A caterer is a person or business that prepares and serves food for events like weddings, parties, school functions, or business meetings. Instead of the host cooking everything themselves, they hire a caterer to handle the meal, from planning the menu to setting up tables to serving guests.

Professional caterers handle all aspects of event dining: they calculate how much food hundreds of people will eat, keep dishes at the right temperature during transport, arrange everything attractively, and clean up afterward. A wedding caterer might serve a sit-down dinner with multiple courses, while a caterer for a school event might set up a sandwich buffet. Some caterers specialize in particular cuisines, like Mexican food or barbecue.

When you cater to someone, you're providing what they need or want. A restaurant might cater to families by offering a kids' menu. A library might cater to young readers by hosting story time. In these cases, cater means to serve or meet specific needs or preferences.