Vendor meals

Check their contracts. It's pretty common for a vendor to specify that they need a hot meal.

The boxed meals are usually pretty bad. Does the $90 include liquor? If so, could you negotiate to exclude the liquor for a lower pp cost?

Our caterer charges half price for vendor meals but they eat the same as the guests. I wouldn't have them working 8+ hours and just feed them a sandwich- that's not right. Your DOC should go through the line for them so they don't have to wait.

I think you're going to have to pay for them to go through the buffet. It sucks, but that's the right thing to do and what's possibly required by your contract.

My venue is $92 a plate. They prepare a special vendor meal (plated, the chicken being served same as our guests) but for half the price. Your venue is trying to screw you....all venues offer vendor plates

Great question ...

If vendors are to what guests are offered.... do I also ask them chicken, beef or fish too??

Would I call / email to ask?

My venue provided vendor meal from their restaurant. It work out great because they don't have to get in buffet line and they were able to eat at their own table at the time of their choosing.

Box meals doesn't should appealing to me.

I would go back to the venue and ask for another option, like plated meal.

I included my vendors in my guest count; our JOP already said he wasn't going to stay for dinner.

@Harley Yes, you need to ask them their meal choices.

You are going to need to figure them out. You haven't sent out invitations yet so if you can't afford everyone and over your guest limit you have time to cut your guest list

Mine had hot vendor meals at half price.

I keep reading all of these comments about vendor contracts with meal requirements - it made me go back and re-read all of my contracts - and none of them had the clause to provide a meal.

However, that being said - I am 100% planning to provide them a hot meal, the same plated option as the rest of my guests. My venue contract states vendors meals are available at 50% cost of the guest price, the same as children ages 6-10. I agree to check with your venue on a discount since they won't be consuming liquor.

Judging from your post, I'm thinking that your venue is providing the food? If you have separate catering, it is really up to the caterer and you should talk directly with them about vendor plates, as most will give a cheaper price for those.

If your venue is catering, like the others said, I'd see if they could negotiate a price for the vendor meals. Maybe, you can ask the vendors what entree they want and have THAT boxed from your buffet line at a cheaper price...maybe hand them a printed menu an ask that they circle what they want. By doing that, it can be boxed and given to them and the venue has a little say in portion control as opposed to the free-for-all that happens with buffets. They may give you a cheaper price by doing a boxed buffet dinner, rather than a possible multi-trip plate.

I am feeding my two photographers. My venue charges $79/pp but for the vendors I only have to pay $32 /pp.

Yeah, sure...your venue is trying to screw you, said the lady who hasn't successfully executed a single wedding (because venues get mega-rich screwing around with a measly $45-90, here or there).

If your guests aren't being served plated meals, why would you assume your vendors might be served plated meals? Ain't happenin'.

Let them go through the buffet line. They may want to, or they may not. However, if a buffet line is what you're offering for dinner, that's what your event vendors are entitled to eat. Please, tell the venue to take their third grade lunch menu meal and stick it. Nah, don't do that, but don't offer your vendors a sandwich and chips.

A box meal is a jerk move.

I've never heard of a vendor meal being the same cost as the regular meal. Our vendor meals are $40, whereas our plated chicken dinner for guests is $88. I would definitely inquire as to why they don't offer reduced pricing. That being said, we are doing plated dinners, I don't know if buffet would have the same price difference.

For sure ask the vendors! I gave mine a choice, most picked buffet but my piano player wanted box so he could eat it later

Our caterer doesn't charge us for vendor meals. They get the same food as the guests but he pays for it. He wants them to taste his food and recommend his company to future clients. I feel so lucky! It's not fair to just give vendors a box meal. They are working their butts off. They deserve a hot meal.

My vendor contract doesn't say anything about meals. Obviously I'm feeding them! But my venue gives all vendors meals for 50% off.