iHow the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 64%85+54Reliability 28%85+24Replies to reviews 8%88+7.2Craft & service penalty73−2.7Experts Score= 83Not enough data for value; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews.83SCORE
AGradeiLetter from the Experts Score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = under 20.
#56 of 130 wedding caterersiPosition by Experts Score among all companies we track in this category. · better than 57%
4.8★★★★★91 Google reviews · 24 photos
92%five-star reviews
5.00★last 12 monthsiAverage stars on reviews from the last 12 months only.
0%1–2★ in 2 yearsiShare of 1–2★ reviews in the last 24 months — or the 20 newest reviews when the company had fewer than 20 in that time.
Google reviewers rate Personal Touch Dining 4.8 out of 5 based on 91 reviews, with the owner responding to 93% of them. Clients frequently praise the company for responsive communication, flexible menu customization for cultural dietary needs, and comprehensive all-in-one services including rentals and bar service. While most feedback highlights professional coordination and food quality, a small number of low-star reviews cite instances of rude staff behavior and poor communication during event execution.
Google rating: 4.8 out of 5 from 91 reviews (92% five-star).
Reviews on this page: 91 Google reviews (78 with written comments, 20 with photos).
Owner responses: the business replied to 93% of reviews.
Score per factor (100 = best)iEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (star average, share of 1–2★ reviews, price verdicts…); standing within the category can only raise it, never lower it.. Strongest: momentum and replies to reviews; weakest: craft & service.
Personal Touch DiningWedding Caterers median0 = centre, 100 = best
SatisfactioniSatisfaction · 54% of the scoreRecency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.Personal Touch Dining: 85/100 on this factor. Category median: 83.A
85
ReliabilityiReliability · 24% of the scoreHow rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.Personal Touch Dining: 85/100 on this factor. Category median: 86.A
85
Craft & serviceiCraft & service · penalty only, up to −10 pointsGoogle review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Personal Touch Dining: 73/100 on this factor. Category median: 99.B
73
ValueiValue · 14% of the scoreCustomers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Not enough reviews for this factor yet. Category median: 95.–
–
MomentumiMomentum · penalty only, up to −10 pointsPenalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.Personal Touch Dining: 100/100 on this factor. Category median: 100.A
100
Replies to reviewsiReplies to reviews · 7% of the scoreHow often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Personal Touch Dining: 88/100 on this factor. Category median: 40.A
88
Bar = this company · dark tick = category median.
Star ratings
91 Google reviews we collected
4.8of 5
5 stars8492%
4 stars22%
3 stars11%
2 stars00%
1 star44%
Praise vs complaints
Phrases our text analysis found in 78 written reviews
97%praise
Praise17797%
Complaints63%
Topic share
How often each topic comes up in the written reviews
7topics
Staff & attitude4525%
Would recommend3419%
Communication3117%
Speed & response2614%
Quality & results2313%
Honesty & trust148%
Price & value105%
What customers talk about
We read 78 written reviews and marked every phrase about these topics. The same colors are highlighted in the reviews.
“Their team handled everything behind the scenes, the staff was attentive and professional, and most importantly, the food was delicious!”
“If you use these guys you can expect subpar food and a disrespectful staff if that's ok with you then these guys are for you but for me and my new wif…”
“We couldn’t have asked for more and would recommend PTD without hesitation.”
“After our first tasting, I had some pretty specific feedback on the galbi, and the chefs listened and worked with us to get it right.”
“…h Samantha, and from the beginning, she and her team were incredibly responsive, flexible, and accommodating throughout the entire planning process.…”
“We had such a great experience with Personal Touch Dining for our wedding!”
“They checked in on us throughout the night, made sure we had what we needed, and genuinely made us feel cared for.”
“For the venue and service PTD provides, the cost of the venue rental and catering is really reasonable.”
