catering op in Toronto/Muskoka that I've talked to about this, and she's keen. Awesome chick, amazing food, reasonably priced, and will deliver. pm for details.