"Bhaiya, verbal mein theek hai na. Kya formal ki zaroorat hai?"
Ye line humne Pratapgarh mein ek customer se suni thi. Unhone shaadi ke liye humein book kiya — Rs.1,40,000 ka order. Humne kaha written quotation le lo. Wo bole "itna formality kyun?" Humne phir bhi diya. Aur accha kiya.
Shaadi ke din unke rishtedaar ne bahana banake 120 extra log bhej diye. Planned tha 300, aaye 420. Kyunki contract mein extra guest rate clearly likha tha — Rs.220 per plate for any additions — toh koi confusion nahi hua. Na family ko shock laga, na humein. Sab smooth raha. Baad mein wahi customer ne thank you call kiya.
Lekin sab ke saath aisa nahi hota. 70% catering disputes sirf isliye hote hain kyunki written agreement nahi hota. Verbal deal mein dono parties ko alag-alag yaad rehta hai — "maine Rs.200 bola tha", "nahi, Rs.180 bola tha." Koi proof nahi. Koi solution nahi.
Kyun Zaroori Hai Written Contract?
Samjho — shaadi ka khana Rs.50,000 se Rs.3,00,000 tak ka order hota hai. Itna paisa kisi ko bina agreement ke doge? Phone khareedne mein bill lete ho, lekin lakho ka catering order verbal mein?
Humne ek case suna tha — Kanpur mein ek family ne caterer ko Rs.80,000 advance diya. Koi written agreement nahi liya. Caterer ne shaadi se 3 din pehle cancel kar diya — koi reason nahi bataya. Family ko na paisa mila wapas, na shaadi ka khana time pe arrange ho paaya. 3 din mein naya caterer dhundhna pada. Stress socho.
Written contract dono parties ko protect karta hai. Family ko bhi, caterer ko bhi. Ye formality nahi hai — ye safety hai.
Contract Mein Ye 7 Points Zaroor Check Karo
Jab bhi caterer se quotation lo ya agreement karo — ye 7 cheezein likhi honi chahiye. Agar koi missing hai toh poochho aur likhwao:
1. Menu list with quantities. Har dish ka naam likha ho — paneer tikka, dal makhani, jeera rice, puri — sab clearly. Aur per plate mein kitni quantity milegi wo bhi. Vague "vegetarian thali" nahi chalega. Likha hona chahiye exactly kya milega.
2. Per plate rate — inclusive ya exclusive? Ye bahut important hai. Rs.250 per plate bola — lekin GST alag hai? Service charge alag hai? Agar inclusive nahi hai toh actual cost Rs.290-300 ho jayegi. Pehle se poochho.
3. Advance payment terms. Kitna advance dena hai? 30%? 50%? Ye advance refundable hai ya nahi? Kab tak cancel kar sakte ho bina loss ke? Ye sab likha hona chahiye. Verbal mein "adjust ho jaayega" kaam nahi karta jab problem aati hai.
4. Extra guest clause. Shaadi mein hamesha expected se zyada log aate hain. Toh agar 50-100 extra mehman aayein toh rate kya hoga? Same per plate rate lagega ya extra charge? Ye pehle se decide hona chahiye. Humara experience kehta hai — per plate rate same rakhho extra guests ke liye bhi, warna din pe confusion hogi.
5. Timing clause. Khana kitne baje serve hoga? Setup kab tak hoga? Agar caterer late ho — serve 1 baje hona tha, 3 baje ho raha hai — toh kya? Koi compensation hai? Ye rare cases mein zaroorat padti hai, lekin likha hona chahiye. Humne dekha hai ki timing disputes bahut common hain — khaas kar peak season mein jab caterer ke paas ek din mein 2-3 events hote hain.
6. Crockery aur serving staff. Included hai ya extra charge lagega? Steel plates milenge ya disposable? Kitne waiters aayenge? Koi dress code hai unka? Ye sab chhoti cheezein lagti hain lekin event ke din bada impact karti hain. Imagine karo — shaadi premium hai, lekin serving staff casual kapde mein aaye.
7. Cancellation aur refund policy. Dono taraf se — agar family cancel kare toh? Caterer cancel kare toh? Kitna paisa wapas milega? Kitne din pehle cancel karna hoga? Ye sabse important point hai aur sabse zyada ignore hota hai. Jab sab accha chal raha ho toh cancellation ki baat koi nahi karta. Lekin jab zaroorat padti hai tab koi rule nahi hota.
Agar Caterer Contract Dene Se Mana Kare Toh?
Seedhi baat — red flag hai.
Koi bhi professional caterer written quotation dene se nahi manega. Agar koi bolta hai "verbal mein kya problem hai" ya "itna trust nahi hai kya" — toh samajh lo ki accountability se bach raha hai.
Hum hamesha detailed quotation dete hain — menu list, per plate rate, total estimate, advance terms, cancellation policy, sab likha hota hai. WhatsApp pe bhi bhejte hain aur printed bhi de sakte hain. Ye humari standard practice hai — kyunki isse family ko bhi clarity milti hai aur humein bhi.
Tiwari bhaiya pe directly call aati hai booking ki — wo pehle sab detail poochhte hain phone pe, phir 1-2 ghante mein WhatsApp pe poora breakdown bhej dete hain. Raju bhaiya bhi rate check karte hain market ka — taaki per plate cost accurate rahe. Hum log kisi se chhupa ke nahi rakhte kuch. Jo cost hai wo hai — seedhi baat. Isliye repeat customers zyada hain humare — trust ek baar ban gaya toh log baar baar aate hain.
"3 saal mein 4 functions karwaye Tiwari bhaiya se. Har baar WhatsApp pe quotation aata hai, sab clear hota hai. Ek baar bhi koi extra charge nahi laga surprise mein. Aise caterer milna mushkil hai." — Deepak Tripathi, Hazratganj, Lucknow
Ek simple test hai — caterer se bolo "WhatsApp pe ek written quote bhej do jismein sab details ho." Agar 24 ghante mein nahi aata — sochna. Agar aata hai clearly — accha sign hai.
Aur haan, quotation milne ke baad khud bhi padho dhyan se. Bahut log le lete hain lekin padhte nahi. Koi point samajh nahi aaye toh poochho. Shaadi ke din surprise nahi chahiye — na khane mein, na bill mein. Gomtinagar mein ek family ne quotation mein "serving staff charges extra" likha tha — padha nahi. Event ke baad Rs.12,000 ka extra bill aaya serving staff ka. Family ne bola "ye toh pata nahi tha." Par likha toh tha — padhna chahiye tha.
Ek aur tip — contract ki ek copy apne paas rakhho, ek caterer ke paas. Dono ke paas same version ho. Photo le lo phone mein. Ye basic cheez hai lekin bahut log bhool jaate hain. WhatsApp pe quotation aaya toh usko star kar do ya screenshot le lo — agar phone change hua ya chat delete hui toh bhi record rahega.
Last mein ek zaroori baat — advance dene se pehle caterer ka background check karo. Google pe reviews dekho, kisi known person se refer liya ho toh better hai. Barabanki aur Pratapgarh mein word-of-mouth bahut kaam karta hai — mohalle mein poochho ki ye caterer kahan-kahan kaam kar chuka hai. Lucknow mein Google reviews aur Instagram pe portfolio dekho. Rs.50,000-2,00,000 ka order de rahe ho — 30 minute ka research toh banta hai na? Budget plan karne mein time lagate ho toh caterer verify karne mein bhi lao.