Planning a party but agonising over the catering possibilities? Feed My Guest provides a one-stop solution, writes Hanna Sheikh Mokhtar
MANY a time, plans to organise a fete or celebration at home gets shelved for the simple reason that it is energy draining and time-consuming to cook for a large number of people. In addition, one also need a sizeable number of crockery and cutlery at hand.
My late mother had a knack for entertaining friends and family. She used to keep the paraphernalia needed to do that but gave them all away when she grew older and became unwell. I inherited her kitchen sans kenduri (feast) equipment.
Up till six years ago, caterers were few and far between in Malaysia. Now, however, caterers providing a variety of cuisines from Asian to European and fusion dishes have mushroomed in and around the Klang Valley.
So how does one choose a suitable caterer? Check out the Feed My Guest website, a one-stop solution for food catering . The first of its kind in Malaysia, it serves as a one-stop solution centre for those looking for a caterer.
HELP IS AROUND THE CORNER
On its landing page, there’s an easy to navigate panel that prompts you to fill in the necessary information such as the number of party guests, your budget, the type of cuisine and event. Then you just click on the “Find caterers” button to submit your preferences and then wait for the caterers’ response.
When I tried it, I received a notification via email regarding my request and within an hour, I had received four to five quotations from different caterers.
The people behind the website, Janet Tan and John Lim, are also very helpful. Tan emails me if the quotations meet my requirements and if not, how else they can help.
Tan has over 10 years experience in enterprise software development. She has previously developed several apps for educational technology, consumers and public transport.
Meanwhile, Lim has 20 years of experience in consulting, media and the technology industry. An avid entrepreneur, he has worked in two successful Singapore technology start-ups before founding two profitable companies in the last six years.
“A lot of companies and households in Malaysia need catering services at some point or another, some even on a regular basis. Whether it’s a corporate function, meeting, birthday, wedding or social party, Feed My Guest aims to provide users a fast and easy way to find and compare caterers,” said Lim.
Tan and Lim came upon the idea over coffee one morning. “We found a common problem of getting the right caterer for our home parties and office functions, as we had to trawl through the internet or get recommendations from friends. Either way, it entails a process of endless calls. After many brainstorming sessions, Feed My Guest was born,” said Tan.
HOW IT WORKS?
Feed My Guest essentially has a feature for customers to find a suitable caterer. There is also a feature for interested caterers to register so that they can grow their business.
For customers, there are several ways to achieve their objectives.
There are more than 200 caterers to choose from. They range from well-known big caterers such as Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur offering wedding dinner menus costing thousands of ringgit, to food truck concept Curbside Cantina (dinner catering for RM50), to take-away healthy juice supplier Seri Jushi (fruit juice at RM8 per bottle). If they have the time and are up to it, customers can browse through each and every caterer or restaurant and see what each has to offer before selecting one that fits the bill.
The second way is to fill up an online form and let Feed My Guest match customers with the most suitable caterers. They will then receive a free quote from the caterers and can then make their choice based on the quotes.
Once customers have made up their minds, they can liaise directly with the caterer via Feed My Guest’s email system or send an email, which will then redirect the booking.
As an act of courtesy to the caterers who have taken the time and effort to respond accordingly, Feed My Guest requests that customers inform the rest of the caterers that a decision has been made.
One of its customers, Khairena, says: “I have had many responses from caterers, all within 48 hours. I would definitely recommend Feed My Guest to friends and family.”
FOR CATERERS AND RESTAURANTS
Caterers can join the Feed My Guest family and benefit from promoting their business on its platform.
Caterers are free to run their businesses as they see fit without any interference. Caterers are given their own online store to sell their menus and services to new and regular customers round-the-clock. Best of all, there is absolutely no charge to join Feed My Guest.
Sunjaya Cafe & Catering praises Feed My Guest as it has received many inquiries and orders through the website. “On other websites, we are not given customer information such as phone number and email, so it’s hard to know the customer’s requirements. Feed My Guest is helpful as it facilitates our processes to meet the customers’ needs,” it added.
Visit the website at www.feedmyguest.com/catering-web/#!/.
