It is the most commonly asked question-what DOES the service charge include? It doesn’t always mean servers, which we know can be confusing. Most catering companies (and venues) have a lot of odds and ends that cost them money to make your event happen, and in turn, will apply a percentage to your event in order to cover those costs. Instead of sending you a 4-page breakdown of every single item they are charging you for, the result is the service charge line on your invoice.
Your service charge includes the following:
• Serving Items
This includes things like chafers to keep the food hot, large salad platters, bowls for
dressings, large serving spoons and other items at the buffet line. We will use stands to elevate displayed food-not only does it look cool, but it is practical in making the most of the table’s space. Passed hors d’oeuvres need something to be set on when they are moving around, such as platters and trays. All these extra items can really add up, so instead of listing every single spoon, tray, and pan we include them under the umbrella of the service charge.
• Large Equipment & Delivery Vehicles
When your food is prepped at the catering kitchen it still must travel to you and most
times your event isn’t around the corner. Hot boxes and coolers with the appropriate heating or cooling equipment needed keep your food at the appropriate temperature, so it tastes just as fresh as it did the second it came out of the oven. This equipment requires purchasing and maintenance, just like your daily driver, our vans need gas and routine oil changes/maintenance. The service charge contributes to these costs, ensuring that we can afford to properly execute your event. No one wants to eat a wilted salad or an ice-cold entrée.
• Behind the Scenes Staff
Before your event, operations staff prep and load the vans with all the rentals and
equipment needed to execute your event. They are loading dishes that were cleaned by dishwashers and food prepped by prep cooks. It takes 6-8 hours of pre-production
before we can even arrive at your event. Before you, your family, co-workers or your
wedding planner see us set foot at your venue, there have been at least 5 people already involved in the making of your event. These are not usually the same people working your event. Once the event is over, our staff breaks down and cleans up your event. They package any leftovers for you to enjoy the next day (containers are not cheap). After the drive back to our store they unload the equipment, sends the dishes, silverware, and glassware to the dishwasher area, polish, restock and it
starts all over again the next day. Our staff members receive a wage just like any other job and the service charge contributes towards these pre and post event production costs.
This is the nutshell of the service charge line in your proposal or invoice
explained. Every caterer may do things slightly different, so it never hurts to ask them about all they include in their catering quote. No matter what the case, there is A LOT that goes on behind the scenes of your event. We understand that you don’t do this every day, and we expect questions so don’t be afraid to ask!