Cost Planning

 

Catering Cost and Variables

 

The cost of having an event can vary widely. Here at The Underground Supper Club, we want you to achieve the vision you have for your event, as well as your budget. The following guidelines should provide you with a good idea of what to expect, and help you to plan effectively.

 

Time of Day

 

The time of day can play a significant role in the type of event you are planning. Your guests will typically expect different types and quantities of food, depending on the time of day. We suggest the following as an example of typical meal timing and expectations, but keep in mind this is meant merely as a planning tool, if you want breakfast for supper or dinner at 9pm, we are happy to accommodate.

 

Breakfast- 6am to 10am

Coffee Break- Morning: 9am-11am; Afternoon: 2pm-3pm

Lunch- 11am-1pm

Light Hors d'Oeuvres- Early: 4pm-5pm

Heavy Hors d'Oeuvres- 5pm-7pm

Dinner- 5pm-7pm

Light Hors d'Oeuvres- Late: 8pm-Whenever

 

Type of Event and Menu

 

The type of event plays a large role in determining cost. Does the event require substantial staff, such as a served dinner, or lighter staff such as a buffet? Is the menu casual and simple, or more elegant and complex? The following examples are meant to provide you with a rough estimate of what you can reasonably expect these different types of events to cost per person for food:

 

Light Hors d'Oeuvres- Between 3 and 5 items, $12-$20 per guest

Heavy Hors d'Oeuvres- 6 items or more, $20-$35 per guest

Buffet Dinner- $18-$35 per guest (pricing based on sample buffet menus)

Plated Dinner- beginning at $20 per guest

Luncheon- $12-$18 per guest (pricing based on sample luncheon menus)

Boxed Lunch- $10 per guest

Backyard BBQ- $12-$18 per guest

 

Service Staff

 

The number of service staff required for your event depends upon the number of guests, complexity of the menu, and type of function.

A plated, served dinner usually requires eight hours of labor, beginning at the time servers arrive at the restaurant to begin the "pull" for your event, and ending back at the restaurant when all of the equipment and service ware has been washed and put away. An average wedding, however, usually requires around ten hours of labor. Most receptions and simple buffets require between four and six hours.In order to ensure quality of service, our server to guest ratios are as follows:

 

Buffet: 1:20-25 servers to guests

Plated Dinner: 1:15-20

Hors d'Oeuvres Reception: 1:25 for passed, 1:35 for stationary

 

The number of culinary staff required is dependent on the menu.

Rather than charge a flat rate gratuity, our clients are charged only for the labor they need. In the case of higher-end menus, the percentage of labor cost may be lower than the 20% industry standard. For more simple menus, the percentage may be higher. Our servers are hired at an hourly rate of pay of $22 per hour, per server and $27 per hour, per captain. Bartenders and chefs are also paid at the rate of $22 per hour.

We are so proud of what we do, we are unwilling to release our food into others' hands; when you book us for your event, you are booking our staff as well. While some items are available for pickup or drop off, most of our menu items do require attendants and at least one chef.

 

Rentals

 

Rentals both play a large role in cost planning for an event and are often overlooked. Consider whether high quality, compostable and recyclable disposables will work for your event. We offer disposables for any event for $1 per person.

Figuring out pars for flatware and glassware and making sure you have all the little things you need is overwhelming. At The Underground Supper Club, we want event planning to be as stress-less as possible, we are happy to handle rentals for you for events of any size. However, for events over fifty, we like to handle the rentals pertaining to food and beverages, with your collaboration of course. We personally guarantee the rental agreement and will invoice you for the amount of rentals with your final invoice at the conclusion of your event. We do ask for a 10% service fee on the cost of your rentals, this covers any lost or broken items from your event, not to mention your peace of mind.

We work with Downeast Canopy Tent Rental; locally owned and operated business here in Rocky Mount. Their price lists and product inventory are available for view online at:

 

www.downeastcanopync.com

 

Location

 

Location, location, location! That beautiful meadow down the country lane really is the most idyllic spot for a wedding...but in order to host an event there, you are going to have to rent absolutely everything. Many venues have tables, chairs, linens, kitchens, etc. which make catering easier and more affordable. When booking your venue, be sure to ask about the availability of these items. Some other things to consider are the availability and access to running water, waste disposal, ice, and whether or not the venue has a fee for using an outside caterer. All of these things can affect your bottom line. Also, we will travel up to 100 miles to cater your event, but some travel fees may be required for longer drives.

 

Length of Event

 

Event length is a simple idea which is sometimes overlooked. How long do you expect service staff to stay? How long would you like the buffet to remain open? Will your bar remain open long after the food service has ended? Will your venue charge you extra if you run over the agreed upon timeline? When booking a venue, keep in mind that set up and breakdown will add two to four hours to the length of your event. We are happy to help you estimate a timeline, just ask.

 

Beverages

 

We handle all sorts of fun and original non-alcoholic options, as well as standard selections such as lemonade, iced tea, coffee, and soda. Many folks choose bottled water for more casual events, most brides prefer pre-set water glasses and service staff to pour water for each guest. Would you like a self-serve beverage station with our beautiful, glass beverage dispensers? Would you like servers to take beverage orders, or would you like all your beverages to be available at the bar? Whatever your preference, we aim to please.

 

Bar

 

The Underground Supper Club does not sell alcohol, so you have the opportunity to gain significant savings by purchasing it yourself. Our skilled bartenders are available to pour anything you wish to serve, and we'll take care of all the garnishes and mixers for your cocktail menu. In the state of North Carolina, a limited special occasion permit is required for serving spirituous liquor. The permit cost is $50.00 and is available online at:

abc.nc.gov/permits/special.aspx

 

Time of Year

 

No matter the venue, keeping your guests comfortable is your highest priority as a host. The biggest considerations for the time of year are the temperature and the time of the sunset. If your event is in July, you may want to consider an air-conditioned venue. If your event is outdoors in October, with the beautiful fall colors all around, you may want to consider kicking things off a little early to account for the earlier sunset and subsequent drop in temperature. Also, you may want consider renting portable heaters and additional lighting. If your event is outdoors, under the trees, you may want to consider tenting...acorns falling from an eighty foot oak tree can be rather intrusive. We are happy to discuss these scenarios with you, and work with you and the rental company to create the perfect setting for your vision and the comfort of your guests.  We hope this has helped you a little and look forward to hearing from you.