# Price out an event



## fel3232 (Jul 19, 2008)

Hi,

As professional caterers, do you ever get calls that sound like this:

Caller: Hi, do you do catering?

You: Yes, we sure do. How may I help you?

Caller: Well, how much does catering cost for 100 people?

I posted my experience here:

http://www.alexanderevent.com/can-i-get-a-quote/

Am I the only one that gets these ? How do you handle this type of calls?

It is a bit frustrating at times, luckily I don't get a whole lot of these...but still...

Do I need to educate these possible clients, or I am better off concentrating on paying customers...

Thanks in advance


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## mikeswoods (Jun 14, 2013)

They aren't customers---just curious tire kickers.

I was usually friendly ,but dismissed them rather quickly.

My favorite question---"How much is your package?"

I admit the smart Alec side of me came out,once and a while---


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

Hmm...gee sounds a lot like the questions we get right here in this forum, from

"caterers" with (big surprise) only one post to their name. lol

Caller: Hi, do you do catering?

You: Yes, we sure do. How may I help you?

Caller: Well, how much does catering cost for 100 people?

Me: Well let me get a few details from you about your event, and I'll be happy

to provide you a brochure and menu of our services.

Caller: Oh, um...yeah well let me think about it, I have a few more I'd like to call.

Me: (rolling eyes) Sure no problem, have a GREAAAAAT day!


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## mikeswoods (Jun 14, 2013)

It would be a nice thing if the word 'caterer' meant the same thing to everyone.

I received more than one call asking if one of our trucks could stop by a construction site.

Roach coach ---------------

I'm not a snob, but that was insulting----------


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## fel3232 (Jul 19, 2008)

horrible

I remember one of these clueless "customers" turned into a $120,000 quince...it took a lot out of me, I worked for each and every penny


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

I dont dismiss them typt of calls, but I do give them such a high number that they either end the call or come back with details. For example, in 2001, i get a call for an out door wedding for 300, tents, liquor, everything. I replied "at least 800$ a person" plus details. His reply was "hmmm". He gave some details, ended up 1300 a person and it was 375 people, paid cash. It was a good day.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

> He gave some details, ended up 1300 a person and it was 375 people, paid cash. It was a good day.


Four Hundred eighty-Seven THOUSAND for one 400 guest wedding?!

I could retire on that.....nicely.

Having trouble believing that one. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

Retire? Not a chance. I arranged for everything from entertainment, valet parking, limo service, tents, tables, chairs, cakes, flooring, generators, wiring, chanderliers, you name it, i booked, orginised it and paid for it. Ya they wrote a big check but I wrote a lot of checks myself. But ya the profit was nice, but definatly not retirement level. Also ive worked a bar mitzvah in nyc in 91 that went almost a million.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

Okay conceded, a lot of outgo there....but even a say 15 or 20% profit would be a nice egg off of one event.

To me a 5 or 6K single event profit is a slice of heaven--am I thinking too small? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif

And I cant even imagine a million dollar bar mitzvah, wow.


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## lagom (Sep 5, 2012)

Too small? No not at all. 5 or 6k on an event is nice cash as long as you dont have to do a thousand hours pulling it off. I perfer smaller functions myself. Much over a hundred and fifty people is a lot to wrangle and 300 and up is a pain in the but. My recent favorites these last few years have been doing thanksgiving caterings for about a dozen expats here. I put ln their dinners in their homes, usually for about 20 people, traditional food, at least for me, and after taxes put about 3500kr. Aka 500€ in my pocket per family. I literly have no more than 3 hours of my time per family invested and about 6 hours of a servers time to take care of things on location(server billed and paid directly to client thru a service). Clients are happy and well fed and its great referals for other functions. Never sell yourself cheap. I love rich people.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

> Never sell yourself cheap.


Excellent advice and a tendency I find I have to constantly fight in myself.

But when we do get the higher price we ask for...so much more rewarding. lol

And I agree, Id rather do an exemplary, all out for 200 ppl than a half azzed for 500.


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