How far ahead do I need to book?
Every vendor sets their own notice period, and the platform minimum is 2 days — no vendor can accept a booking with less notice than that. Many caterers ask for more, especially for large guest counts or on-site service, because they buy ingredients and roster staff ahead of your event.
You can book up to 90 days ahead. Some vendors open a shorter window than that.
All dates and times shown on GatherPlate are Malaysia time (MYT).
Why is a date greyed out?
A date is unselectable when any of the following is true:
- The vendor doesn't operate that day. Vendors set a weekly schedule — for example lunch shifts Monday to Friday, nothing on Sundays.
- The day is fully booked. Each shift has a cap on how many bookings the vendor's kitchen can take that day.
- The delivery or on-site quota is used up. Some vendors split their daily capacity — for instance eight drop-offs and two staffed on-site events. Delivery can still be open while on-site is full, and the other way round.
- The vendor blocked the date. Public holidays, private functions, staff leave, or a closure.
- It's inside their notice period, or beyond how far ahead they take bookings.
If a date you need is closed, message the vendor before giving up — they can sometimes open capacity manually. Other vendors may also have the date free, so it's worth checking a second listing.
Why are only some times available on a date I can pick?
Start times run on a 30-minute grid, and a booking occupies the vendor's schedule for its whole service window plus their turnaround time — not just the moment it starts.
This has one consequence worth knowing: the longer the service you pick, the fewer start times you'll see. A drop-off might be available all afternoon, while the four-hour on-site option on the same day only fits a single start. If you're flexible, try a shorter service duration to open up more times.
Vendors also cap how many bookings can overlap at the same instant, so a time can disappear because another event is running through it — even when the day itself isn't full.
The time I wanted disappeared while I was booking
Slots aren't held while you browse. Your time is only reserved once you reach checkout, and that reservation lasts 15 minutes — enough to finish paying, not enough to sit on a busy Saturday slot.
If the reservation expires, your selections aren't lost. Go back into the package and re-pick your time. GatherPlate re-checks that the slot is genuinely still free at the moment payment goes through, so you'll never end up paying for a time the vendor can't serve.
Is there a minimum order?
Yes, and it's set by the package rather than the vendor. What it looks like depends on how the package is priced:
- Per-guest packages have a minimum guest count. The minimum spend is the per-head price across that many guests.
- Fixed-price packages are the minimum — you book the package as priced.
- Build-your-own packages have a minimum order value you need to reach with the items you select.
The "from" price on a vendor's profile is the entry price of their cheapest package, so a vendor's real minimum is whatever their most affordable listing costs. Options, add-ons and travel fees only push a total upwards from there.
Can I change the date or time after booking?
Not directly from your order page. Message the vendor first — if they can accommodate the new date, the practical route is to cancel and rebook, which means the refund policy for your original booking applies. Cancelling before the vendor confirms releases the authorization with no charge, so an early change costs you nothing.