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Catering Guidelines
As
the exclusive food and beverage provider at the Virginia
Horse Center, Southern Inn Catering & Concessions is
committed to bringing you and your guests the highest
standards of quality, beverage and service. We have
developed the following guidelines and menu suggestions to
assist you in planning your event. Please review the
information and contact Southern Inn Catering & Concessions
directly. We thank you for your business.
Request
for Service and Service Agreement
To ensure the
proper planning of your event, we request that all Food and
Beverage requests be received in writing by our office no
less than 60 days prior to the date of your
first scheduled service. We will send you a Service
Agreement confirming the details of your Food and Beverage
request. The signed Service Agreement, along with the
required deposits, must be received by Southern Inn Catering
& Concessions no less than 45 days in advance
of the first scheduled event. A 50% deposit is required.
If the signed Service
Agreement is not received at least 30 days prior to the
first scheduled event, menu prices are subject to change.
Special
Events
There are a
number of "Special Events" that require attention to complex
details. These include, but are not limited to, events for
more than 500 people,
weddings and VIP functions. These functions typically
require customized menus due to the customer’s desire for a
unique event. In addition to logistical planning, specialty
equipment and service/labor may be needed to successfully
orchestrate such events. Due to these requirements, special
events may be subject to earlier guarantee dates and
deposits. Events requiring extraordinary use of
equipment/china may incur rental charges and a 10% of rental
expense processing fee. Please discuss this with
Southern Inn Catering & Concessions. Specifications for
these events are to be received no less than 45 days prior
to the event unless otherwise negotiated between the
customer and Southern Inn Catering & Concessions.
Menu
Proposals
In addition to
designing menus for “Special Events”, we are often asked to
design menu proposals to meet additional customer
requirements. Included in the menu planning and pricing
evaluation are considerations given to the expected
attendance at these events. Buffet menus are priced for a
minimum of 50 people. Should an event’s attendance fall
significantly below the original number expected the
proposed menu price may be subject to change.
Room
Rental
The
room rental fee is determined as follows:
-
There is a $3.00 per person fee, with a $200.00 minimum
charge, for use of the Appomattox Mezzanine.
-
Groups with a scheduled event at the Virginia Horse
Center will be charged a $2.00 per person fee, with a
$100.00 minimum charge, for use of the Appomattox
Mezzanine.
-
Groups with a scheduled event at the Virginia Horse
Center who wish to use the room as an Exhibition Space
will be charged $100.00 per day.
-
Groups that have rented the entire Virginia Horse Center
complex may use the room at no additional charge.
Room
rental charges follow the deposit and cancellation policies
as presented in these guidelines.
Room Set Up and Break Down
There
is a room set up and break down fee of $150.00 if Food and
Beverage is under $500.00.
Floor Plans for Catering Functions
We
will review both the guest seating arrangements (floor plan)
and the “behind the scenes” logistics to ensure ample space
has been considered, making appropriate recommendations for
both areas to create the best possible guest experience.
Often, large events require catering (dishing, serving,
clearing) to take place in areas that are not commonly
dedicated to that purpose. In these instances, the customer
and Southern Inn Catering & Concessions will discuss
effective solutions (such as pipe and drape) to mask food
service staging areas from the guest’s view. The costs for
additional equipment such as this, which may be provided by
the customer’s decorating company or through Southern Inn
Catering & Concessions, will be the responsibility of the
Customer. Southern Inn Catering & Concessions will charge a
10% of rental costs processing fee.
Delivery Fees
All
catering orders or re-orders totaling less than $200.00 will
result in a $45.00 delivery fee.
Payment Policy
Southern Inn Catering & Concessions’ policy requires full
payment at the completion of the event. We accept checks,
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa.
There will be a $50.00 fee
for any returned checks.
Staffing
Our
staff will be dressed in black pants, white shirt and tie,
unless you request something different. Our proposal
includes staffing for up to 3 hours beginning at the
starting time through final guest departure. Overtime is
billed at the rate of $15.00 per hour. No overtime will be
incurred if the event ends on schedule. We reserve the
right to increase or decrease the number of staff if the
guaranteed guest count is 10% higher or lower than the
number included in this proposal.
Service and Tax
There
is a service fee of 20% based on Food and Beverage charges
including alcoholic beverages.
All
Food and Beverage charges are subject to the Virginia sales
tax, currently 9%.
Guarantees
To ensure the success of your
event(s) it is necessary we receive your “Final Guarantee”
(confirmed attendance) for each meal function at least five
(5) business days prior to the event. “Special Events” may
require a seven (7) day advance notice. Please note the
above schedule excludes weekends and holidays.
Once the Final Guarantee is
due, the count may not be decreased. For every event,
Southern Inn Catering & Concessions shall be prepared to
serve 2% over the Final Guarantee, up to 50 meals. The
customer will be billed based on the Final Guarantee or the
actual number of meals served whichever is greater. Southern
Inn Catering & Concessions will make every attempt to
accommodate increases in your count after the final
guarantee is due, however; any increase exceeding 10% of the
final guarantee will be subject to a 10% surcharge. If the
count increases within the final guarantee timeline, the 2%
overage will no longer apply.
Cancellation
Policy
Neither the Deposit nor any
other prepaid amounts will be refunded if the event cancels.
Customer agrees to pay the expected revenue, except as
follows: (a) in the event a written cancellation notice is
received less than 60 days, but more than 30 days, from the
first scheduled Event, Customer shall pay to Caterer a
cancellation fee equal to 25% of the estimated food and
beverage charges; (b) in the event a written cancellation
notice is received less than 30 days from the first
scheduled Event, but before the Guaranteed Attendance is
due, Customer shall pay to Caterer a cancellation fee equal
to 50% of the estimated food and beverage charges; and (c)
any cancellation received after the Final Guarantee has been
provided will result in a cancellation fee equal to 100% of
the estimated food and beverage charges.
Minimum
Requirement for Meal Functions
There is a minimum guarantee
of 50 people for all meal functions (seated or buffet).
If the guarantee is less than 50 people, you may be subject
to an additional charge.
Table Standards
The Southern Inn Catering &
Concessions banquet minimum standard for a plated/seated
meal is for service at tables of eight (8) guests with 1
server per 20 guests. And for buffet meals, the Southern Inn
Catering & Concessions minimum standard is 1 server per30
guests. An additional labor fee will be applied for any set
that requires tables that seat less than eight (8) guests or
require extensive service. The fee will be assessed
according to the additional wait staff required to service
the event at $20.00 per hour with a four (4) hour minimum.
Tablecloths
All tables for meal
functions are dressed with standard house linen and napkins.
There is a linen fee of $1.00 per person. Southern Inn
Catering & Concessions will be able to assist with any
custom linen and décor details at additional charges. Events
that require tablecloths for non-food functions may be
clothed for $7.50 per standard house tablecloth. Specialty
linens will be priced as fair market value.
Exhibitor Food & Beverage
Policy
Southern Inn Catering &
Concessions is the exclusive provider of all food and
beverages at the Virginia Horse Center. As such, any
requests for importing food and beverages will be at
Southern Inn Catering & Concessions’ discretion and will be
considered on a case-by-case basis. This includes requests
for exhibitor amenities such as logo-bottled water, hard
candies and sample products.
These
guidelines are subject to change without notice. |
