Award-Winning Catering and Complete Bar Services!
Recently updated
This vendor updated their storefront within the last 15 days.
Serving within 100 miles from Grand Rapids, MI
Service area
AWARD WINNER (5X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Based in West Michigan, Distinctive Catering is a professional catering company that provides culinary solutions for weddings in addition to all-inclusive bar services. The team offers expertly crafted cuisine for events throughout a 100-mile radius, including locations such as Lansing, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Lakeshore.
Distinctive Catering was founded in 1995 in Wyoming, Michigan. Central to its business ethos is a desire to produce flawless dining experiences for customers. The award-winning company offers thoughtful services that have been designed to achieve event success for each client. They can take care of many of your event’s details, allowing you to unwind and enjoy the festivities.
Our chefs and bar managers can tailor menus to suit the couple’s preferences. Options include succulent meats, vegetarian dishes, charcuterie spreads, salmon displays, and more. The meal can be served in multiple ways, including but not limited to buffet style, plated, and hors d'oeuvres. Their many menu options and varying services make it simple for couples to create a bespoke gathering!
We would be thrilled for the opportunity to create a quote for your event! Please contact us via the contact form, by phone at 616-538-4384, or by email at cateringinfo@distinctivecatering.com. We can't wait to play a small part in your special day!
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Details
Cuisine
American
BBQ
Italian
Latin American
Mexican
Seafood
Specialty
Dietary Options
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
Nut Free
Vegan
Vegetarian
Food & Catering
Buffet
Catering Clean Up
Catering Delivery & Setup
Chef Stations
Family Style
Menu Tastings
Passed Appetizers
Seated Meal
Servers
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Reviews
4.6
out of 5.0155 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Distinctive Catering receives glowing reviews for their exceptional food and service for weddings. Guests raved about the delicious food, especially highlighting dishes like gourmet cheese platters, BBQ, and pasta buffets. Reviewers appreciated the efficient and responsive communication, helpful staff, and accommodating nature of the company. They were praised for working seamlessly with the venue and going above and beyond to make the wedding day smooth and memorable, with guests still complimenting the food long after the event. The Signature Full Service Buffet and Bar options were highly recommended for weddings and other events.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 6
Mackenzie J
4.0
2/12/2026
The table set up and bar service were fantastic! I was a little disappointed with our food. We did their Italian Buffet and I did not enjoy the chicken Alfredo. The rest of the foo...
d was okay. But they made the space look beautiful and the bar service was exceptional!
Destany M
5.0
1/08/2026
Distinctive Catering was our cater for our 12/20/2025 wedding. The food was beyond excellent. We received constant positive feedback from our guest about all the food that was serv...
ed, and I still am dreaming of the mashed potatoes. We later found out that our last few tables (3 or so) went up to get food and the 2nd protein choice was empty, and that did not get refilled. That didn't ruin those guests experience, but should be something to note for future couples, to have someone monitor that closer than we did. We also got the dessert bar through them, and could not suggest that enough! I was nervous going in, as I hadn't seen any reviews mentioning the dessert bar, and they did not have any desserts at the tasting we went to, but I was so surprised with how good the dessert bars were! The mini cheesecakes were also great, and it was nice they also provided a coffee station to go with it.
Overall, I would choose Distinctive Catering again for any major event, but would make sure that there is plenty of food on the buffet lines at all times.
Any questions?
Danyell O
5.0
12/31/2025
although there were a couple of issues that we ran into the day of with missing meals, they were able to compensate for those mistakes so that was appreciated. the food was absolut...
ely delicious and we had a good experience with the bar. my only complaint was the miscommunication or lack of communication in which we were missing a few special plates but the communication after to find a solution was what gave them a 5 star.
Brady B
1.0
12/07/2025
If I could give Distinctive Catering zero stars, I would. Our wedding on October 11, 2025 was supposed to be a seamless, well-coordinated event - especially after months of plannin...
g, countless emails, and repeatedly clarifying our expectations. Unfortunately, the bar service fell so far below what we were promised and paid for that it truly impacted our night.
To start, Distinctive ran out of vodka by around 10:00 - 10:30 PM, nearly two full hours before our wedding ended. We told Distinctive Catering over and over again that our guest group consisted of heavy drinkers / party people and that running out of alcohol was our number one concern. Despite this, it still happened.
Next, the staffing was unacceptable. We requested four, preferably five, bartenders for our approximately 260-guest wedding. We were told that their rule of thumb was to have one bartender for every 50 guests. Instead, we had three, and for most of the night it looked like only two were actively taking orders. The lines were long and constant, exactly what we tried to avoid.