People customers mention
Samantha11 reviews
Annalisa7 reviews
Diego7 reviews
Ranch6 reviews
Ailish4 reviews
Ashley4 reviews
praise complaint · found by our text analysis, Google review wording unchanged.
Recent reviews
Christine6 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 3 weeks ago★★★★★
We had such a great experience with Personal Touch Dining for our wedding! We worked with Samantha, and from the beginning, she and her team were incredibly responsive, flexible, and accommodating throughout the entire planning process.
We especially appreciated how customizable everything felt. We had a specific…
Tia5 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
From start to finish Personal Touch Dining went above and beyond with our wedding! The whole team is awesome. Our planner/coordinator Josie was amazing and our Day of Coordinator Brooke took care of everything for us on our day. We got married at Leo Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad in August and it was beautiful.…
Nancy4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
Had a fantastic experience with Personal Touch Dining! My husband and I got married earlier this summer in Encinitas and used PTD for our catering needs, bartender services, cutlery, and various tablecloths/napkins. We completely customized our menu to infuse my mom’s Vietnamese recipes as well as my husband’s…
Pharaoh11 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · a month ago★★★★★
From the beginning, Personal Touch made our experience finding and securing a caterer seamless. Samantha and Ailish were there every step of the way and answered any questions we had. The custom menu was one of our favorite things about Personal Touch, as it helped us create several cultural dishes that were…
SelinLocal Guide · 17 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 2 months ago★★★★★
Wow! The team at PTD is amazing. We worked with Ailish and Samantha. They accommodated last minute switches, 1000 emails from us asking questions about details, rental options, etc. Not to mention the food was so delicious and they had many options and met lots of different dietary restrictions. The cannoli bar! Oh…
Heather3 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 3 months ago★★★★★
Our caterer was very good. They were able to accommodate a wide ethnic menu across multiple cultures. They were receptive to feedback at the tasting. All of our guests had good things to say about the food, which was important to us. Ailish and Samantha were very clear about what kind of tables, access and parking…
Five months later, we’re still thinking about the food from our wedding. Personal Touch Dining was incredible.
Incorporating my Korean heritage into our wedding was really important to me. I had always dreamed of serving galbi because Korean short ribs were something my mom made for my birthdays growing up. PTD completely embraced what we wanted to do.
Their chefs worked with us to create a Korean-American menu with galbi, gochujang salmon, rice cake skewers (tteokbokki), japchae, galbi sliders, and a galbi bite on a crispy rice cake chip with kimchi aioli. They understood the assignment. After our first tasting, I had some pretty specific feedback on the galbi, and the chefs listened and worked with us to get it right.
They absolutely nailed it. Members of my Korean family couldn’t believe the galbi hadn’t been made by a Korean chef. Ellen’s Midwestern family and our friends loved the food too. We heard “best food I’ve had at a wedding” multiple times that night and afterward.
We went buffet style, and everything was executed beautifully. PTD was also fantastic about accommodating vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary needs without compromising flavor. They even let us bring our own wedding cake and Korean cream puffs, which helped us carry the Korean-American theme through dessert.
Samantha was wonderful throughout the entire process. One of our favorite examples happened the morning of the wedding. Amazon failed to deliver the honey syrup for Ellen’s signature Bee’s Knees cocktail. Samantha and the PTD team stepped in, found it that morning, and made sure the cocktail happened as planned. Having someone simply take care of a problem like that on your wedding morning means a lot.
Our tasting was also one of our favorite memories from wedding planning. We went with my family and our planner, Ann, and everyone was so warm and welcoming that it felt more like a great family dinner than an appointment.
The day-of staff deserves a shoutout too. Everyone was incredibly kind and attentive. They checked in on us throughout the night, made sure we had what we needed, and genuinely made us feel cared for.
We came to PTD with a lot of specific ideas, and they consistently figured out how to make them happen. The chefs, Samantha, and the entire team helped us create food that felt personal to our families while still being something all of our guests could enjoy.
We couldn’t have asked for more and would recommend PTD without hesitation.
