• NOMINATIONS OPEN - 10 FEBRUARY 2026

• NOMINATION CLOSE - 31 MARCH 2026

• JUDGING CLOSES:

• Complete the nomination form online via the R&CA Awards website www.rca.asn.au by the close of nominations on the 31 March 2025.
• Select your categories. 
• Pay the entry fee per category: Member restaurants - $199.00 | Non member restaurants - $299.00. Nominations are considered entered only once the online nomination form is completed and payment has been processed. Note: member price is offered to current financial members for the member establishment only.

• Restaurants can enter as many categories as you wish as long as the restaurant meets the specific category definition and have been open for a minimum of 12 months except for new restaurants.
• New restaurants can only enter the New Restaurant category and must have been in operation for a minimum of 3 months and no greater than 12 months from the 2025 opening of nominations. Qualifying period - open prior to 10 November 2024.
• Categories will be split into master and sub-categories only if there are sufficient entries. If insufficient entries, the nomination will automatically be placed in the master category.
• States/regions may be merged dependent on the number of entries.
• Finalists for the 2026 Awards will be notified via email and the finalists will be displayed on the Awards page of our website www.rca.asn.au
• The R&CA Awards are open to all member and non-member businesses.
• The Restaurant Awards for Excellence Terms & Conditions of entry can be viewed on the awards page of our website www.rca.asn.au
• There is no direct entry into the R&CA National Awards for Excellence, category winners will automatically be entered into the National Awards at no additional entry cost.

• The National Chair of Judge is a trained experience independent judge under the National Restaurant & Catering Evaluation System (RACES), who oversees and reviews all entrants.
• Restaurants are assessed on a set of judging criteria which encompasses the overall dining experience.
• Restaurant and Casual Dining category entrants are considered for the major awards of Restaurant of the Year and Casual Dining of the Year. The major awards are not eligible for direct entry, major award winners are determined by the highest scoring points from the both the restaurant categories and casual dining categories.
• R&CA financial member finalists will receive a judging analysis graph that provides the relative performance of their business against the average and winning result in their entered STATE category only. Honourable mention recipients will not receive the judging analysis graph.

Restaurant and Casual Dining establishments are assessed on a variety of judging criteria.

SERVICE
RESERVATION/ONLINE PRESENCE

• online/phone booking procedure*
• degree to which it was helpful

RECEPTION

• greeting on arrival
• help to and at the table
• appropriateness of set table
• menu and/or wine list presentation
• promptness of drink service

RESTAURANT PRESENTATION
TABLE

• appropriateness of crockery, cutlery and napery
• appropriateness of glassware and other table items
• quality and presentation of table items
• consistency of table presentations
• overall appearance of tables
• quality of seating
• smoke free area (exists and is effective) 

GENERAL

• décor
• atmosphere
• suitable lighting
• comfort generated
• toilet facilities

MENU

• presentation of menu
• appropriateness of menu items
• vegetarian options
• description of menu items
• menu is innovative/original or represents classic treatment of a particular cuisine

FOOD

• quality of food
• food presentation
• taste satisfaction
• degree to which descriptions were met
• temperature
• correct service
• cleared promptly
• representative of a specific market
• range of eating possibilities
• quality of product and execution
• range of food on menu
• range, quality and presentation of desserts*

BEVERAGE

• initial drink delivery
• physical quality of wine list*
• style and range of beverages
• appropriateness of beverages
• relative value in cost of drinks
• beverage service
• beverage care
• extra servicing of wines*
• continued beverage attention
• supply of water and soft drinks
• quality of drinking water
• quality of coffee/tea
• coffee/tea service OVERALL

DINING EXPERIENCE

• food service
• drink service
• staff attitude
• account payment
• attention on leaving
• value for money

• Complete the nomination form online via the R&CA Awards website www.rca.asn.au by the close of nominations on the 31 March 2025.

• Select your categories. Caterers can enter as many categories as you wish as long as you meet the category definition and supply the event dates or site details as requested for judging.

• Pay the entry fee per category: Member Caterers - $389.00 | Non-member Caterers - $549.00

Nominations are considered entered only once the online nomination form is completed and payment has been processed.

Note: member price is offered to current financial members for the member caterer only.

• • EVENT CATEGORIES - caterers are required to provide a list of 4 event options to be judged spread over the duration of the judging period. Multiple event options are requested to ensure that a judge is available. The assigned judge will assess one event only.
  • SITE & INDUSTRIAL CATEGORIES - caterers are required to provide site details including site contact and food service times. Caterers will be judged on one site visit only.

• Caterers can enter as many categories as you wish as long as the catering business meets the specific category definition.
• Categories will be split into master and sub-categories only if there are sufficient entries. If insufficient entries, the nomination will automatically be placed in the master category.
• States/regions may be merged dependent on the number of entries.
• Finalists for the 2026 Awards will be notified via email and the finalists will be displayed on the Awards page of our website www.rca.asn.au
• The Catering Awards are open to R&CA members and non-member businesses.
• The Catering Awards for Excellence Terms & Conditions of entry can be viewed on the awards page of our website www.rca.asn.au
• There is no direct entry into the R&CA National Awards for Excellence, catering category state winners will automatically be entered into the National Awards at no additional entry cost.

• Caterers are assessed by trained independent judges under the National Restaurant and Catering Evaluation System (RACES). The National Chair of Judge oversees and reviews all entrants.
• Caterers are assessed on either the Events Caterer or Site Caterer judging criteria.  
  
  • EVENT CATEGORIES - entrants are judged on one event only. Caterers are required to provide at least 4 weeks notice for a judge to be confirmed. Caterers are required to obtain the approval of the event client for a judge to be in attendance.
    • Caterers will be contacted by their assigned judge to confirm the judging date. Copies of the event brief including run sheet, menus, a per head food cost and overall event costing will need to be provided to the judge prior to the judging as this forms part of the judging criteria.
    • Judges will observe only during the judging assessment and will be required to sample the food however this is not to be done within the event space. Food tastings must be of the same meal being served to the event guests.
  • SITE & INDUSTRIAL CATEGORIES - entrants are judged on a site visit to one nominated site per entry to assess food and service criteria. No events can be judged in the Site & Industrial categories.
    • Caterers will be contacted by their assigned judge to confirm a convenient time to visit and assess the site during food service. A per head contracted food cost will need to be provided to the judge prior to judging as this forms part of the judging criteria.
    • Judges will be required to sample the food during the judging assessment of the site.
    • When judging remote sites, the site is required to cover all additional travel costs incurred by the judge including transfers to and from the airport, airport parking, overnight accommodation and food. Approval of additional costs will need to be agreed upon prior to judging. 
• Catering category entrants are considered for the major award of Caterer of the Year. The major award is not eligible for direct entry. The major award winner is determined by the highest scoring points of the qualifying catering categories.
• R&CA financial member finalists will receive a judging analysis graph that provides the relative performance of their business against the average and winning result in their entered state category. Honourable mention recipients will not receive the judging analysis graph.
• Winners from each state/regional awards will move forward to the National Awards for Excellence at no additional cost.

• staff interaction with guests
• pre-dinner drinks and canapés
• effectiveness of staff briefing
• flexibility with changes
• event area set-up
• uniform presentation
• atmosphere
• kitchen production and service noise
• cutlery/servingware clean and polished
• glassware, crockery, cutlery and napery

FOOD

• served on appropriate servingware
• temperature
• quality and presentation of food
• consistently presented
• as described and expected from menu description
• visually appealing
• balanced in flavour
• appropriately portioned
• execution of dietary requirements
• value for money

SERVICE - FOOD

• execution of BOH plating
• handling and delivery of food
• FOH service execution
• product knowledge displayed by staff
• execution of food clearing

SERVICE - BEVERAGE

• timing of beverages
• temperature
• beverage service
• appropriate drinkware
• correctly poured beverages and filled drinkware
• product knowledge displayed by staff
• execution of beverage clearing

STAFF

• sufficient staffing
• standards of hygiene - both FOH and BOH
• suitably and consistently attired
• FOH professional standards
• hygienic food handling practices
• organisation of duties
• staff behaviour

EVENT OUTCOMES

• value for money - overall event costing against delivered product
• professional standards adhered to
• event brief met

• staff interaction with patrons
• dining/eating area set-up
• kitchen production and service noise
• cleanliness of dining area
• cutlery/servingware clean
• glassware, cutlery, crockery

FOOD

• menu choices
• served on appropriate servingware
• temperature
• appropriateness of food for site
• as described and expected from menu description
• quality of food
• consistently presented
• visually appealing
• balanced in flavour
• appropriately portioned and sufficient
• execution of dietary requirements

SERVICE - FOOD

• execution of BOH plating
• handling and delivery of food
• FOH service execution
• product knowledge displayed by staff
• execution of clearing

SERVICE - BEVERAGE

• beverage service/self-service availability
• temperature
• beverage service maintained
• appropriate drinkware
• variety of beverages
• product knowledge displayed by staff
• clearance and recycling of beverages

STAFF

• sufficient staffing
• standards of hygiene - both FOH and BOH
• suitably and consistently attired
• FOH professional standards
• hygienic food handling practices
• organisation of duties
• staff behaviour

CATERING OUTCOMES

• value for money - contracted food cost against delivered product
• professional standards adhered to
• catering outcomes