We also experienced serious issues with one bartender in particular. He was pouring extremely light drinks, giving guests (including our maid of honor) a hard time about ordering, and at one point told our maid of honor she couldn’t get another drink until she “finished what was in her cup.” The most upsetting moment, though, involved my brother, the best man, who was being deployed with the Navy the next day. My brother went up to the bar to order a drink and already had an encounter with this bartender earlier in the night because of something that my brother had nothing to do with. After pouring his drink with a look of disgust, my brother simply walked away. Then, my brother’s friend, who ordered next, mentioned to the bartender that my brother was leaving the next day to be deployed. The bartender responded, “Good, because I was about to cut him off.” My brother was not intoxicated, and the comment was inappropriate, unprofessional, and frankly offensive.
To make matters worse, we later learned that the buffet ran out of meat before all tables were able to serve themselves, another disappointment to add to the list.
But what has made this entire situation even more disappointing is the complete lack of communication from Distinctive Catering. When they needed payment from us, we received instant responses and fast follow-ups. Yet as soon as we reached out with concerns after the wedding, the communication stopped cold. I emailed detailed feedback explaining exactly what went wrong, and five business days passed with no reply. I sent a follow-up, and still nothing. The silence speaks volumes about their priorities.
Between the alcohol shortage, understaffing, unprofessional bartender behavior, missing food at the buffet, and now the refusal to even respond to legitimate concerns, I would strongly caution anyone considering Distinctive Catering. Overall, going through Distinctive left us disappointed, frustrated, and feeling ignored after investing a significant amount of money into this company.
I truly regret choosing Distinctive Catering, and I wouldn’t want another couple to experience what we went through. If you’re looking for someone to cater your event, don’t both with this company.
Hayley W
5.0
10/21/2025
Distinctive Catering was an amazing company to work with! We got appetizers, a fajita buffet, and dessert station. All of which were amazing. Our guests were ranting and raving abo...
ut how delicious everything was. The menu itself was extensive, lots of different options to choose from. The communication with DC was also excellent. I honestly didn't have to worry about a thing from start to finish. I would highly recommend them to anyone!
Abby C
5.0
10/20/2025
We hired Distinctive Catering for both our food and bar for our wedding. They did an amazing job with both! The company was easy to work with along the way, and always a phone call...
or email away to happily answer any questions. Our food was delicious!! Bartending was great, and we didn’t have a long line all night long! Highly recommend.
Erin G
5.0
9/25/2025
Distinctive Catering knocked it out of the park for our wedding! The food and service was absolutely fantastic!
Dillon D
5.0
9/18/2025
Distinctive Catering was perfect for our big day! They were easy to communicate with and so helpful throughout the whole planning process.
They were brilliant when working with th...
e team at the venue and left the kitchen in the venue spotless!
I would recommend Distinctive Catering to everyone for their wedding needs!
Brooklyn D
5.0
8/19/2025
Did such an amazing job! Very kind staff, great food, and very resonable price! Guests had nothing but wonderful things to say about the company! Would 100% recommend to everyone!
Sarah A
5.0
6/30/2025
Our food was ABSOLUTLEY amazing! Everyone raved about how good the gourmet cheese platter was, and it kept our guests very happy in between ceremony and reception! We got the creat...
e your own BBQ and it was delicious, we were ecstatic to hear there was extra food to take home.
Distinctive catering is also very easy to work with! Responsive to emails, and they worked seamlessly with our wedding planner and service was flawless.
Kristen S
5.0
6/19/2025
We used Distinctive Catering through the Waddell Center and were very happy with the communication, food, and service. They answered questions quickly leading up to the wedding, we...
re able to provide special meals for guests with dietary restrictions, the serving/clean up staff were very friendly, and we have no complaints about the food quality!
Katie R
5.0
6/01/2025
Distinctive was great to work with! They were very responsive, and they accommodated all of our requests. They were professional, and things went smoothly at the wedding.
As for th...
e food, we really loved the barbecue pulled pork. Other menu items were perfectly fine / good — definitely nothing to complain about! I would definitely recommend Distinctive.
Hannah W
5.0
5/29/2025
They were fantastic! The food was great, the service was great, and the price was great!
