So where, I ask, are the items that allow caterers to recover a portion of their offered goods (a la the Vitality Surge), or a 5Day expiring building that provides 2% stackable reduction in goods, or another bear that provides a scaling reduction in time for factories (in the way the BB reduces the training time).
I'd point out that fighters don't ever win past about 55 tourney provinces and they don't win at all until after chapters 8-12. The game is designed for hybrids. Pure caterers or pure fighter cannot succeed as well as a hybid that evolves over time. That is good game design IMO.
Overall, I'd say I'd be more successful as a pure caterer than a pure fighter. The game IMO favors caterers. Some fights in the tourney, just can't be won by fighting. Other fights in the Spire are very hard to win by catering but that can be overcome with multiple tries and a judicious use of diamonds (only needed on 7 & 8 good catering).
I will add one exceptions. A subset of players have 5 or more Twilight Phoenixes. That purchase, breaks the game and makes fighters almost invincible. ... but it is a purchase with real dollars. Inno is always willing to take money even if it breaks the game. On some level, what I do with 70 culture building building up a 700%+ Culture bonus is pretty close to breaking the game as well, but is not nearly as effective as large multiples of Twilight Phoenixes. If you doubt me, look at your highest Tourney point scorer and count the Twilight Phoenixes.