Question:
We pride ourselves on doing great tastings for clients (mostly wedding couples), but have been struggling with how/whether to charge for this. We’ve been doing them for free, but I think we’re being abused as a cheap date night option for couples shopping around. We put way too much work into this to be doing it for free.
– Caterer
Answer:
I see both sides of this question. On one hand, a wedding for 200 people at, say, $75 per person before extras is a sizable sales opportunity. Nickel-and-diming clients who are trying to experience your food and hospitality before spending the cost of a car for a single event can be off-putting. On the other hand, doing a good tasting demands hours of work outside of your normal routine, and significant food costs. If a potential guest isn’t serious about committing to you, why go through the time and expense?
I’ve seen many scenarios for catering tastings over the years: free always, free after deposit, modest fee, immodest fee, discount after deposit and so on. If you are operating from relatively strong footing business-wise, here’s what I recommend: First, never think of tastings as a revenue opportunity. Sure, you can cover costs, but you will alienate potential clients if they feel that you are profiting from their sales inquiry.
For a client having a tasting before they make a deposit, I’d recommend charging a modest fee to cover the costs of the tasting, and letting them know that if they book with you, the tasting fee will be credited toward their deposit. That does a few things for you:
- Weeds out moochers who are taking advantage of free tastings.
- Gives you an opportunity to let potential clients know how seriously you are taking their tasting and how well-prepared you are; they should be just as serious.
- Gives you the financial comfort to provide a great tasting experience.
For those who have already booked the event with you and are seeking a tasting to decide on menu selections, I would suggest explaining when you sign the contract that one tasting is included if desired. If the client is seeking more than that, charge accordingly.
More on consumer expectations for wedding catering here.