Food Vent

It’s likely because ribeyes can be extremely hard to cook to order for a large group and because they’re served bone-in, which makes them messier than a filet or short rib or even a prime rib.

No idea. Do local restaurants serve it? Can they possibly cater for you? Prime rib is extremely common on catering menus, and not just as a carving station, so rib eye should be equally available.

Keep in mind that caterers are the pros here. If they are telling you that they won't do rib eye steaks or trying to convince you to do something else, then you should probably take that as a hint. The logistics of rib eye steaks for a crowd are really hard to get right. No caterer would want to risk serving a meal that's not up to par. They will either come out dry, overcooked, and/or inconsistently cooked. A buffet makes it easier because they can grill the steaks to order.

I had the same issue, but I had a small wedding and was able to find a caterer that was able to meet my needs. While filet always seems to be the steak offered on catering menus, I knew my guests would not eat it at the generally preferred temperature (med rare to med) and filets are not good if cooks beyond that temperature so I requested ribeyes or strips cooked at med well. Once I explained my concerns to the chef, he was able to accommodate me and the food turned out great. Guests are still raving about it. Lol! Perhaps if you explain what you need and want, the chefs can make some exceptions to their general rules or offer some alternatives that will work for you.

View Quoted Comment

I agree with all of this advice. We hire experts/vendors for a reason. They have done this so many times; their expertise is valuable and worth listening to.

If you insist on ribeye steaks being served at your wedding, and find a caterer willing to accommodate, you will probably end up paying way too much for a substandard end result.

For the record: nobody has said they won’t do it. Places have either tried to get me to change my mind from a plated to a buffet service from the jump (which I’m not doing) or have said they can do it. It’s just not on their catering menu, which I find annoying. I’ve had to set up consultations, my main issue is just the extra steps which I find unnecessary. This was 100% just for me to vent and rant because I’ve been trying for a while now and the extra steps compared to just picking something on the menu is super annoying. But it is what it is. Also one place said they’d do a ribeye at the same cost of the fillet which wasn’t a bad deal.

View Quoted Comment I completely empathize. Many vendors have a set idea of what is “acceptable” for a wedding according to the social norms and media and they don’t like anyone thinking outside the box, which often means they don’t make as much of a profit. Why they can’t just make it simple all around is anyone’s guess.