Derry-Salem Elks Lodge

What I have to say about this place and our caterer is NOT good. I was very, very embarrassed. Mortified really. They require that you use their caterer, and their caterers rotate. You get the one who’s «on» that day. I’d be terribly afraid that your experience would be similar to ours and I don’t suggest taking the chance.
Our food wasn’t put out promptly. We had cheese and crackers, and veggies and dip for an appetizer. They were plunked out on the table, way on the far end. Two 15-​inch plates for 100 people. I was horrified to look and see them empty and not being attended to. I had to go in and ask for more, and the caterer told me he doesn’t like to put it all out because some of it will «dry out». Baloney. Guests shouldn’t feel like there’s not enough food to go around and they have to be sure there’s some for the next guy. That’s what it felt like. $ 2/​person for each, which meant it cost $ 400 for 2 inexpensive appetizers and guests were struggling to get any.
The pasta dishes were put out before everything else was ready and they were cold. When guests have to ask the caterer if there’s a microwave in the building (and they did ask!) he should have known immediately that there was a problem and acted on it. Unfortunately I didn’t hear about this until later.
There was no rhyme or reason to the setup and we had to arrange and re-​arrange on our own. There was absolutely no attempt at a nice display. There were no garnishes, no cheese for the pasta, no sauce for the chicken fingers (which had been unceremoniously dumped in a bowl). Butter was at one end, rolls at another. There were no napkins! I found guests at two tables ripping their paper tablecloths to use on their hands and faces. I was horrified. I got napkins and distributed them to the tables, but the napkins were gone by dessert and I had to ask the caterer to get more and do the same thing — go out and dole them out to guests who were licking their fingers. (In retrospect, then, I guess it was a good thing that we had to use paper tablecloths. Apparently we needed to ask for cloth tablecloths MORE than a week ahead, because asking the week before meant we couldn’t get them. I don’t understand that at all.)
They forgot to put the meatballs out (or they weren’t ready when they should have been?), and many people had already gone through the line by the time we found out and had to ask for them. We had to go in and ask for everything and keep them on their toes — more appetizers, more forks, more rolls, more salad. I asked to have the pasta dishes refreshed and the new dishes came out barely lukewarm. The meatballs were the only thing that was hot. The caterer was blaming a young man working for him (who seemed new) for the problems. There didn’t appear to be any oversight from the caterer himself or his other 2 helpers.
I didn’t actually book the event or speak with the caterer beforehand. I was technically a «guest». I know my sister was freaking about the same types of things I was, and I haven’t even heard her stories yet. The hostess had asked about drinks for guests and was told there was a bar, but when she asked about providing (free? cheap? some?) sodas for guests she was told «Oh, no…». I wasn’t there for that conversation and can’t say for sure what was discussed, but I ended up running a tab for any non-​alcoholic drinks that were ordered at the bar — $ 1.50 per soda, which I found steep. If you find you MUST book this place you’ll probably want to do your own drinks.
Please, look elsewhere. For the money you pay you deserve to be better attended to.