cater to/for
Meaning(s)
1. provide what is wanted or needed
Popularity
High
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
cater to/for the needs of someone
Analysis
When you cater to or for someone, it means you provide for their wants and needs. This is used a lot in the hospitality industry to assure customers that any person's wishes will be 'catered for': "One of our clients requested purple flowers and French champagne in her room. Of course, we catered to all of her wishes." 'Cater to' someone can also mean to adapt to someone's preferred behaviour or style: "I had to change my clothes to cater to my boss's wishes." This phrase can be used in social and professional contexts, though it is best suited to a service provider and customer relationship.
Social Examples (Advance)
- The school was set up to cater for the needs of children with learning difficulties. For that reason, the school has a special syllabus and the teachers employed are highly skilled.
- The chef created two menus for the restaurant. One included meat dishes, the other didn't as it was designed to cater for vegetarians.
Professional Examples (Basic)
- One of the specialities of the mortgage company was catering to clients who are looking to buy their first house and need in-depth financial advice.
- Our store operates under special conditions twice a week to cater to customers on the autism spectrum.