Applause Catering + Events

for guests and everyone RAVED about the food AND service at our wedding. Would definitely recommend to anyone getting married or hosting an event!

re at first disappointed because we really loved working with Kyle but Tyler stepped in and did a great job. Overall, their food was pretty middle of the road. There were a couple things at the wedding that were disappointing. 1. We tasted the Portobello Mushroom bake at our tasting. It was BEYOND good. So good in fact that I ordered it for my dinner over chicken and steak which says a lot for me. What I ate for dinner on our wedding night was NOT what I had at our tasting... there were huge chunks of vegetables in it, the seasoning was way off, and it wasn't as smooth as it was when I first had it. I walked around and most people had generally the same concencous which was disappointing to me because I had talked it up so much. Not sure what happened here, maybe a new chef but really, really disappointing. 2. Their waitstaff was extremely young and they didn't seem to be trained very well. They were sometimes running in circles and one of them dropped items during dinner (just dishes, not a meal). Overall, middle of the road experience and really disappointing dish but if you stay away from that, the rest seemed to be loved by all.

and beyond to ensure that we could have the day we dreamed of. The only thing that could be improved is the knifes to cut steak a little more easily. Still tastes great and was served quickly so it was hot. The food is fabulous and service is second to none.

sing the best options for our guest count and also helped us stay within our budget. I would highly recommend this company to other couples!

ich was catered to our specific needs. Stephanie created a stress-free event day because of her attention to detail. The best part was -- the food was great, and our guests noticed as well!

when I all of a sudden was able to be in town several hours after the tasting, they sent her home with to-go boxes of everything so that I could taste everything as well. Throughout the process the accommodated all of me requests, including some very last minute changes, with no push back. The day of, the food was DELICIOUS and the service was superb. Everyone was so cordial and made the whole reception not stressful at all.

ct for our big day! We had them on site which can be tricky for any caterer. Their antipasto appetizer display was gorgeous and a HUGE hit! I would always suggest ordering a meal with sauces, and we would have loved just a tad more on our chicken dish as it was dry for some guests. We had the s’mores bar and they transitioned the app display to the dessert display flawlessly and without commotion. Their staff was everywhere and nowhere which is always the goal!! Overall, would definitely recommend Applause, we loved our experience.

k with. The food was amazing and the service was fantastic. My wedding guest repeatedly complimented the food and the staff. I will certainly be using Applause again for any future catering needs.

tasted just as amazing at our tasting as at our wedding. The only complaint we heard at our wedding was with our dessert. Instead of cake we chose pie & gelato. Heard that some pie slices came out without any gelato and others with a just sliver of gelato. This is not something that every wedding does so can't fault them too much for the confusion. Otherwise heard nothing but compliments on the food. Highly recommend them!

ing our wedding. Stephanie was willing to chat with me on the phone after hours to go over the final details for our wedding, and she answered any and all questions I had (and there were a lot!) with grace and patience. We definitely made the right choice when it came to using Applause!!

We were so grateful for his help. The only problem was a small miscommunication between our DJ and our caterer over when a wedding game was to be played. We had hoped it would be played after dinner, but it ended up being played before dinner and so food came out later than we might have hoped. Other than that, everything was absolutely amazing! We could not have asked for a better caterer. The food was also super affordable. Would definitely recommend!

ogistics, to day-of help, she was always gracious, happy, honest, and helpful. If I ever work on another event that needs catering, Applause will be the first place I call. I would happily refer them to anyone looking to check dinner, bartending and dessert off of their list!

great to work and interact with. We would definitely use them again.

anning long distance and he was very flexible about scheduling tastings and working around our travel schedule. He had helpful recommendations for us, both as to food and for place settings and tablecloths.

s see the reception room multiple times and accommodated all of our requests. The day went perfectly. The food was amazing, even better than it was for our tasting. We could not have asked for a better team!

cordon bleu. When my mother tried to call about it after the wedding, they claimed that was what we ordered (chicken portofino). Being in catering, I would think they would know the difference between the two. I remember the breaded chicken with the gross thick sauce on it and I didn't like it at the tasting and I didn't like it at my wedding. My husband ended up sharing part of his meal with me because of the meal I was served. I'm thoroughly disappointed with Applause and won't be recommending them. Food was decent but swapping food out at the last minute was not what I was expecting from them.

perfect person to help me plan my perfect day! I told him what my vision was an he made it better! We did a really cool seafood station, a grilled cheese station with had several different kinds of grilled cheese and a pasta station that everyone loved. If I could do it again, I wouldn't change a thing.