Sisaleigh M
5.0
5/21/2025
We used Distinctive Catering for both our food and bar services and OH. MY. GOSH! From the beginning they were so amazing to work with; great communication and teamwork. They made ...
our planning process so much easier. Wedding day they did not disappoint! The food was absolutely delicious, the staff kept the food area and bar area so clean, the staff themselves were so respectful and friendly as well. We cannot say enough great things! We are so thankful
Isabella T
5.0
5/19/2025
Responded quickly, reasonable priced, and received a lot of compliments on the food!
Kristin D
5.0
5/01/2025
We used Distinctive Catering for our daughter's wedding reception. Amazing! Any questions we had before the day of the wedding were answered quickly and thoroughly. The staff on...
-site the day of the wedding were friendly and helpful. The food was so incredibly good...we still get comments from those who attended that this was some of the best food they have had at a wedding. We cannot praise them highly enough!
Emma R
5.0
4/23/2025
We got their information from our reception venue, and let me tell you - we are so thankful! We hired them for both food and bar. The food was incredible, we chose one chicken and ...
one red meat with carrots and mashed potatoes. People are still raving about their food a month later. Their staff was kind and helpful, seemed all happy to be there as well. The bar staff was incredible, and had a dedicated woman for my husband and I.
Kaley O
5.0
4/19/2025
Food was awesome! We have gotten so many compliments about it since the wedding. We had buffet style and it was still prepared well, presented well, and everything ran so efficient...
ly. They also cut our sheet cake for us and that was done well too. Their tasting day was also done well and efficiently too, truly impressive and organized. Couldn't say enough good things. Worth every penny :)
Marlee K
4.0
3/09/2025
Distinctive was great. They were very helpful with our guests with food restrictions and they were very helpful day of with anything we needed. We got the pasta buffet. 2/3 pastas ...
were amazing. The mac n cheese fell a little flat though. But the spinach artichoke dip made up for it. We had several guests raving about the food.
Mary H
4.0
2/12/2025
The AMAZING:
1) The food was SO GOOD - people either love or hate wedding food, and I can tell you that ours was the best wedding food I've ever had. All of my friends and family e...
choed this sentiment. We ended up going with the buffet style with full level of service with Beef Tips, Kielbasa, Garlic Potatoes, and two different salads for dinner. We also had a Fruit and Cheese platter and Pretzels and Cheese Dip for appetizers - SO GOOD.
2) The staff was incredibly competent, they were able to just come in and get their work done without any questions asked. At the end of the service, they boxed up the leftovers for us as well.
The Constructive Feedback:
1) The linens were less than stellar. For having a paid service, the linens were dirty, had holes in them, and were folded so they had creases. I was too busy to care to change them out with different ones, but if this is something that bugs you, I would definitely NOT get any linens from Distinctive.
2) The communication for the linens was not great either - it was hard to understand what was and was not included in the package and the final detail sheet was a mess to work with. 15 of my 18 linens weren't ready when I picked them up the day before, but wasn't told this. Distinctive did remedy this by bringing the linens the day of the wedding so we could set up them up along with our centerpieces. Bringing back the linens was also a feat - the catering staff left all the napkins after clean up so that was an extra thing we had to remember. Along with that, the drop off for the used linens was just setting them outside the main door with all the other linen bags - there was no check in process to ensure that we did bring everything back.
Overall, the food was well-loved and the catering staff was wonderful. I would pass on the linen service if I had to do it again.
Austin B
5.0
2/04/2025
Distinctive Catering was a pleasure to work with and we are extremely happy with their services on our wedding day. We had their BBQ buffet and bar services which were fantastic. O...
ur guests are still talking about how much they loved the food and how good the drinks were. The staff was professional, attentive, and incredibly friendly! We could not be happier and highly recommend Distinctive Catering for dinner and bar services!
Tiffany K
4.0
11/21/2024
We really liked Distinctive Catering, the only thoughts we had was that we wish the bar options were explained a little better as far as what they can and cannot serve, what mixers...
they have and one of our bartenders did make “comedic” jokes that made some of our guests a little weirded out. Another thing my father had noticed was a staff member constantly walking around our gift and card table so we did end up having to put them away.
Also not having a room to put our stuff was a bummer, they said we could leave our stuff in the back hallway where we did our entrances but the door to that back hallway remained open and staff members were lurking in and out all night of that hallway so we did have to squeeze our stuff behind our seats at the head table.
As far as the food, it was just okay. When we did the tasting, the smoked chicken was different and the brisket seemed a little burnt but overall not bad.
