How to read catering reviews
Look for reviews of your kind of event
A caterer with glowing office lunch reviews has shown it can deliver on time and label food well. That says less about how it runs a staffed dinner for 150. Search a caterer's reviews for words like wedding, office, birthday or shoot, and give the most weight to events like yours.
Recent beats plentiful
Kitchens change chefs, owners and menus. Reviews from the last year or two describe the business you would actually be hiring. A long history is useful, but check that the recent reviews still describe the same standard of food and service.
Read how problems were handled
Every caterer has an off day eventually. What matters is what happened next. Reviews that mention a quick fix, a refund or a replacement dish tell you more than a string of one-line compliments, and a thoughtful owner reply to a critical review is a good sign.
Check the facts behind the ratings
Ratings are a starting point. Pair them with what the caterer says about itself: how long it has operated, which events it lists, whether it carries the permits and insurance your venue needs, and whether it can share references. The listings on this page include those facts where the caterer publishes them.
What it costs in Los Angeles
Reviews often mention price but rarely the details behind it. These typical Los Angeles ranges help you read a review that calls a caterer worth it, or a quote that looks high, in context.
Typical Los Angeles catering prices to read reviews against| What | Typical range |
|---|
| Drop-off catering | $20 to $45 per guest |
|---|
| Staffed buffet | $45 to $90 per guest |
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| Plated or full-service dinner | $90 to $200 per guest |
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| Service charge | 18 to 22 percent |
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| Delivery | $25 to $200 per order |
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When a review calls a caterer expensive or a bargain, check what was included. A per-guest price with staff, rentals and the service charge built in looks higher than a food-only price that adds them later. Sales tax is 10.25 percent in the City of Los Angeles and 11 percent in Glendale as of October 2026.
Marbled LA's own pricing, to set beside other quotes: $24, $48 or $70 per guest depending on the menu and $22 for breakfast, plus $2.50 per guest for disposables, delivery from $150 per drop and 15 percent service.
Tips
- Look for reviews that mention whether the final bill matched the quote, since surprise fees tend to show up in more than one review.
- Give the most weight to reviews of events your size, because per-guest pricing and staffing change a lot between a party of 20 and a gala of 300.
These are typical Los Angeles market ranges drawn from public price lists and cost guides, not quotes. Every caterer prices its own menus, so ask each one for a written quote.