FAQ

1. How much will it cost to cater my event?
   It depends!  Before an estimate can be given, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Some of these questions may include:
   1. What type of event do you want? Sit-down dinner, Buffet, Food Stations, Cocktail Reception, etc. Will client provide dessert (wedding cake, Birthday cake, etc.) or does that need to be included in menu cost?
   2. What foods did you want to serve? As we all know, Chicken is a very different cost than Filet Mignon.
   3. What is the timing of the event. This will impact how long the serving staff is "on the clock."
   4. What level of rentals did you want? Chairs range from $1.20 to $8.50 per chair. Linens can range in price from $15.00 each for standard Poly/Cotton to $50.00 each for Specialty Metallics. As you can see, there is room for a huge variance of price in Rentals alone.
   5. How many guests are you expecting? Due to "Economies of Scale" and "Fixed Costs" being amortized over more individuals, an event with a larger guest count may pay less per person for the same menu than a  group with a smaller guest count.
2. Do you charge a cake cutting fee?
   No.
3. Can I provide my own beverages?
   Yes you can. We do, however, charge a $3.50 per person Bar setup fee to handle your beverages. This fee covers the cost of Ice tubs, Ice, and Bar-ware (ice buckets, scoops, cocktail napkins, etc.). Unused beverages will be put back into boxes and returned to the client at end of event.
   
4. If I provide my own beverages, will you serve them?
   Yes. We will hire bartenders at a rate of $200.00 for the first 4 hours (minimum) and $40.00 for each additional hour thereafter.
   
5. What costs more: a Full bar Package or a Wine, Beer and Soda Package?
   This surprises a lot of people, but a Full Bar Package costs LESS per person than the beer wine, and soda Package.  The reason for this is that more drinks can be poured from one bottle of Spirits than from one bottle of wine.
6. How much does a bar package cost.
   Just like answer #1 above, It depends.  The cost depends on how long you want the bar to serve, # of bars, # of Bartenders, what level of wine, spirits or beers you want served, plastic or glass glasses, etc.  Just let us know what you would like to serve, and we would be happy to put together a customized quote for you.
   
7. Can I put out food in addition to what the Caterer prepares?
   No.  Due to liability and insurance issues, nothing can be supplemented to the caterers food.  Wedding / Birthday cakes are the exception.
8. How many service workers do I need for my event?
   We staff at a ratio of 1 server per every 10 guests for a sit-down; 1 server per every 20 guests for a Buffet, and 1 server per every 20 - 35 guests for a reception with stations (Degree of service required at stations will determine this).
9. How long should I estimate that service workers will be needed?
   Staff usually arrive 2 hours prior to guest's arrival in order to set up. Strike usually takes 1 hour after event's end.  We typically will not strike tables and linens while guests are still in attendance. This translates to 8 billable hours per service worker for a 5 hour event.
   
10. Why is a Dessert Buffet more expensive than a Served Dessert?
    The more options you offer, the more the price goes up.
    WHY:
    For instance, if you are serving dessert for 100 guests, and the only selection is cheesecake, we, as the caterer would provide 100 pieces of cheesecake plus a small  overage (typically 5%). If you decide to serve a dessert buffet with both cheesecake AND chocolate decadence, we, as the caterer, now would serve ¾ cheesecake and ¾ chocolate decadence.  This is because, given a choice, AT LEAST 5 time out of 10, the guest will take SOME OF BOTH. (Desserts buffets seem to be especially prone to this happening.) Pricing increases because we are now providing 150 pieces instead of the original 100.
11. My proposal says that you are renting 55 water glasses, but my guest count is only 52.  Why are you renting more than I need?
    The rental companies that we use require us to rent in minimum blocks of 5.  Since your guest count is 52, we need to round that up to 55.  Also, it is a VERY good idea to have some extras in case something arrives or gets broken during the set up.

If you have other questions, please: contact us and we will answer as soon as we can. Your questions may become part of our FAQ page!