STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

ladysi78250 · Dooney & Bourke

Advice please!!!

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I don't know how the pay ahead thing would work because what if they ran out of an item or someone changed their mind or couldn't come and pre-paid. I would just leave things the way they are and the wait staff shouldn't have a problem dealing with checks. They do this all the time for groups. I don't see why 50 people would be a big deal. Maybe upon arrival the waiter or waitress could take the orders and then make the bills ready for when the food is delivered to the table if they are concerned about it taking long. Most people will be talking and not worrying about how long its taking to pay.

ladysi78250 · Dooney & Bourke

Thats exactly how I felt Isubatgirl, I was getting a feeling the manager wanted to make things easier for him and his staff. My concern is to make things enjoyable for the guests and me!!

What are your opinions girls??

Cricket · Gucci

It will be WAY more of a hassle for you to do it his way than for he and his staff to do their jobs. That irks me. I would probably leave a bigger tip for the pandemonium it might cause, but would they just rather not have your business? I would suggest at the start of the shower that some people might want to pay early if they're finished eating to avoid a "rush".

Do it the way you've planned and if he doesn't want to do it, I'd either go above him to his DM or move the shower.

Oh, just thinking, it'll probably end up in the restaurants favor if you pay ahead. What if someone wants a $3 salad, nope sorry, you've pre-paid for a $15 meal. PLUS they've added on the gratuity ahead of time. I can't imagine someone (YOU?) not getting stuck paying more than their share too. Always happens. Someone forgets to pay and then you have to track them down. Don't do it.

crystal · Kate Spade

ok, i'm gonna be unpopular hear, but this is JMTC. in my experience with big groups at dinner, we always end up having to go around and collect a few extra bucks from everyone cuz we are short on the bill. "someone" always ends up not paying enough, whether on purpose or accident, but it is next to impossible (especially in a group of 50) to determine who that was. at the very least i would ask the manager the average dinner per person (i.e. $30 for app & entree, not including drinks) & include that info in the invite and suggest that people bring cash. it get soooo confusing w/ people paying on cards while others are handing over cash. i'm sure the manager is mostly suggesting the set menu/prepay thing for his own convenience (i worked in a high end restaurant & for groups over 10 it was required to do a set menu & hold w/ a cc) but honestly think of how fun it will be to go around collecting money/cc from 50 people! i know seperate checks will help a bit, but i know even some lower end restaurants that won't do more than 2 seperate checks per table. anyways, i think u should find some happy medium between the manager's suggestion and what u want to do. good luck!

esquiress · Marc Jacobs

fifty people is a lot. fifteen people's a lot when it comes to divying up a check at dinner so i could totally see mass confusion and the bill coming up short at the end of this event. so i agree w/ crystal--i'd figure out a way to work w/ the mgr.'s suggestions--for your own peace of mind.

p.s. crystal, what does JMTC stand for?

lsubatgirl · Gucci

See if they can do seperate checks. In my group events of 20ish people this was not a problem and the wait staff got tipped better than if they added the gratuity in before we paid. Its not that hard to do if the wait staff uses a pen and paper to track what everyone is ordering (they will have to anyway)