Buffet Leftovers

Whiteknight

Not sure if this would be the correct section of the board but could anyone give any opinions

Our group arranges a buffet once a year for about 30-50 people, one of the members has been out and got a few estimates from local caters and also asked his mother who has supplied the cheapest quote.

Normally way too much food is supplied and that is given out at the end of the evening - question I had is what should happen to any unopened bottles of wine/juice? Should him mother who has prepared the food get to keep them or do they belong to the group - what is the etiquette?

If it makes any difference we are paying per person not for a certain amount of anything

carlamarie_2

i would say they belong to the group.
you are paying the mother for a service - to cater. the results of her preparing food is for your group, as should the wine/juice be.

on saying that you may wish to give the mother a bottle of wine as a goodwill gesture

vikki_louise

Do you see each other inbetween? If so I would save the wine for then but other wise would let the host decide/person who goes to the effort of organising it all. Would also be worth looking at reducing the amount, what is supplied per head and will each person consume that amount

Whiteknight

vikki_louise wrote: »

Do you see each other inbetween? If so I would save the wine for then but other wise would let the host decide/person who goes to the effort of organising it all. Would also be worth looking at reducing the amount, what is supplied per head and will each person consume that amount

The group or committee does meet regularly but using any left over wine/juice at those meetings would not be something we could do.

I was not involved with the decision making for the catering, three quotes were got and the group went for the cheapest which was his mother, I am not sure what food will be supplied and as they have stated a price per head I don't think they would reduce that price by reducing the amount of food supplied.

Only a few weeks to wait to see what it turns out like!!

SugarSpun

If there is regularly wine/juice leftover I would be looking to stipulate a pay-per-bottle policy on future events and built that into the contract, so the caterer takes away any unopened bottles for future events but you've not paid for them.