January 8, 2026
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As a wedding planner, one of the most common questions I hear is, “why can’t we just have our favorite restaurant bring in the food?” At first glance, it seems like a smart way to save money, but read on to learn why it might be better for you to hire a full-service caterer. They provide far more services than you may realize and the difference can make or break your wedding day experience.
Full-Service Caterers Do More Than Cook
A full-service caterer isn’t just responsible for what’s on the plate, they’re responsible for how the entire meal experience runs. This typically includes professional servers and bartenders, bussing tables throughout the evening, serving drinks or refreshing and maintaining the beverage station, setting the table with linens, napkins, flatware, glassware and china, and cutting and serving your cake or desserts. When a taco service or restaurant delivers food, that’s usually where their responsibility ends. Then, everything else becomes your problem (or your planner’s) to staff and manage.
Staffing Adds Up Quickly
When couples choose restaurant catering, they often don’t realize how many extra people they’ll need to hire separately to get a smooth event. Will there be servers to pass the food, keep the food a safe temperature, or manage the buffet lines? Will there be staff to clear plates and cups from the tables and empty the trash? Will there be bartenders to serve alcohol? Will there be staff after dinner to cut and serve the cake? Who will be around at the end of the night to clean up? Most couples don’t want to see their exhausted (and possibly inebriated) family members cleaning up at the end of a long night of celebrating. By the time you source, book and coordinate all these roles, the less expensive option often ends up costing just as much than a full-service caterer with far more logistical complexity.
Tableware, Setup, and Breakdown Are Huge
Imagine bringing in an entire restaurant setup in two hours. Can it be done? With a full-service caterer, yes. With a restaurant delivering food, no. With restaurant catering, you are responsible for renting all tableware and linens and hiring staff to set it all up. Then you will need someone to make sure it all gets cleaned, packed and returned correctly to avoid any unnecessary fees. However, a full-service caterer will coordinate and bring the required rental items AND properly set each place setting for you. They will even assist with flipping a room from ceremony to reception if that is needed. With all these moving parts, large events provide a lot of room for stress.
Cake Service Isn’t Automatic
This detail is one that surprises couples the most. Restaurants rarely cut the cake, plate and serve it, or clean it up afterward. A full-service caterer does all of this seamlessly and can even provide the plates, forks, and napkins. Without one, you’ll need to bring your own plates, forks, and napkins, and hire additional staff just for dessert, or ask a family member (which we never recommend). A good coordinator will make sure all the items are in place and make sure the cutting goes well for photography, but then they are off to coordinate the next event and they do not cut and serve your cake.
Seamless Vendor Team = Stress-Free Wedding Day
One of the biggest advantages of a full-service caterer is how they integrate with the rest of your vendor team. They work closely with your planner and venue and follow the timeline without needing constant direction. Similarly to your coordinator (but for different concerns), they are always anticipating transitions and guest flow while problem-solving quietly behind the scenes. When everyone knows their role, your wedding feels effortless. When food is coming from one place, staff from another, and cleanup from another, things can feel disjointed very quickly and your guests will feel the difference! A full-service catering team ensures shorter lines, cleaner tables, full drinks, timely service and a polished, elevated guest experience. That level of hospitality is difficult to achieve when food is dropped off without a team to support it.
The Bottom Line
Restaurant catering can work well for very casual events, small guest counts, or non-traditional celebrations, but for most weddings, a full-service caterer is an investment in your experience, your guests’ comfort, and your peace of mind. These gorgeous photos were taken by Summit Event Catering (one of our favorite full-service caterers) at an incredible reception that we were honored to coordinate at the beautiful Cal Aero Events in Chino. Not only was their food gorgeous, but it was delicious and their staff is full of incredible talent and passion. They are always a pleasure to work with and our planning and coordination team always look forward to working together. Let us know how we can help you make your event seamless. Cheers!
