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The FAQ's of
Professional Catering |
Do you have children’s prices?
Yes. Children 5 to 11 years old are 50% of the
adult price. Children 4 and under are free, but are counted for
seating. |
Do
you provide rental items such as
linens, silverware, glassware,
tables, and chairs?
Yes. Not only can we arrange for the rental
of the usual party items such as tables,
chairs, linens, china, glassware and
silverware, but we also have access to fine china,
crystal, and specialty linens. We can also
arrange for larger items such as canopies,
stages and dance floors.
We rent them for you without a markup. |
Do you provide
wine or liquor?
While A
Tasteful Affair is not licensed to sell alcohol, we do maintain the
necessary liability insurance to serve your
guests if you provide the alcohol. We
can provide you with recommendations on where to find the best buys
and offer suggestions on selections. |
Do you provide bartenders and
servers?
Yes, we are a 'full service' caterer.
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Do you have a corkage fee if we
supply the beverages?
No. We will open and serve beverages you
supply at no additional charge.
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Do you charge extra to cut the
wedding cake?
No, it is included in the price. |
Do you set up and clean up?
We will dress and set
the tables, clear the tables, and clean the service/kitchen area,
leaving it as we have found it. If you wish us to set up and
breakdown the tables and chairs there is an additional fee. |
How many
servers will be needed at my event?
As a general
rule, we provide one server for every 25 people at a buffet. We
provide one server for every twenty people at a sit down dinner.
However, the
server ratio depends on how formal or complicated the event is and
may be reduced or increased, depending on these factors. A lavish
six-course, sit-down dinner may require one server per 10-12 guests
or a very simple buffet many only require 1 server for 35 people.
Using your event details, we will recommend the minimum number of
servers required based on our experience. Our goal is to make your
event run smoothly. |
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Besides the cost for food, what other charges can I expect for a
catered event?
When
we provide your customized menu, we list of all of our estimated
charges in order to provide you with a complete bid. In addition to
the per person price for food we include the following in each
proposal:
·
18% service
charge
·
Cost of rentals
(that we obtain
on your behalf)
·
Labor charges
for service staff
·
Sales tax
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What does the
service charge cover?
The service charge offsets labor and administration costs such
as
dishwashing, packing for your event, travel time to and from your
event, etc. The service charge is not a gratuity and is subject to
state and local tax laws. |
Is a
gratuity included in your bill?
Gratuities are not itemized in the bill, nor are they required. They
are, however, graciously accepted by our staff for a job well done. |
What is 'drop
off' service?
We bring a buffet to you, set it up and return later to pick up
non-disposable serving items. There are no servers. A delivery &
pick-up fee is charged. This option works best for informal
corporate events and informal parties of less than 30 people. Delivery/pickup
charges without staff begin at $40 for the Tri Valley area. Outside
the tri-valley or after office hours, there will be an additional
18% service charge. |
Do you
provide paper goods, china, linens, or chaffing dishes for drop
offs?
For drop offs, we include
quality paper plates and plastic eating utensils. We also provide a
linen for the buffet and will set up any necessary chaffing
dishes. If you prefer china and silverware, we will be happy to
make arrangements, however these items require that our staff be
present at your event. |
Do you have a price list?
Some of our corporate menus include prices. However,
most of our event menus are custom designed
for a specific event and a particular client. After a brief
conversation with an event coordinator, we
will prepare a personalized proposal for your budget. The factors
that affect the price of an event include the number and kind of
menu choices, number of guests, length of the event as well as
number of servers required. We try our
best to accommodate your budget. Our goal is to give you the
fairest price based on your specific
needs. |
How can I compare quotes
from two different caterers?
In the catering industry there are a variety
of ways to present a bid to a client. For example, some caterers
include only the price of food in the per person cost, others
include food and service, others include linens and/or china in the
per person charge. It is important when comparing
bids from two or more companies that pricing
for all of the necessary items are included in both quotes for an
accurate comparison. |
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How do you charge for labor?
We charge for our staff by the hour, based on a four hour minimum
per staff person. We do our best to estimate the amount of time
that our staff will be needed for your event. However, since many
variables exist, the final cost is based on the actual time
worked. For large full service events, we require an Event Manager
to oversee staff and ensure the coordination of a successful event.
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What are the
Hourly rates for your staff?
Event Manager @ $30.00 per hour
On-Site Chef @ $40.00 per hour
Bartender @ $25.00-30.00 per hour
Server @ $25.00 per hour
Kitchen Staff @ $25.00 per hour |