website, checked over their menu and prices, and contacted them about a tasting. We attended their tasting event at Bridgewater Place where we got to taste lots of their food offerings and meet various vendors from the area (we met our DJ there!). They had a full dinner service so we could see how their staff operates and they had plated and buffet options on display to show attendees what their food looks like in various forms. My (now) husband LOVED the Applause Chicken Portofino, while I loved the Classic London Broil. Seriously, my husband loved that chicken so much that he pitched it to every single one of our guests before they sent their response cards back. Since we wanted to give our guests choices, we did the split plate option which gave us up to 4 choices, so we had chicken, beef, fish, and vegetarian options. We had the roasted potato trio and green beans amandine for our sides. Throughout the wedding planning process, Kyle was great over email and answered my many, many questions, including things like, "will you put salt and pepper shakers on each table?" (yes) or "can you do this random napkin fold I saw on Pinterest?" (they could). Kyle answered every question and always did so in a friendly way. We had two guests with intense food allergies and Applause staff made sure that they wouldn't have any problems on the day of the wedding (and they didn't, so good job!). Applause provided all our linens (napkins in our wedding color and crisp, white tablecloths), tableware, and even provided our cake cutting materials, because I thought it was silly to pay $40 to buy one for myself and then never use it again. They even included a late night coffee bar and waived our cake cutting fee as part of our catering package. All our food was hot and delicious on the day of the wedding. My bridesmaids nearly licked their plates. We were all very happy with our dinners and Applause timed everything well. We had a waiter assigned only to the head table and he made bar runs for us if any of us wanted something to drink (which was great, because getting around tables in my dress was a challenge). The day-of catering manager also checked with me throughout the night to make sure everything was to my satisfaction, which I appreciated. We had a great experience with Applause and if we did it all over, we would happily hire them again.

r use them or recommend them for an event. I am planning my fall 2015 wedding and found Applause Catering on the list of approved vendors for my venue. After reviewing their website, my fiance and I decided to schedule an appointment and a tasting at their facilities. Following the instructions on their website, I submitted a request for a tasting, along with the information that was requested...and waited... Having not received a response after 2 days, I submitted a new request...and waited... After 2 more days of waiting and not getting any responses, I called the number found on the website. Unfortunately, it is a fully automated system with no general contact to speak with, so I selected the extension of the first person listed as a sales and catering specialist and left a detailed message...and waited... That evening, I received an email in response to my first two requests telling me that "he thought the chef would be out (on my requested date) with his children and would get back with me" but would like to schedule an appointment anyway. He also stated in the email that he would get back with me right away to let me know if the chef was or was not going to be available. As both my fiance and I are from out of town, it's imperative that we are very efficient with our appointments and would not schedule one to hear his sales pitch without having a tasting as well. I called the number on his email immediately- literally, in the time it took for the email to come in, for me to read it, and subsequently dial the number, 5 minutes may have elapsed- and had no answer. I then responded to his email with very detailed information about my travel plans and the requirements for my appointment....and waited... The next morning, I received a call from a different person, but unfortunately was away from my phone and missed the call. I called back right away (perhaps 15 minutes had elapsed since the message was left), but again, no answer. I left a message requesting a call back right away...and waited...in fact, I have not heard back from either people whatsoever. If this company values new business, they certainly don't show it. The communication-or rather, lack thereof- is simply appalling. If it is this difficult to so something that should be so simple as to schedule appointment, how is it going to be to work with them to ensure my needs are met for my wedding? If they can't handle a simple task of returning a phone call or email in a timely manner, then how can I trust that they are going to properly do their jobs? I can't, and they have lost my business as a result. So disappointing. UPDATE: I ultimately received an email communication stating they could not accommodate any tasting requests on the date I requested but they "still wanted my business". There were no suggestions of when their chef might make an appearance for a tasting for alternate dates.

e wanted ordered, what time on our booked day we would have guests arrive, etc. Thankfully, the Event Coordinator, Stephanie, was incredibly helpful and she was even willing to meet with me two weeks before the wedding when I finally moved back to Grand Rapids. Cannot recommend this company enough!

d eaten. We went with Applause because of their impressive ability to accommodate allergens. We had 4 cases of different allergens with our guests, and everyone ate well with no hospital trips! At the reception, my husband said that his food was well above and beyond his expectations, and everyone enjoyed what they had to eat. Salad was fresh and cold, meals were hot and cooked correctly! Stephanie and her team are amazing! We had a disaster with the florist and our wedding venue coordinators, but The Applause Team was professional and handled everything without a problem. I am so impressed and thankful that we went with this company. Highly recommend!

hose Applause. Their portofino chicken was delicious and the staff the day of the wedding was awesome!

ect venue and caterer. Our Event Planner was Melissa and she was a total asset to our planning process. Melissa was easy to work with and offered many great ideas. The Executive Chef, Mark, personally spent time with us to customize the perfect menu. The food was amazing!!! The portions were generous and our meals were hot! I received so many compliments from our guests. It was very clear that the entire staff was dedicated to making sure that my son and daughter in-law truly had a night to remember. Thank you Applause for making this special occasion absolutely perfect!

g in the ramp, multiple floors). The food was delicious which I was nervous about b/c some of the food at the tastings were not so good. All the staff was very friendly but not completely organized. The banquet manager I dealt with had slow reponse time and often forgot items so as a detailed oriented person that drove me nuts but that is really my only complaint. Thank you for a beautiful reception!

