This guide is still in the works, so be forgiving of mistakes!
Booking a party at a restaurant or through a caterer can be a time consuming and confusing process. We have written this guide in order to educate you about the different options you need to think about in order to make your event perfect.
There are some things you will have to decide on right off the bat.
• Who will be the contact for this party?
• How many people will be attending?
• What kind of food do I want?
• What kind beer, wine and liquor do I want?
• What is the date of the party?
• Am I flexible as far as the date goes? (often restaurants will charge less for a party done on a Tuesday versus a party done on a Saturday at 7:30)
• What time do I want the party to start, and how long do I want it to run?
• Do I want special music? (If so, who will select and provide the music?)
The Food
There are four different types of food service: Ordering off the regular menu (which usually works with parties of 12 and under), Buffet, Family Style, and Sit Down Service with Customized Menu.
Ordering off the regular menu
This typically only works for smaller parties, but basically you make a reservation, then just order off the regular dinner menu for the night. For larger parties at Fishbar (6 or more people), we typically require a non-refundable downpayment to hold the reservation.
Buffet
A buffet menu is often the most inexpensive way to host a party, although, of course, it depends on what food is offered.
Family Style
Family style means having large portions in the middle of the table that everyone eats from.
Sit Down Service with Customized Menu
You can either choose a few menu options off of our regular menu (i.e. guests can choose from one of two appetizers, one of three or four entrees, and typically a choice of dessert), which is a little like a Fixed Price Menu, or have a completely customized menu with as many courses as you would like to have.
The Bar: Booze, Beer & Wine
There are generally two ways of having a “bar” at a catered event: the bar can be a “cash bar” or an “open bar”.
Cash Bar
A cash bar means that you (or your guests) are charged per drink. If your guests are paying for their own drinks, they would pay at the bar as they order, just as they would normally. If you are picking up the tab, you will be presented with a bar bill at the end of the night with a detailed list of all the alcohol consumed. You (or your guests) may be charged full price per drink, or you may have negotiated a fixed price ahead of time. You may also limit the selection: i.e. you will pick up the tab for all well drinks, house wines and beers, but your customers will have to pay extra for anything else. (If you don’t know what a well drink is, keep on reading!)
Open Bar
An open bar means that you pay a price per head, and your guests can drink as much as they please. An open bar may be for everything that the restaurant stocks, or the selection may be limited to certain kinds of beer, wine, or liquor.
Sodas & Coffee
Another thing to think about is sodas and coffees. Are they included, or will that incur an extra fee?
Types of Liquor
When discussing liquor, there are three different levels of quality. There is Well, Call, and Premium (some also add “Super Premium”, which means you really have to pay a lot!). “Well” refers to the house or non-name-brand liquors. These are the liquors that are in the “well” or “speed rack” in front of the bartender, and are what get poured when a “bourbon and coke” or “gin and tonic” are ordered. “Call” is the next level up, and includes many of the name brands you know: Absolut, Stoli, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Jose Cuervo, Beefeaters, Bacardi. They are “Call” liquors because you literally “call” for them: “I’ll take a Jack and Coke” or “a Jose Cuervo Margherita”. Premium liquors are the finest available, and include such brands as Grey Goose, Patron, etc. “Call” brands are typically in the $20 – $30 dollar range per bottle, and Premium bottles typically run from $30 – $50.
The Bill
Here are some fees that restaurants commonly charge, but that you may not be used to thinking about:
Room fee. If the restaurant will have to close its doors to normal business due to the size of your party, you may be charged a room fee. You are also more likely to be charged a room fee during high season than you are during off season. A party for 40 people in the Hamptons in the middle of July will not come cheaply!
Person Minimum. Restaurants will often quote you a price-per-head, and charge you for a minimum number of people, regardless of how many show up.
Late fee. If you have a group of twenty and show up a half hour late, the restaurant may charge you a late fee, which helps to make up for the lost revenue they would have made on those tables.
Gratuity & Tax. The quoted price-per-person often does not include gratuity (which typically runs from 18% – 20% percent) or tax, which in New York State adds an extra 8.625%.