Nicole G
5.0
11/18/2024
We had Distinctive Catering for our wedding in October and they were amazing. They answered all of my questions & concerns quickly. The food was amazing and we had sooo many compli...
ments on good it was!
Avery M
5.0
11/13/2024
Food and service were great at a decent price.
Alexander T
5.0
10/28/2024
Distinctive Catering was amazing to work with. I emailed countless questions leading up to my wedding they catered and they always responded promptly and professionally. They were ...
so easy to work with. DC also provided an extra table cloths even though we requested very close to our wedding date. Not only was the service great, the food was delicious. We went with the pasta/Italian buffet option and everything tasted great. I received multiple compliments from guests about how good the food was. Would definitely recommend Distinctive Catering for your event.
Erynn N
5.0
10/25/2024
Distinctive Catering was an excellent choice for our wedding catering. From the very beginning, their communication was quick, responsive, and extremely helpful as we planned the m...
enu and logistics for our special day. On the day of the wedding, their team was professional, efficient, and ensured everything ran smoothly. The food was truly outstanding - the buffalo mozzarella bruschetta was absolutely delicious, and the prime rib was cooked to perfection. Our guests raved about the great flavors and high-quality of the entire meal.
Distinctive Catering's great service and amazing food helped make our wedding day truly memorable.
Sarah N
5.0
10/25/2024
Our wedding was food was AMAZING. The menu we chose included beef tips with mushroom wine sauce, Tuscan chicken, wild rice, duchess potatoes, maple glazed baby carrots, with a plat...
ed salad and rolls. The food was served HOT and stayed hot throughout the duration of the buffet. The food is something everyone remembers from events they attend, and we had so many compliments from our guests about how great the food was.
The staff that served at our event were excellent! Super nice, very professional. I felt the timing of everything was on-track, there were no issues. I wish I had the names of the staff to give a shout out to them.
The booking process was easy; communication was thorough, efficient, and prompt. The tasting process and event was super helpful also in choosing our menu.
10/10 would recommend!!!
Vejay P
5.0
10/21/2024
Distinctive catering was absolutely amazing. I was confused on so many things, but throughout all of my confusion and stress, they made sure I had everything I needed. The food was...
great, the service was amazing, I just truly enjoyed having them in my special day. I highly recommend.
Bekah S
5.0
10/10/2024
We used them for our wedding on 9/28/2024. The food looked and tasted amazing. I heard several comments from people how this was the best wedding food they had ever had.
Joshua M
5.0
10/10/2024
We had Distinctive Catering provide a few different Italian dishes for our wedding, along with really tasty vegetables and salad. It was fantastic! The food was delicious, and thei...
r service was top-notch. The servers were friendly, professional, and truly went above and beyond to make our day stress-free. We couldn’t have asked for better support on such an important day. We will definitely be using them again for any future catering needs for business or other events. Highly recommend!
Ethan B
5.0
10/09/2024
Very professional, on time, and set up our tables beautifully. Would highly recommend!
Alysha B
3.0
10/05/2024
Everyone at our wedding enjoyed our food but communication was very difficult and did pose issues during the planning process. The lack of communication did also cause us to incur ...
additional costs.
Rebecca C
4.0
9/14/2024
We had a great experience for our wedding day. We felt like there were so many options to choose from, many different price points. The communication was great. Very accommodating,...
even for severe allergens, we were given a safe meal, free from cross contamination. So many of our wedding guests raved to us about the food!! The only thing we didn’t love was if we wanted to order appetizers, we had to order the full guest count for each item. But that didn’t even matter in the end!
Elizabeth B
5.0
9/11/2024
Distinctive Catering did an amazing job for our wedding! They were super easy to work with, flexible with last minute dietary needs, and the food was amazing! I would cater another...
event just to eat their dutchess potatoes again
Maddie Y
5.0
9/07/2024
The food was amazing and service was impeccable
Julia E
3.0
9/03/2024
Distinctive Catering did the buffet and desserts for my wedding. I thought the service was good, although I did have to hunt down one of the staff to get more plates for the desser...
t table. The green beans and brisket were both overcooked. However, the dessert bar was a huge hit with our guests and everyone loved the assorted cheesecakes and dipping chocolate.
Andrew E
5.0
8/12/2024
Food was delicious, and staff was very professional. Planning the menu was easy as well!
Janna V
3.0
8/02/2024
The food was amazing, we had steak and chicken fajitas and everyone loved them! The tasting we went to, however, we were not very impressed with the food there, so we blindly picke...
d the fajitas and hoped for the best! The only thing I was bummed about was that we ordered & paid for black linens and the ones they gave us were white, all in all not the end of the world and the money was refunded, but it absolutely changed the look that I had wanted for our reception.
