10 Catering Red Flags Singaporeans Should Never Ignore

Booking a caterer for your wedding, company D&D, or your kid's 1st birthday should be shiok — not stressful. But every year, we hear horror stories on Facebook groups like Complaint Singapore: deposits gone missing, food arriving two hours late, or worse, bee hoon that's more hoon than bee. Before you PayNow your hard-earned cash to just any caterer you found on Carousell, here are 10 red flags that scream 'run away'.

1. No Physical Address or Business Registration

If a caterer only exists as an Instagram page with zero ACRA registration, that's a big jialat sign. Legitimate caterers in Singapore should have a UEN number and, ideally, a NEA-licensed kitchen you can verify.

What legit providers do: They'll happily share their UEN, business address, and even invite you to visit their central kitchen — especially in food hubs like Woodlands, Ubi, or Defu Industrial Estate.

2. Asking for 100% Payment Upfront

A reasonable deposit (usually 30-50%) is normal practice. But if someone's asking for full payment weeks before your event, with the balance