Response from the owner · 3 weeks ago
Joseph,
Thank for taking the time to write this amazing review. We are thrilled we were able to customize your menu and that everyone enjoyed.
Thank you for celebrating with us.
PTD Team
Christine Nguyen6 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Christine has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
We had such a great experience with Personal Touch Dining for our wedding! We worked with Samantha, and from the beginning, she and her team were incredibly responsive, flexible, and accommodating throughout the entire planning process.
We especially appreciated how customizable everything felt. We had a specific vision for our dinner and guest experience, and they were always willing to work with us on the menu, service, rentals, and all the little details rather than making us fit into a set package.
On the wedding day, everything came together beautifully. Their team handled everything behind the scenes, the staff was attentive and professional, and most importantly, the food was delicious! We received so many compliments from our guests and were so happy with how everything turned out.
We would absolutely recommend Personal Touch Dining!
Response from the owner · 3 weeks ago
Christine,
Thank you so much for this wonderful review and for letting us celebrate with you and your family.
PTD Team
Courtney Karlin11 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Courtney has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
I have used Personal Touch Dining as my caterer for the last three year for my kid's school gala and I honestly can't say enough great things about them. I work with Samantha and she is absolutely wonderful to work with. Samantha is kind, knowledgeable, detailed and gets things done quickly. She even follows up after the event to help me start planning the next one, even going so far as to assist me with finding the perfect venue for our events based on feedback from the last one.
The day of event staff are all amazing. They know what they are doing, are kind and courteous to the attendees and always have happy faces. The team we've gotten the past few years have been fun and added to the overall success of the event with their jovial personalities and great customer service. They are willing to help with anything we need even if it isn't in their immediate scope.
Finally, the food is top notch delicious. We always get compliments on how tasty it is and what a great variety we offer. They do a great job with the presentation as well and always tie into our theme.
All in all, I highly recommend Personal Touch. You won't be disappointed.
Response from the owner · a month ago
Courtney,
Thank you for this amazing review.
It is a pleasure working with you.
PTD Team
Tia & Joey5 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Tia has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
From start to finish Personal Touch Dining went above and beyond with our wedding! The whole team is awesome. Our planner/coordinator Josie was amazing and our Day of Coordinator Brooke took care of everything for us on our day. We got married at Leo Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad in August and it was beautiful. Everyone loved the food from the tray passed bites to the entrees and deserts, it was all amazing. Thank you all at PTD for everything. We will definitely recommend you to any friends/family getting married in the future.
Response from the owner · a month ago
Tia and Joey,
Thank you for all you kind words, it was as please working with you.
PTD/ LCR Team
Nancy Nguyen4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Nancy has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Had a fantastic experience with Personal Touch Dining! My husband and I got married earlier this summer in Encinitas and used PTD for our catering needs, bartender services, cutlery, and various tablecloths/napkins. We completely customized our menu to infuse my mom’s Vietnamese recipes as well as my husband’s Chicago roots into our cocktail hour appetizers and main dish. The tasting was so yummy we even added one of the main entrees. We wanted to select our own bar selection so their package for services that came with the bartenders, ice, garnishes, and sodas/waters was perfect for us. They were very quick to respond throughout the whole process from first tasting to contracts to final layout (shoutout to Samantha). Would recommend them for your event needs!
Response from the owner · a month ago
Nancy,
It was such a pleasure sharing your special day with you.
Thank you for the kind words.
PTD Team
Pharaoh Graham11 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Pharaoh has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
From the beginning, Personal Touch made our experience finding and securing a caterer seamless. Samantha and Ailish were there every step of the way and answered any questions we had. The custom menu was one of our favorite things about Personal Touch, as it helped us create several cultural dishes that were important to our day. The staff during the wedding were professional and accommodating. We loved not having to worry about table and chair rentals, as Personal Touch took care of everything.
Response from the owner · a month ago
Thank you so much for your review and for celebrating with us.