Samantha D
5.0
7/09/2024
We absolutely loved Distinctive Catering for our wedding day on June 15th! Our appetizers and buffet style dinner for our wedding reception turned out amazing AND delicious! We rec...
eived so many compliments from our wedding guests that this was some of the best wedding food they had ever had. They are very reasonably priced and were very easy to work with! You will NOT regret booking Distinctive Catering for your special day!
Lauren G
3.0
7/09/2024
The food was great.
We had issues with our bar menu and order not being correct. We paid for things that weren’t offered. The bartender asked my family members for more tip money ...
after they were already given money. Service could definitely improve.
Paige R
5.0
7/08/2024
They were very easy to contact through the whole process, linen pick up was easy and order was correct, food was great and served to guests timely. Food was large portions which is...
not typical for plated meals.
debra m
5.0
7/08/2024
everything went just as planned. the buffet was set up and served on time and the food was outstanding. we chose chicken and beef tips and had many people asking us who the caterer...
s were and commenting on how good the food was.
Kelli S
5.0
6/30/2024
The food was excellent. We had many compliments from guests on how good it was. Staff communicated well, answered all questions and concerns promptly and professionally.
Nancy D
5.0
6/24/2024
Everything went very smoothly for the wedding 6/14/24. Good communication via lots of emails, helpful with suggestions and service the day of the wedding was very professional and ...
friendly. We weren’t able to do a tasting before hand so was a little nervous but food was delicious and portions were very generous. Would recommend the Beefs skewers and stuffed mushrooms for apps. We had chicken, brisket, scalloped potatoes, green beans and vegetarian stir fry, all were cooked perfectly! The dessert buffet was fun too. Thank you Distinctive Catering!
Nicole S
5.0
6/09/2024
Overall great catering! They are excellent at dietary accommodations and are entirely peanut and tree nut free and most of their food avoids adding gluten or dairy if not needed, s...
uch as baked chicken without breading or green beans with margarine instead of butter. They even offer a special dietary restriction plate. So many guests said how appreciative they were for the dietary accommodations. DC let me put my own signs out in front of each food item listing if it had dairy or gluten which is nice for my guests. DC has tasting events and I highly recommend attending. They don't have all their food options but plenty of them.
Katie S
5.0
6/03/2024
Distinctive Catering was a preferred vendor for our venue and they were amazing! It was very easy to set up a tasting with them and it was set up buffet style, so it was great to g...
et a way to see how our guests would experience the food as well. The staff was very friendly and communicated in a timely manner. We got so many compliments on how delicious the food was as well!
Mary R
5.0
5/27/2024
We have not stopped getting complements on how good the food was at our wedding! Distinctive Catering provided excellent service with their amazing staff. They were profession and ...
easy to communicate with. Thank you!!
Michelle I
5.0
4/24/2024
Distinctive Catering helped make my daughter's wedding perfect. We received so many compliments on the pasta buffet from guests. Our servers were great, and the girls in the office...
were easy to work with. I'd chose Distinctive again, no question.
Nicole S
5.0
2/02/2024
Distinctive catering was a phenomenal vendor to work with. They offered a tasting for us that was very thorough and extensive with the options they offer. Leading up to the wedding...
day, communication was thorough and responses were very quick. They let us know everything to expect and how it will happen the day of. Setting up the day before our wedding, we had a few linens short and the napkins were missing. They hand delivered them to our venue on 2 separate occasions which was so helpful. On the wedding day, they arrived on time. The staff was dressed and appeared so professionally. They set up and took down quickly all while serving on time. We really appreciated their time and help because it made it go so smoothly on the big day!!
Susanna S
5.0
12/24/2023
I am so glad we went with distinctive! A big shout out to Emily who was responding to emails daily at some points and even replied until 10:30 p.m. one night when we had some issue...
s to figure out with our timeline. Everyone was so kind day of, I wish I remembered her name but the head caterer that night was one of the nicest women I've ever met
On top of all of that food genuinely blew us away! The absolute only complaint I could have is not doing almost any paperwork until the week of the wedding had me a little panicked but that's more on me for being anxious and probably forgetting the timeline they told me for doing it all. But they were always responsive and so kind to my anxious and constant emails.
Service area & Contact info
Serving within 100 miles from Grand Rapids, MI
Typically included in the starting cost
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Distinctive Catering
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