Catering companies in Singapore, and how they differ

No, and the difference is worth knowing. A caterer is one kitchen with one menu and one production schedule. Livingmenu is a multi-vendor catering solution provider — we work across many partnering kitchens, so you are choosing from many menus rather than one, and a date that is full for one vendor is often open for another.

On four things rather than price alone: how far ahead they need to be booked, how much of the menu you can change without the price changing, whether the rate card is published or quoted, and what happens if your headcount moves the day before.

Because we are looking at more kitchens, not because anyone cooks faster. A single kitchen has one production schedule to fit you into; a platform can find a partnering vendor whose date is open.

10 pax for a mini buffet, 30 pax for a buffet with setup, and 12 pax for bento depending on the menu. Bento minimums run backwards — the cheaper the menu, the more people it needs.

One day, subject to vendor availability on your date. Most catering in Singapore asks for three to five working days. Same-day orders are not something we can promise in advance, but we do try to make them happen. Message us with the date, the headcount and where it is going, and a specialist will check what is open and come back to you either way.

No. Halal menus are priced exactly the same as every other menu. They come from Muslim-owned stalls, and halal-certified options are available through our partnering vendors on request.

The latest we can take an order is one day before your event. We recommend booking earlier than that: popular dates such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas and the year-end party season are taken weeks ahead, and ordering early secures your slot and the dishes you want. For large events, the earlier the better.

Delivery is free on mini buffet and bento orders of $225 or more before GST. Below that it is $30, and a 10 pax order always carries the fee whatever the order comes to. On the entry-level mini buffet menus $225 is reached at 15 pax. A buffet with setup instead carries a $90 setup fee, charged once per order, which covers delivery, laying out the buffet line and collecting the equipment afterwards. Remote postal codes, deliveries at 9.59am or earlier or 7.31pm or later, and venues without lift access can add a surcharge on top; every one is published and appears in your quotation before you confirm.

Mini buffet orders are drop and go: the food arrives in insulated warmer bags that are yours to keep, with serving gear, cutlery, plates, bowls, a disposable table cloth and a trash bag, so you can bag everything up and bin it after your event. Bento meals come individually boxed with cutlery. Buffet with setup includes a skirted table and cloth, warmers, serving gear, disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, and our team returns to collect the equipment.

Yes, with more than 24 hours' notice before your event, subject to availability. Within 24 hours the food and manpower are already committed, so changes and cancellations are normally not accepted and a fee of 50% to 100% of the order may apply.