How much to tip for catering? And what to tip on?

I've been chatting with various caterers. Some include 18% gratuity, so I'd check to be sure it's not already included. Otherwise I'd tip food or per server.

I was wondering the same thing...

Same here. .

Pretty sure $50-$75 is standard per server

Our restaurant had an 18% gratuity included, we were in the event room of a favorite restaurant that we frequent a lot so we knew the servers. Hubby upped the gratuity to 22% or 23% then slipped each of the servers a $20 bill as they were so discreet yet so helpful.

Following, i am wondering about this too. our caterer includes a service fee but i was told that is not a tip. however, i dont think you tip on the total catering bill (for me that would be $3000). I think you'll want to tip the servers and event manager, owner etc. whoever the caterer sends individually but im honestly not sure how much is typical.

First, you have to determine whether the 'service' fee is salary, no matter what they call it, so you can take that into account. And then you have to take note of the service that occurs. Tipping banquet staff is not like tipping restaurant workers; they are guaranteed an hourly or per-party salary.

As for tipping, I never used to recommend a percentage; basically that means the waiters who work parties with a less expensive menu make less for the same work as the waiters who work a more expensive menu even though the work is the same.

I used to recomment 50-75.00 per server, 25-45 per bus person, 100-500 for your head waiter or Maitre D. (I know that last one is pretty wide; most of my venues will let you know exactly how much to tip the maitre d/ captain/bridal attendant and sometimes it's way more than that.

Bartenders are trickier; I have never been at a cocktail hour where almost everyone slipped the BT a couple of bucks with every drink. It's almost a social contract..... That fact needs to be addressed when you ask your caterer or venue about them.

My personal opinion on this (and I LOVE to tip....) is that they either are tipped by the host and a small but visible sign is on the bar that says the gratuity has been taken care of by the hosts (the first time I saw this I was very, very impressed and that is rare for me....) OR they can take tips but on no planet should there be a tip vessel and the bartenders shouldn't be letting dollar bills build up on the bar as a hint.

I hope that's not too complicated, but it seems more realistic than 20% of a mysterious number.

Agree with at Celia. We did an amount per person..I think we did like 50 for the 2 servers, 75 for the 2 pasta station attendents and 125 for the captain? or something along those lines and the bartender was separate and through the venue and we gave them 100 or 125 plus asked what they made through the venue and I saw many people giving them tips throughout the night as well.