PTD Team
Joan Li9 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Joan has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Amazing Food + An Incredible Team!
We had such an incredible experience with Personal Touch Dining and could not recommend them more highly! From the very beginning, their entire team was incredibly responsive and helpful. Sam was EXCEPTIONAL, and she answered all of my questions so quickly and thoroughly explained everything! When time got closer, we also started working with Ailish to finalize the details and logistics, and she was equally exceptional and gave me so much confidence that PTD staff would think through all of the little details and logistics to make sure our wedding day went off without a hitch. That level of responsiveness and attention to detail made such a huge difference during the planning process, especially for such an important event like our wedding.
The entire team on our wedding day was AMAZING. From the venue manager and chefs to the waitstaff, servers, and bartenders, everyone was so kind, attentive, and professional. Our guests were also constantly telling us how wonderful the staff was—how friendly and fun they were, how attentive they were, and how well taken care of they felt throughout the evening. It was clear that the entire team genuinely cared about making our wedding a great experience for us and our guests.
And, of course, the FOOD was delectable! We loved that there were so many options and choices, which allowed us to really customize the menu to what we wanted. PTD also had fantastic substitute options for dietary restrictions, which made it easy to make sure all of our guests had plenty of delicious food to enjoy. We did a tasting and got to meet the chef, and it was such a joyous and wonderful experience, and you could tell how much detail and care they put into their food.
One of the sweetest things PTD also did was pack up appetizers and meals for us to enjoy later because they knew we might not have much of a chance to eat during the wedding. That was such a thoughtful gesture and something we really appreciated!
From the planning process to the food to the incredible service on our wedding day, Personal Touch Dining exceeded our expectations in every way. We are so grateful to their entire team and would absolutely recommend them to anyone planning a wedding!
Response from the owner · 2 months ago
Joan,
Thank you for this amazing review and for letting us be apart of your special day.
PTD Team
SelinLocal Guide · 17 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Selin has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Wow! The team at PTD is amazing. We worked with Ailish and Samantha. They accommodated last minute switches, 1000 emails from us asking questions about details, rental options, etc. Not to mention the food was so delicious and they had many options and met lots of different dietary restrictions. The cannoli bar! Oh my gosh. It was wonderful.
We also got their rentals for our wedding and they were gorgeous and they had lots of options, too. We also got their bartending services which were very good. They were on time, responsive, and very pleasant to work with. Nothing went wrong and we can highly recommend for any couple looking for a stress-free catering experience for their wedding! Thanks again!
Response from the owner · 2 months ago
Thank you for this amazing review!
PTD Team
kylie dodson4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews kylie has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
This review is long overdue, but we can’t say enough wonderful things about Personal Touch Dining! Choosing them for our wedding was one of the best decisions we made. From our first tasting to our wedding day, Samantha, Ashley, and their team were such a joy to work with and became such a big part of our wedding planning experience.
They took the time to really listen to what we wanted and helped bring all of our ideas together, from our menu and dessert options to table design and furniture rentals. They were always so kind, patient, and responsive throughout the process, and helped us create something that felt so special while staying within our budget.
On our wedding day, everything came together perfectly. The food was amazing, and our guests could not stop talking about how delicious everything was! We are so thankful to Samantha, Ashley, and the entire Personal Touch Dining team for all of the care and hard work they put into making our wedding day so special. We couldn’t recommend them more!!!
Response from the owner · 2 months ago
Kylie,
Thank you for this wonderful review and for letting us share your special day with you and your family.
PTD Team
Heather Zhang3 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Heather has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Our caterer was very good. They were able to accommodate a wide ethnic menu across multiple cultures. They were receptive to feedback at the tasting. All of our guests had good things to say about the food, which was important to us. Ailish and Samantha were very clear about what kind of tables, access and parking they needed at the venue and there wasn’t any miscommunication. They were able to accommodate last-minute requests. Overall everything went very smooth and was delicious.
