food

[Deleted User]

late night snacks

zitiqueen

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_should-catering-staff-eat-our-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9781d0ea-4468-4bc6-9c6f-d072cae5bd51Post:42d909ba-055b-4797-a8be-2668e597cb67">should catering staff eat our $$ food?</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi I was wondering if anyone knows the proper steps for catering staff eating at your wedding? I heard from my guests they saw the catering staff eating our food at the wedding but I am hoping they are not going to be charging me for those meals, plus I was told afterwards that there were no left overs eventhough there was more than enough food being served because a number of our guests didn't show up?......were there no left overs because the catering staff ate it?
Posted by turgi[/QUOTE]

<span class="st">My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend <em>heard</em> from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at <em>31 Flavors</em> last night. I guess it's pretty serious.</span>
<span class="st">
Hearsay. Nothing you can do about it.
</span>

J&K10910

Well, how on earth would we know the answer to that?  To find that out, you need to ask how many meals you were charged for, and compare that to how many guests showed up.

FWIW, it was written into our contract that since we were not able to take any leftovers home, once all the guests and vendors had been fed, if there were leftover meals, the catering staff and bartenders could eat them.  These were either the extra meals they make just in case (above the guaranteed number we gave them and paid for), or meals that were supposed to belong to someone who had RSVPed yes, but did not show up.  The only meals we were charged for were the no-show meals, but we'd have paid for those regardless, so I certainly HOPE someone ate them.

Every venue is different, you need to contact yours with these questions.

cpm1223

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_should-catering-staff-eat-our-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9781d0ea-4468-4bc6-9c6f-d072cae5bd51Post:42d909ba-055b-4797-a8be-2668e597cb67">should catering staff eat our $$ food?</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi I was wondering if anyone knows the proper steps for catering staff eating at your wedding? I heard from my guests they saw the catering staff eating our food at the wedding but I am hoping they are not going to be charging me for those meals, plus I was told afterwards that there were no left overs eventhough there was more than enough food being served because a number of our guests didn't show up?......were there no left overs because the catering staff ate it?
Posted by turgi[/QUOTE]

I work for a catering company and whatever is left over from the wedding, is given to us after all of the guests have been served, and usually during a time where there's not much else we can do but sit and have a bite to eat. BUT we save food for the B&G as long as they've said that they want these leftovers, before anyone eats any of the extra food.

Almost all catering companies provide extra food for emergency purposes i.e. someone forgot they said they wanted steak when they rsvp'd and changed their mind to chicken while being served dinner...well the caterers will have extra chicken in case

Did the catering company ask you what you wanted to do about any left over food? Is there anything in your contract about this?

Honestly, for my own wedding, we were never asked about leftovers, and if we were I'm pretty sure I would have said no anyway....

Katoners

I worked for a catering service in college. As mentioned by PP above, there was always extra food made for every event and the staff would eat that during down time. Anything that wasnt eaten was just thrown away anyways.  I would assume this is pretty standard practice with other caterers as well.

AdeleDazeem

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_should-catering-staff-eat-our-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:9781d0ea-4468-4bc6-9c6f-d072cae5bd51Post:c5d55e68-7083-46b6-b611-19a5c3f57a83">Re: should catering staff eat our $$ food?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to should catering staff eat our $$ food? : My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.
Posted by zitiqueen[/QUOTE]

hahaha.

Jen4948

Since your wedding has passed this is too late for you specifically, but I would negotiate in the contract terms with both the caterers and the vendors what the vendors are allowed in terms of food, when they eat, and what you are paying for there.

samantha24p

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_should-catering-staff-eat-our-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9781d0ea-4468-4bc6-9c6f-d072cae5bd51Post:c5d55e68-7083-46b6-b611-19a5c3f57a83">Re: should catering staff eat our $$ food?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to should catering staff eat our $$ food? : My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious. Hearsay. Nothing you can do about it.
Posted by zitiqueen[/QUOTE]




Hahaha

afeliz79

The proper step to take is to make them all throw up all the food they ate that belonged to you.

lyndausvi

Of course each caterer is different, but it's pretty standard for caterers NOT to give leftovers.  It's also standard for caterers to make extra food (especially for a buffet) and for staff to eat the leftovers after everyone is finished eating.

I'm not sure what your contract states, but as long as all your guests were finished eating, I don't see what the problem is.

