Service Charge & Tax Charge

View Quoted Comment So are the venues that don't charge the service fee bare bones?

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Nope, the ones I am looking at include everything but they are BYOV. So Im thinking that service charge is for the all inclusive packages they offer. Im not looking for that since I know the vendors I am bringing in.

Yup ours has it. Service charge was listed as gratuity on actual invoice. So therefore we will not be tipping.

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Yes, so the venue included all the tables, chairs, linens, plates, etc, as well as the food and alcohol and the servers. So at least that charge covered the gratuity already for all of the waiters, bartenders, and other staff for the day!

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That makes so much sense, whenever F+B is included then I expect a service charge, but when you have to bring that in on your own, a venue def should not charge that!

View Quoted Comment If they include things, of course there’s gonna be a service charge and taxes. They have to cover costs of upkeeping tables chairs etc as well as covering labor for set up and clean up. I’m kinda surprised that’s a shock to you as a event coordinator

We are paying a 22% service charge but only $400 for the wedding coordinator services. So we figured we the staffing and all the work they will be doing it’s not too bad. Our package for food, DJ, ceremony venue, reception venue, rehearsal practice, tables, linens, etc came out to $7,500 with the tax and service charge for 60 people. Sure it sucks, but it didn’t really change our minds about the venue.

My venue as well has 20% service charge plus 7% State tax.

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Like you mentioned, a service charge is usually for labor so when I'm dealing with food and beverage then it makes sense. Many venues also have a damage deposit which take care of the upkeep should they have to replace tables/chairs. Setup & clean up would make sense but should also be included in the sole rental price, that is a non-negotiable for me because of liability. Contracts I have done rarely include a service/tax charge without those things I mentioned being included.

We have an administrative charge for our venue that covers the things like servers, set up clean up all the random other things they do and it’s a percentage of the total meal cost per person

Every venue I looked at charged between 20 and 23 percent plus tax. I am going with a venue that charged 20% plus tax but that includes gratuity.