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Need help with menu

posted 2 years ago in Food

Member

162 posts

Blushing bee

torybrian August 14, 2010 Livermore

We have a budget of around $30/person for food, and we're finding that it doesn't get us very far with the caterers in the area we're getting married. (Lake Tahoe.) We found a caterer who has somewhat reasonable prices, but each dinner option is priced individually at around $9/item. So, if we want to offer 2 options for guests, it's $18/person, and if we want to offer 3 options, it's $27. You don't get any type of price break for adding additional items. With a budget of $30, I'm really thinking that we can only afford to offer two options.

If you could only have two entree options, what would you choose? The caterer suggested ravioli and chicken. He was actually going to make two types of ravioli - meat and cheese - at no additional cost. Maybe I'm being spoiled, but ravioli and chicken just doesn't sound like a very exciting menu at all. :(

2 years ago

Member

1,579 posts

Bumble bee

GirlWithARing September 5, 2010 Living in NYC, marrying in Philadelphia

Will you have vegetarian guests? If not (or if you can negotiate for a free veggie option), you could do two types of meat (beef, chicken, pork, etc) or fish.

If not, you sort of have to go for the ravioli or something else vegetarian. There was a thread recently where people shared their menus, so maybe you could get inspiration there.

I think $30/head is pretty low, so you might not be able to get your dream menu if there's no way to increase this budget.

2 years ago

Member

2,655 posts

Sugar bee

Tanya123

So it was $9, regardless of what the entree was? Because there is a big difference in price between say ravioli and prime rib.

Well if you are going for two entrees, I would first ask if there is a limited option for those who are vegetarian. (As in could you offer chicken and beef, but then allow for a vegetarian option for a few folks who absolutely won't eat either?) If it's absolutely no, I would go with 1: beef or chicken (I'd lean toward beef) and 2: a meatless dish.

It might be helpful if you could list what the options are.

2 years ago

Member

162 posts

Blushing bee

torybrian August 14, 2010 Livermore

$9 is an average of the options we're looking at. Most are $8-$10. We don't really have any vegetarian guests. I hadn't thought about asking for a vegetarian option. Maybe they'd go for that...

I saw the other menu posts, but it seems like what we're working with is so basic in comparison. I guess that we can try to find a way to increase our budget, but we are already waaaay over what we had planned on spending!

Here's the catering menu:

From the Grill:

Dry-rubbed Tri-Tip with Creamy Horseradish 8.00

Chicken Breast with Housemade BBQ Sauce 6.50

Baby Back Ribs with Housemade BBQ Sauce 10.00

Pork Wings with Sweet Chili Glaze 8.00

Marinated Portabella Mushroom 8.00

Shrimp and Linguisa Skewers 8.00

Hamburgers (Veggie Available) 5.00

Old-fashioned Frankfurters 3.00

Sausages and Bratwursts (Assorted Selections Available) 5.00

From the Oven: