If your catering order needs changing, contact the caterer immediately with your booking reference, the original arrangement and the exact replacement request. Before updating guests or your event team, confirm whether the change is accepted, what it costs and whether delivery or service arrangements must change too. A message sent is not yet an amended booking.
Check the Amendment Deadline First
Rasa Catering’s published booking terms require changes to guest numbers, menu selections, dates and timings to be finalised at least one week before the event. Full payment is also due one week beforehand.
If you are already inside that window, ask whether an exception is possible. Do not assume that being able to pay immediately guarantees availability.
Be specific about what matters most. If extra meals are essential but your preferred dish is unavailable, explain whether you can accept an alternative. Ask when the team can give you a decision, and keep the existing booking in place unless a replacement arrangement is expressly agreed.
Confirm Both the Guest Count and the Billable Quantity
Give the new total alongside the original number: “Please increase our order from 40 to 48 guests.” Clarify whether dietary meals are included within those 48 portions or requested separately.
For an increase, ask whether every dish and beverage will be increased, and whether the order will include enough plates, cups and serving equipment. Extra rice alone may not address the shortfall across the meal.
For a reduction, confirm the quantity you will still be charged for. Rasa’s catering buffet menus specify a minimum of 30 guests. A smaller attendance does not automatically mean a smaller payable order.
Also ask whether ingredients or preparation already committed affect any reduction. Request the revised quantity in writing before changing your budget.
Separate Menu Substitutions From Additional Dishes
State whether you want to replace a dish or add another selection. Rasa permits like-for-like customisation, such as chicken for chicken, and charges for additional dishes. This does not establish that a late substitution will be available.
Use the exact dish names from your selected package. For example, the Malay buffet menu lists Chicken Rendang and Ayam Masak Merah as chicken choices. If requesting a swap between them, ask about availability and any price difference before confirming.
For a newly reported dietary requirement, explain the requirement precisely and identify the affected meals. Ask the caterer:
- Can the ingredients and preparation arrangements meet this requirement?
- If an allergy is involved, what cross-contact controls can be provided?
- How will the meal be labelled and handed to the correct guest?
Get a clear answer before promising the guest a suitable meal.
Reconfirm the Whole Schedule When Meal Times Move
A delayed programme can affect delivery, setup, food service and equipment collection. Give the caterer the revised serving time and ask which other timings need adjustment.
Rasa states that buffet setup takes place 30 minutes to one hour before the event. Food should be consumed within three hours of the stated event time, with clearance scheduled at that point.
If lunch moves from noon to 1 pm, ask whether preparation and delivery can move too. If food has already arrived, follow the caterer’s confirmed consumption deadline rather than treating the later programme start as a new countdown.
Confirm the venue’s access and handover times as well. Permission to serve lunch later does not necessarily include permission to keep the function room, equipment or catering team longer. Ask about any additional staffing or collection costs before agreeing.
Give Complete Details for a Venue or Room Change
Even a move within the same building deserves an update. Send the new room, floor, unloading entrance and onsite contact, together with the full delivery address and postal code.
Rasa’s delivery guidance asks customers to identify floors without lift access and disclose any prior approval needed for delivery.
For a condo function room, check whether security needs revised delivery details. For an office, confirm access to the service lift and whether the new room can accommodate the agreed buffet layout.
If an outdoor catering arrangement moves under cover, share the replacement serving location before the team arrives. Ask whether the existing tables and equipment fit, and who will clear the route for unloading.
Ask for the Complete Revised Cost
Request an updated total that includes food, applicable GST, delivery, setup, equipment and any agreed additional service. Ask which charges are new and which original charges still apply.
Headcount changes can affect more than the food bill. Rasa publishes a S\$150 plus GST charge for buffet setup and two-way delivery, waived for orders of 50 guests or more. If your order falls below that threshold, ask whether the fee will apply to your revised booking.
For a date change, clarify whether it is being treated as a postponement, a cancellation or a new booking. Rasa states that its 30% booking deposit is non-refundable. Ask separately whether any payment can transfer to the proposed date; do not assume transferability.
Confirm when any extra payment is due and how an agreed refund or credit would be handled.
Get One Final Version Approved
Nominate one person to approve changes, especially when several colleagues or family members are involved. Send a single consolidated request so the caterer can see the complete revised order.
A useful message is:
“Booking reference: [number], event date: [date]. Please change our guest count from 40 to 48 and serving time from noon to 1 pm. Please confirm availability, the revised total, payment deadline, delivery time and collection time. All other arrangements should remain as booked.”
After approval, check that the updated confirmation includes every accepted change. Ask the caterer to confirm that the kitchen and delivery team have the latest instructions. Share that same version with your venue contact and event coordinator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request a change on the event day?
Call immediately. Explain whether food has arrived and what needs changing. Same-day availability must be confirmed directly; sending a request does not secure it.
Will fewer guests automatically qualify me for a refund?
No automatic refund should be assumed. Ask which booked quantities remain payable and whether any reduction, refund or credit is agreed.
What if my preferred replacement dish is unavailable?
Ask which alternatives can be prepared within the remaining time. Check the ingredients, quantity and price before accepting one.
Should I submit a second order for extra guests?
Ask the caterer first. Confirm whether the extra meals can join your existing delivery or require a separate booking and delivery charge.
Who should handle urgent changes during the event?
Agree on one organiser and a catering contact beforehand. Give that organiser clear authority to approve any additional spending.