The Common Mistakes Schools Make When Renewing Catering Contracts

Renewing catering contracts for schools should be a chance to improve value, tighten standards and make sure pupils are getting the quality of food they deserve. Too often, though, schools reach renewal point already stretched, short on time, and under pressure to make a decision quickly. That’s when mistakes creep in.

And those mistakes can be expensive.

They can lock schools into poor-value contracts, weaken accountability, create unnecessary compliance risk, and leave staff dealing with issues that should have been resolved before the agreement was signed. In some cases, schools assume renewal is the easier option and simply continue with the same provider, only to find costs rising, quality slipping, and problems becoming harder to fix.

This is not because school leaders or business managers are doing anything wrong. Quite the opposite. Most are trying to protect pupils, budgets, and staff time while juggling a long list of competing priorities. The challenge is that catering renewal is rarely straightforward. It involves commercial scrutiny, contract review, supplier challenge, due diligence, and a firm understanding of school catering compliance.

Getting it right matters. 

Here are some of the most common mistakes schools make when renewing catering contracts, and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Leaving the review too late

One of the biggest problems starts before the renewal process even begins. Schools often leave contract review until the last minute, assuming there will be enough time to make a sensible decision. In reality, that lack of runway limits your options immediately.

When time is tight, it becomes harder to review performance properly, gather feedback, check the contract terms, assess the market, and decide whether renewal is genuinely the best route. It also makes it far more likely that schools will accept price increases or service issues simply to avoid disruption.

Schools need time to assess what is working, what is not, and whether the current arrangement still reflects their needs. That means reviewing well in advance, not when the pressure is already on.

The earlier you start, the more control you have.

Mistake 2: Assuming the current provider is still the right fit

Just because your existing school catering supplier has been in place for several years does not automatically mean they remain the best option. Schools evolve. Pupil numbers change. Free school meal uptake changes. Demographics shift. Expectations around food quality, allergens, sustainability and service standards move on too.

A supplier that was right three or five years ago may no longer be the right fit today.

This is where many schools become stuck in habit. The service may feel familiar, staff may know the caterer well, and leadership may understandably want to avoid unnecessary upheaval. But renewal should be based on evidence, not convenience.

Ask the difficult questions:

Is meal uptake where it should be? 

Are pupils actually enjoying the food? 

Are portion sizes consistent? 

Is communication strong? 

Are costs still competitive? 

Is the service keeping pace with your school’s current needs?

Renewal should be earned, not assumed.

Mistake 3: Focusing only on price

Budget pressure is real. Schools are being asked to do more with less and every contract comes under scrutiny. But focusing only on the lowest price is one of the quickest ways to create bigger problems later.

A cheaper offer is not always better value. If quality drops, meal uptake can fall. If staffing is stretched too far, service standards suffer. If ingredients are poor, complaints rise. If compliance is weak, risk increases. What looks like a saving on paper can quickly become a far more expensive problem in practice.

The right question is not simply, “What does this cost?” It is, “What are we getting for this cost, and does it stand up operationally, commercially and compliantly?”

Schools need value, not false economy. That means balancing cost against quality, service, resilience, and compliance.

Mistake 4: Skipping a proper catering audit

You cannot make a strong renewal decision without a clear understanding of the current position. That is why a catering audit for schools is such an important starting point.

Without an audit, schools are often relying on assumptions. They may know there are some issues, but not how widespread they are. They may feel that costs are too high, but not know where value is being lost. They may sense that quality is inconsistent, but lack the evidence to challenge it properly.

A robust audit brings objectivity. It looks at service quality, financial performance, uptake, compliance, staffing, operational issues and contract delivery. It shows where the current model is working and where it is not. Most importantly, it gives the school a firm basis for deciding whether to renew, renegotiate or re-tender.

Too many schools skip this step because they are short on time. In reality, skipping it often leads to weaker decisions and poorer outcomes.

Mistake 5: Not checking whether the contract still reflects the school’s needs

Contracts age. Schools change. Yet many renewal conversations are based on documents that were written years earlier and no longer match the current reality of the school.

