Hello marbuck-ga,
I would like to begin by saying that I'm not Jewish, but I do have
many Jewish friends and know just how involved kosher supervision can
be. Unfortunately, this can add to the expense of catering a kosher
event by as much as 15-20%, primarily due to the extra cost of kosher
food and the extra expense of kosher preparation and supervision. That
doesn't mean that your friend doesn't have any options, however.
FLEXIBILITY & NEGOTIATION
1) Don't let the initial price quote throw you off. Talk to the
caterer and see if he/she is willing to work with you (your friend) to
get the costs closer to the budget you had in mind. Caterers can often
come up with creative ways to save money and still provide a
first-class affair. Lay your cards on the table.
2)"...draft a list of your priorities. Although everything is
technically negotiable, it makes sense to determine what you
absolutely must have and what you can live without because chances are
you won't get everything that you ask for."
--"Negotiating F&B [Food & Beverage]" by Jerry Murphy, CMP
http://www.pcma.org/convene/Conferon/charts/Ch10_1.htm
Example: Meat and wine are going to be more pricey because of the
higher costs involved in certifying them as kosher. Food that is out
of season, food that needs extra servers or extra-special preparation,
etc. are all going to dramatically raise the price.
3) "Shop some of the components that may be provided by the caterer,
i.e. decor or rental table cloths, napkins, glassware, china,
silverware, etc. since you may be able to save a significant amount of
money by obtaining these items directly from another source." You
didn't mention whether that catering quote covered expenses other than
food, so I thought I'd include this option for consideration.
--"Party Planning - Do It Yourself and Save" from BarMitzvahs.org
http://www.barmitzvahs.org/partyplanning.php
4) "Consider using upscale disposable plasticware rather than china
and glassware. Clear, heavyweight plates and glasses that have the
appearance of etched glass are available that cost less than renting
china and glassware. You don't have to worry about cleaning or
breakage charges either!"
--"Party Planning - Do It Yourself and Save" from BarMitzvahs.org
http://www.barmitzvahs.org/partyplanning.php
5) Work to cut down serving costs. Consider a buffet rather than a
sit-down, served meal. Offer appetizers on a table rather than served
by roving waiters.
6) "Have your caterer prepare just your main dishes and have friends
and family prepare appetizers, side dishes, bread, and salad. Many
caterers will only allow this at a reception held in your home."
--"Catering Money Saving Tips" from the Frugal Wedding
http://www.usabride.com/frugal/a_catering_tips.html
7) "The more labor intensive the food item is to prepare -- the more
it will cost. Think about this when choosing your main course as well
as your side dishes and hors d'oeuvres."
--"Catering Money Saving Tips" from the Frugal Wedding
http://www.usabride.com/frugal/a_catering_tips.html
8) Talk to caterers outside of your local community. Many caterers
will travel up to several hours to cater an event with just a small
added surcharge for the travel. If you can find one or two who are
willing to travel, quotes from them will give you more to work with
and more bargaining power when negotiating your catering contract.
--"Cutting the Kosher Costs" - The Jewish Week
http://www.thejewishweek.com/bottom/specialcontent.php3?artid=291
9) Another option, and this may not be acceptable to your friend
depending upon how strictly he/she practices Kosher, but there may be
an opportunity to hire a caterer who isn't certified kosher. Some
caterers, especially newer ones with a smaller base of clientele, may
be willing to cater a kosher menu. They will need to be taught how to
adher to kosher rules during food preparation and it would probably be
a good idea to obtain the services of trained mashgia to oversee the
food preparation as well.
10) This may not be an option depending on the particulars of the
situation, but consider a different location and/or date. Saturdays
are the busiest day of the week for caterers. As for location, maybe
there is a kosher restaurant in town who could open specially for the
occasion. "...another creative option: kosher restaurants that by
prior arrangement and payment will host a private party for Shabbat
dinner or lunch. Yehudah Amital, owner of Darna, will stay open for
approximately 65 to 130 guests."
--"Cutting the Kosher Costs" - The Jewish Week
http://www.thejewishweek.com/bottom/specialcontent.php3?artid=291
A few more links which may be useful:
Eight Secrets for Controlling the Costs of Catering...
http://www.leadingcaterers.com/buyers_guide5.asp
"Finding the Right Caterer - Some Do's and Don'ts" - The Jewish Week
http://www.thejewishweek.com/bottom/specialcontent.php3?artid=292
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
While the fact that there isn't much competition in your community
does provide a barrier to negotiation, it doesn't mean that your
friend isn't in the driver's seat. Knowledge is power. Research other
options (even if they aren't your first choice), talk to other people
from the synagogue to find out who they used and how they kept costs
reasonable, learn more about typical kosher catering costs (that
5-figure quote may not be out of line), etc.
Here is a basic example of the costs/profit of a catering business.
You do need to keep in mind that you are paying not only for the
actual catering of the event (food & service) but also for the general
business costs of the caterer (advertising, insurance, maybe even
their kosher certification):
"Most successful caterers price their menus to achieve anywhere from a
20% to 35% food cost with between 25% and 30% being the norm. They
generally strive to achieve somewhere around a 50% gross margin from
each event. This means that once all of the direct costs (food,
beverages, direct labor, supplies, etc.) of the party, wedding or
event are paid, there remains 50% as a profit from that event. This
profit is used to offset overhead or administrative and general
expenses"
http://www.leadingcaterers.com/asktheprofessorpricingstrategiesthatwork.asp
"How Much Will My Party Cost?"
http://www.leadingcaterers.com/howmuchdoesitcostforapartyweddingorspecialevent.asp
"Lessons in Lifemanship - The Art of Negotiation"
http://bbll.com/ch22.html
This may not help with negotiations, but just to help provide a sense
of the market I've provided links to a few kosher catering services
which offer general pricing information online:
Rubin's Kosher Catering - Boston, MA
http://www.rubinskosher.com/kiddushbrochure.pdf
Panache Catering by Foodarama - Philadelphia, PA (Kosher certified)
http://www.foodarama.com/formal_pricing.htm
This article provides general price per person info from a variety of
Phoenix-area kosher caterers. Costs range from $30 per person to over
$100. Sample menus help to show what you can expect for different
amounts.
http://www.jewishaz.com/special/wedding/kosher.shtml
As a final note, it is important to remember that while your friend
may not be a repeat customer (remind him to congratulate himself on
cutting costs dramatically by celebrating with both children at
once!), catering businesses need good word-of-mouth referrals to
survive. Your friend probably has friends who will be needing the
services of a kosher caterer at some point in the near future. He
should also follow up once more with the caterer who did not provide
him with a quote. It is possible that they never received the request,
had a family emergency, etc.
I hope this answer helps in the quest for a successful (and not too
extensive) bar/bat mitzvah. Best of luck and please wish your friend
congratulations on my behalf.
Regards,
inquisitive-ga |
