Sort of Catering Service There are three main catering types. Event, family-style, and off-premise catering. Knowing how many visitors to expect helps with budgeting and food planning. Drop-off and pick-up catering services are less common. Corporate events benefit greatly from drop-off. If you want to save money and have a more casual gathering, choose family-style catering. This form of catering eliminates place cards and allows guests to pass platters.