Making memorable events

Golden Catering knows how to take care of a crowd

Is there a special event in your future? Let the team at Fort Smith’s Golden Catering make your gathering memorable with the selection of homestyle food you already know and love—Golden Corral’s Bourbon Street chicken, smoked BBQ pork, pot roast, meatloaf, and all your favorites!

Who better to take care of a crowd than Golden Corral, America’s #1 Buffet and Grill?

“We have been very successful in catering here and I truly believe it is because we are honest and deliver as much or as little as the client wants,” explains catering director Debra Presson. “If they need help with rentals, set up, tear down or if they just need a meal delivered and dropped off we can help.”

Debra has been with Golden Catering for 17 years, was born and raised in Fort Smith, and feels a real connection to the community.

Catering became her passion after she helped cater an event for Willie Nelson and Family in the late 70’s.

Speaking from her vast industry experience, Debra believes that Golden Catering offers the very best value, service and quality around. “Our mission has been to offer prices and service that meet or exceed the clients expectations,” she says.

“It is by far the very best food cost I have ever worked with.”

One of the most common questions Debra gets is “how much does it cost to cater a wedding?”

“At Golden Catering we try not to play the price war games that some caterers get into,” she notes. “I never ask a client what their budget is. I simply try to come up with a menu that is what they have in mind, crunch my numbers and give them the best pricing I can.”

It’s a large operation, so customers can depend on reliable service to help their events come off without a hitch.

“We have always had around 75-100 employees at any given time…and we run 7 days a week,” Debra explains.

The types of events they cater range from wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, birthdays and graduations, anniversaries, business lunches, banquets, holiday parties, military contracts, and more.

“One of the most fun events we catered was a backstage three-day event for The Blue Man Group,” Debra recalls.

Her dedicated, experienced team is key to catering success, she notes.

“Obviously people do not order catering all the time, do not plan weddings all the time and don’t know what is involved. A lot of time people are so tired from the week that they do not even want to fuss with the planning,” Debra explains. “It helps when you can anticipate what the client will need or you just know from experience what will pop up. Most of our crew has been here for a while and they can anticipate what the jobs will require.”

Debra firmly believes, however, that while no two jobs are the same, they all deserve Golden Catering’s dedication to quality.

“I can say that every event has to be caviar and lobster. Everyone deserves your best and should expect that. As long as you put your heart into it, you have great products and wonderful presentation, you have a win-win.”