1. What area do you cater in?
Our kitchen is conveniently located in downtown Cary. We deliver to all points in the Triangle and often handle large events as far as Asheville and the Outer Banks.
2. How many people can you cater for?
We can cater to groups as small as 10 guests and have handled events up to 500 guests. We have a $300 minimum for events.
3. What types of events do you cater?
We handle any style of event you can think of including: business meetings, weddings, private events, home lunches/dinners, farm to table events, festivals, birthday parties, and bar & baht mitzvahs.
4. Do you only handle the food and beverages?
We also provide event-planning services including: rentals, flower arrangements, theme creation, entertainment (bands & DJs), and full bar services. We handle staffing, transportation, cleanup, and offer composting services. If you don’t want to bother with the headache of planning an event, we can take it off your hands and execute it to perfection.
5. I’ve never ordered from a caterer. How does this work?
Our sales person will ask a series of questions intended to get the whole picture of your event. The client provides as much info as possible. We’ll then provide an estimate to begin our work with each client. That estimate can be changed up until the deadline and once you agree to the terms we’ll send over an invoice. For larger events we require a 50% deposit of the total. Once you agree to the invoice, you’ll be locked in to our event calendar and we’re all set.
6. What types of things do I need to have answers to in order to get an estimate?
-What is your event date?
-How many guests are you expecting?
-What type of event is this?
-Have you seen some of our menu options on the website yet? (provide link)
-Do you need beverages? Desserts? A bar? Staffing?
-Would you like rented china/flatware or are you ok using our compostable materials?
-Do you have a budget in mind?
-Where is your event taking place?
-Are there any food allergies?
7. What is a “Service Charge”?
A service charge is a common % that is tacked on to your total bill. This fee can range from 12-18% depending on the location and complexity of your event. This fee is inteneded to cover the overhead required for an event such as insurances for alcohol, staffing, and delivery. It also covers our planning hours. It’s a non-negotiable fee and is not gratuity for the staff.
8. Do we need to tip?
This is totally up to you. We don’t expect it but certainly appreciate it!
9. Can we bring food in from another location (for instance, a home cooked item)?
Unfortunately, no. Imagine that someone brought an item that ended up getting guests sick. Guess who would be to blame. Also, it’s against health department regulations for food to come from a non-inspected and scored commercial kitchen space. That being said, there are items that are considered “non-threatening” such as cupcakes and cookies. Please ask a sales member about this if you have any questions.
10. Do you offer a discount to non-profits?
We do not offer group discounts but we do work with each client to hit their target budget. We’d love your business so we’re willing to work with you to make it happen.
11. What happens if we encounter adverse weather?
Plans for rain should be setup with the event venue ahead of time. For instance, planning to have a tent for an outdoor event or having an alternate plan for moving the event inside is always a good idea. If a natural disaster occurs, we’ll work with you to reschedule or plan a new event and any money paid will be credited towards that new event.
12. What happens to the leftovers?
If the venue allows, we can pack your leftover food up for you to take away. Our staff can guide you on which food items would hold up well, should be refrigerated or should not be taken away. No alcohol can leave the venue unless a client brought it in himself or herself.
13. Do you host tastings?
Once your menus have been planned out we can host a tasting for you to narrow down options and make adjustments based on taste. We host tastings on Tuesdays and Thursdays at our restaurant, The Pharmacy Cafe, in downtown Raleigh. These are appointment only. Cost per person is $10.