This creates a real risk. If the contract is vague, outdated or missing detail, it becomes harder to hold the supplier to account. Standards that were never clearly defined are difficult to enforce. Expectations around menus, allergens, staffing, reporting or performance can slip because the contract no longer gives the school a strong position.

Before renewal, schools should review the specification in detail. Does it still reflect your pupil profile? Does it take account of current meal patterns and service expectations? Does it clearly define nutritional obligations, reporting responsibilities and operational standards? Does it support school catering compliance in a way that is practical and defensible?

If not, renewing on the same basis may simply carry old problems forward into a new term.

Mistake 6: Underestimating compliance risk

Compliance is often treated as one part of the process when in reality it runs through the whole thing. School catering compliance is not limited to one policy document or one supplier promise. It touches food standards, allergen management, food safety, safeguarding, staffing and the wider accountability expected of schools.

This is where schools can be placed in a difficult position. A provider may appear to be performing adequately day to day, but that does not mean every compliance requirement is being met consistently or documented properly. Weaknesses in training, allergen controls, supplier management or record keeping can stay hidden until a problem arises.

Renewal is the right time to test this thoroughly. Ask for evidence, not general assurances. Review documentation, certifications, reporting, audits and processes. Make sure the supplier’s compliance position is not just stated but proven.

Mistake 7: Failing to challenge performance properly

Many schools know their current provider is not delivering perfectly, but they still renew because the problems have become normalised. A few complaints here. A quality issue there. Costs creeping up year on year. Limited innovation. Poor communication. These things are often tolerated because staff are busy and the process of changing supplier feels daunting.

But tolerated issues rarely improve on their own.

Renewal should be a point of challenge. Schools should look closely at whether the supplier has met the standards agreed, whether service has improved over time and whether concerns have been resolved properly. If not, that needs to be part of the decision making.

A school catering supplier should be accountable, responsive and commercially fair. If the relationship has drifted into one where issues are repeatedly accepted rather than addressed, renewal is the moment to reset expectations or reconsider the arrangement entirely.

Mistake 8: Not involving the right people

Catering decisions affect more than one team, so renewals should not happen in a silo. Business managers, leadership teams, catering staff and operational stakeholders all bring a different perspective. In some cases, pupil or parent feedback can also highlight issues that are not visible in contract paperwork alone.

A contract may look acceptable financially, while operational staff can point to service problems that undermine pupil experience every day. Equally, a provider may be well liked on site, but a more commercial review may reveal poor value or weak reporting that needs to be addressed.

The best renewal decisions combine these viewpoints. They do not rely on one person carrying the whole burden. That matters not just for quality, but for defensibility too. A more rounded process leads to stronger decisions and greater confidence that the right route has been taken.

Mistake 9: Treating renewal as the end of the process

Even when schools handle renewal well, a final mistake is assuming the work stops once the contract is signed. In reality, this is where accountability has to continue.

Without ongoing monitoring, standards can drift quickly. Costs can creep up. Issues that were promised to be fixed can reappear. Reporting can become inconsistent. Before long, schools are back in the same position they were trying to escape.

Renewal should be followed by structured contract management. That means regular review meetings, clear performance measures, monitoring of food quality and uptake, oversight of compliance, and visibility of where value is being delivered. Procurement should not disappear into the background once the paperwork is complete.

This is one reason many schools choose specialist support. It reduces the burden on internal teams while making sure the supplier remains accountable throughout the life of the contract.

What schools should do instead

A stronger renewal process starts with a few simple principles.

At Procure, we work exclusively with schools and trusts, helping them review, challenge and manage catering arrangements in a way that protects both quality and value. We do not believe schools should have to carry this complexity alone. We believe they should have a partner who understands the pressure they are under and knows how to take the burden off their shoulders while keeping standards high. That focus on tailored support, better food, compliance and value sits at the heart of Procure’s proposition.

If you are approaching a renewal and want to avoid costly mistakes, now is the time to review your current contract properly. The right support can save money, reduce risk and make sure your catering provision is delivering what your school really needs.