one!

rything was cleaned up and did so happily.They also coordinated very well with the wedding planner from our venue to make sure that everything was taken care of. I didnt have to worry about a thing. Would definitely recommend.

ave to worry about a thing. I have also been to other weddings catered by them and had and equally great experience as a guest.

rvice was amazing. They did a great job with everything.

ur biggest problem, and that of our family, was that all leftovers were tossed. Apparently if you want to keep any leftovers, you have to tell them beforehand and sign a waiver. Oh, and bring your own containers. We were never told this. We had noticed about an hour into the reception that there was a ton of food left over and we were so excited to be able to have so many leftovers! Also, my new brother-in-law was happy to be able to take some home to their grandmother, who had been too sick to attend. Later in the evening I asked one of the waitresses where the leftovers were and she told me that they had all been eaten. We knew this was not true. I emailed within a few days to try to get to the bottom of this, and this is when I was told about the waiver. Needless to say, after having spend over $1000 for this, and having maybe just over half of it actually eaten, I was extremely unhappy. After an exchange of a few emails with nothing seeming to happen, other than them telling me about food quality and safety (had I known beforehand that I would need to take care of the leftovers, I would have made plans to use the frige at the venue), I have given up. I am so unsure of how to feel about this caterer, since the food was so amazing, and prior to the wedding I really liked them. Having lost out on so much food, and money, and not having them try to make it right, I really don't feel like they deserve higher than 3 stars. However, you now have the knowledge of a waiver, so if you want great food at a decent price, I might just suggest them to you.

planning we found out that Celebration Cinema partnered with Applause...so we were stuck. Melissa (our point person) was great to work with, I just wasn't fond of her staff at all. Our rehearsal dinner was a Taco buffet. Most of it was good, however the beef was swimming in a pool of greese...with was so gross. Our reception went well. We had offered a steak, chicken, or fish option. I got rave reviews on the chicken and fish...the steak however, not so much. I would say 70% of our guests ordered the steak. Many said it was over cooked (to the point of well done) and cold. Others said it was good..so the cooking was not consistant. My Husbands (whose meal is one of the most important) was cold and nothing but a plate of fat. He was really upset about it, and not to mention starving. When I emailed Melissa to tell her about everything she seemed concerened and said she was informing her manager and wuold get back to me....it's not beed almost 2 weeks and I haven't heard anything from her. This is the exact reason I didn't want to use Applause in the first place. Celebration Cinema as a venue, and Bartenders were fantastice, and April Butler with Celebration Cinema was an absolute please to work with.

ould have expected more in just communicating by email, but it ended up not being a problem by the time the day came. I'm a more laid back person though, so if you are more high maintenance, this could be a little frustrating at times.

chicken and steak and the steak was inedible. I was not aware before this that you could so completely ruin steak to the point of people not eating it at all. However, this is what happened. They claimed that there was a fuse problem and that the person in charge of the steaks walked away. First of all if this happened anyone but the person in charge of food should have fixed the fuse and second the chef should never walk away from the food he is preparing for 170 people and third if the chef will admit to the bride that there is a problem with the steak it looks horrible on the company that they would still serve the food. This was a horrible experience and all my guests are talking about is how bad the food was. The company should have stepped up at the reception to admit that there was a problem. However, they didn't and at a meeting after the fact they acted like we were in the wrong not them. A horrible experience starting with a horrible attitude on the part of our contact, followed by horrible food, and finished with a bad attitude on behalf of the manager after the fact. If you have an option NEVER WORK WITH THEM. I will spend forever telling everyone I talk to about the horrible and unprofessionalism we experienced with this company.

't been working at that time, but then replied to THAT EMAIL. When she did reply, she told me that my idea to have family-style service was basically a bad idea, they don't recommend it (we did and it worked out great!), and that they could not/would not make anything off-menu. Next!

w to respond to both myself and my wedding coordinator regarding menu, final costs. Overall though, great people and great food. Would recommend to others..

ons we had. She was so helpful in working with us so we were satisfied with everything in the event. Kyle was our coordinator for the day of the wedding and he made any concern or problem we had disappear quickly and to our satisfaction. Our head table server was so accommodating, and the food was AMAZING and looked so beautiful on the plate! We can't forget our bartender, they ran out of one type of beer we had (my husband's favorite) in the last 1/2 hour of our event. When he went to the bar someone said "they're out of Oberon" but the bartender had poured him a glass before they ran out and saved it for him! Wow! All of the staff was so friendly and helpful and if I had a question one person couldn't answer they would track someone down that could. We were so happy we chose Applause!

. But they were minor issues and overall we were happy with our three entrees, the cocktail hours set up and the drinks.

fect. They are very flexible with decorations and food options. We were very pleased and wouldn't have changed a thing!

at the reception was great.