DaveandRoxy

You need to check your contract. Our caterer is supposed to box up our leftovers but we spoke to several that keep what isn't served. 

[Deleted User]

We had talked to the catering company ahead of time and did want the left overs...AND they were supposed to serve some of the leftovers to our guest as late night snacks before they drove home but the catering service took all chairs and silverware away an hour before the venue even closed? My groom and I  didn't have any silverware to eat our cake which we had left on table...other people told me the next day that they too left their cake on the table when they went out to dance and when they came back their cake and plate were gone.

ootmother2

We made sure to include in the contract that no staff should be fed on our dime.  It's a known fact that staff works better when hungry

samantha24p

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_should-catering-staff-eat-our-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9781d0ea-4468-4bc6-9c6f-d072cae5bd51Post:b86b4e17-6b09-4c5c-be0d-a72871b43831">Re: should catering staff eat our $$ food?</a>:
[QUOTE]We made sure to include in the contract that no staff should be fed on our dime.  It's a known fact that staff works better when hungry
Posted by ootmother2[/QUOTE]



Where I agree they shouldn't be fed on your dime, I disagree that they work better when hungry. As an ex server I worked awful when I was hungry. Moved slow, slightly moody, and in a rush to go home. I used to keep a granola bar in my purse to keep energy and mood up.

Our venue doesn't allow us to bring food home so I'd rather someone eat the food.

Cortney1982

Forget about it.  Your being charged for the amount of people you said would come.   Whether those people made it to eat the food is not the caterers problem.  You don't get money back for it.  Even if the staff ate the left over food, I'd be glad it didn't go to waste.  Why get in a huff that you didn't get to bring a few boxes of left overs home?

ootmother2

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_should-catering-staff-eat-our-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9781d0ea-4468-4bc6-9c6f-d072cae5bd51Post:9a274320-87c7-4cd2-bad3-de8d763714e2">Re: should catering staff eat our $$ food?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: should catering staff eat our $$ food? : Where I agree they shouldn't be fed on your dime, I disagree that they work better when hungry. As an ex server I worked awful when I was hungry. Moved slow, slightly moody, and in a rush to go home. I used to keep a granola bar in my purse to keep energy and mood up. Our venue doesn't allow us to bring food home so I'd rather someone eat the food.
Posted by samantha24p[/QUOTE]

::head::desk

lyndausvi

How many servers did you have?

If there was only enough leftovers to feed the staff, I'm not sure how they were suppose to feed your guests that food? 

FWIW - when I work catering the leftover food the staff ate was nothing more than the scraps from food that had been sitting out.   I would seriously side-eye anyone who would think that food was acceptable to serve later in the evening.    I'm sure there were no sneeze guards and stuff to protect the food.   Sterno do funky things to food the longer they sit also.

Now if there was food in the back never put out stored at the proper temperature then that might be different.

banana468

My bigger gripe would be that cake was cleared shortly after it was served.

When I'm a guest at a wedding, that's one of my larger gripes.   I may be on the dance floor and want more than 15 minutes to eat my dessert.

[Deleted User]

I feel like some of the replies I have received on here were a bit rude. I was really just looking for some answers as to what other people did and what was normal. Anyway thank you for whomever replied to the question I was asking. Thank you

Shlby81

Welcome to the knot

samantha24p

Sorry OOT. Op don't think anyone was rude to you.

ootmother2

No one was. I was just busting you.

hoffse

I would let it go, OP.  Like PPs said, plenty of catering places have staff eat after the fact, and frankly I don't think that's a problem at all.  I know I turn into a total b*tch when I'm really hungry, and it gets worse when I'm working at the same time.  Serving the leftovers to your guests as a late night snack might be nice in theory but I think the food would have been pretty gross by then anyway.  If I were a venue I would charge more for that because you have to store it all at proper temps and then replate a second a time.  My contract has nothing about leftovers in it.  I know my venue routinely makes a small to-go basket for the bride and groom with cake and other food that doesn't need to be stored cold in case they weren't able to eat enough (they usually add a bottle of champagne, etc).  But the point of that basket is to eat it that night in the privacy of your hotel room, while the food is still fresh.  Other than that, we aren't taking any back with us, and I certainly hope the staff eats it.  Better than having it go to waste.