Tipping for catering staff?

evaluna68

So my wedding is this Saturday, and we had the final meeting with the caterer last night.  And it occurred to me that I have no idea how to tip them.  We are having a buffet dinner, and we will have 4 waitstaff/kitchen staff (one of whom is the owner of the restaurant who is catering our reception), and a bartender. It seems like the standard restaurant 15 - 20% of the bill, which would come out to something like $200 per staff person including the owner, is too much (and is complicated by the fact that the bartender will be serving drinks that were purchased elsewhere), but what would be appropriate?

Marina007

I'd tip them $15 per hour per person.

ac_in_dc

I had a tough time with this. My caterer was a small family-run business that took really good care of their staff, and the bill was around $9k.  We gave her an envelope with $400 to distribute among the staff, and b/c of her relationship with the staff I trust that she did this. I'm not sure if that was generous or cheap.  It's really confusing. I'm interested to hear what other folks think.

lyndausvi

$200 is not too much. 

Night_Sprite

Our contract has 19% built in.

lyndausvi

we had to pay 9 people $30 per hour per person for 8 hours AND we still tipped them. 

scoetto

So would you tip 15-20% off the total per person?

lyndausvi

that's cool it's a restaurant.  Not all caterers are restaurants.  But they still do not make that kind of money everyday of the week. I'm just sensitive because I work for tips.  So many people are great tippers when they are paying for 2-4 people.  Then when they  have to pay for a large group they all suddend  think it's too much money.  they do not think that if the large party was little groups of 2-4 people paying individually the server would be making an average of 15-20% .  That is why a lot of restaurants add grats to large parties.

evaluna68

Trust me, when I am served at a table in a restaurant, I tip 20%, no matter what size the group (and I host a monthly group dinner that has ranged in size up to 20 people or so).  But I wouldn't tip 20% for buffet service in a restaurant, either.   And the opinions here seem to be all over the map, from 5% of the bill to $90/person for 6 hours to $200/person for 6 hours to 20% of the bill.  I'm surprised there isn't a greater consensus on this.

scoetto

Lynda, so I would tip the servers 20% from the food bill and the bartender 20% off the alcohol bill?