Can I message a vendor before I book?
Yes. Every vendor profile and package has a message button, and you don't need an order to use it. Asking first is normal and encouraged. Headcount changes, dietary requirements, whether a menu can be adapted, and whether they can cover an awkward date are all better settled before you pay.
When you message from a package, the vendor receives a card showing exactly which package and setup you were looking at, so you don't have to describe it.
Where do I find my messages?
All your conversations live under Messages in your account. Each vendor is one continuous thread, so a question you asked before booking sits in the same place as the arrangements for the order itself.
Messages arrive in real time, and unread ones are badged in the navigation. You'll also get an email nudge if a message sits unread, so a conversation can't quietly stall while you're away from the site.
You can send photos and PDFs, up to 5 attachments per message at 5MB each. It's the easiest way to share a venue layout, a floor plan, or a reference photo of a setup you want.
How quickly will a vendor reply?
Vendors who reply consistently show a response badge on their profile: "Replies within an hour", "in a few hours", "within a day", or "within 2 days". It's based on how quickly they've actually answered customers over the past 30 days, not on anything they claim, and it only appears once there are enough replies to be meaningful. No badge means we don't have enough data yet, not that the vendor is slow.
Most caterers are running a kitchen, so replies outside service hours are normal. If something is time-critical and you've had no answer, use the contact number on your order once you've booked, or email [email protected].
Why keep everything on GatherPlate?
Because the platform can only act on what it can see.
- Chat is the record. If a dispute is raised later, our team reads the thread. An agreement made over WhatsApp or a phone call is one we have no visibility of and can't weigh.
- Your payment protection depends on the order. Card authorization, the refund policy, and the ability to report an issue all attach to a GatherPlate order. Paying a vendor directly puts you outside all of it.
- Anything you agree in chat still has to be on the order to count. If a vendor agrees to add a dish, change a time, or adjust your pax count, the order itself needs to reflect it, usually by cancelling and rebooking with the new details. A promise in a message doesn't change what the vendor's kitchen sees.
Vendors who ask you to pay off-platform are breaking our terms. Please report it to [email protected].
Why can't I send a phone number or email?
Messages that contain a phone number, an email address, a WhatsApp or Telegram handle, or a link to an outside site are not delivered. You'll see a note in the thread telling you the message wasn't sent, and only you can see it. The other person sees nothing, and the note clears once you send a message that goes through.
This applies to both sides, and it isn't about making life difficult:
- A conversation we can't see is one we can't act on. If a booking goes wrong, our team reads the thread to decide a refund. Arrangements made over WhatsApp or on a call leave us with nothing to read, and nothing to act on.
- Your protection attaches to the order, not to the vendor. Payment authorization, the refund policy, and the ability to report an issue all live on a GatherPlate booking.
- It protects your details too. Your number reaches the vendor when your order is confirmed, and not before, so browsing and asking questions never hands it out.
Ordinary numbers are unaffected. Pax counts, prices, dates, times and addresses all send normally: it's contact details and outside links that don't.
Vendors: the same rule applies to your profile and your package descriptions, and those won't save while they contain a contact detail. Your customer's phone number is on every confirmed order, so you can reach them for event-day coordination without putting it in chat. Repeated attempts to move a customer off GatherPlate are a terms breach and can suspend your account.
If someone asks you to move the conversation off GatherPlate, report it to [email protected].
The vendor isn't responding to my order
If your event is approaching and the vendor has gone quiet, contact [email protected] with your order number and we'll chase them directly. Don't wait until the day itself. The earlier you flag it, the more options we have.
If your event has already passed and something went wrong, see reporting an issue.