We Promise Transparent Pricing

CKC Good Food Event Catering promises transparent pricing when you book us to cater your events. It's a disheartening to us that we even have to make that promise as it should be a universal practice among event caterers. Wedding catering, in particular, can come with a variety of hidden fees that might surprise you when the final bill arrives. Here are some common ones to watch out for and how we charge (or don't charge) for particulars:

Service Fees

Many caterers charge a service fee, often 15–25% of the total bill, to cover staffing and logistics. We don't operate this way. We tell you upfront the hourly rate for service staff and how many servers your event will require. (Remember, the number of servers you need depends on the service style you choose. ) It is customary for servers to begin working at the company's commissary, where they are debriefed by the chef and help load food and supplies for delivery to your venue, and to conclude their shift after returning to the commissary. If your event runs longer than planned, expect to pay for the servers' additional time.

Gratuities

Some caterers automatically add gratuities for their staff to your final bill, much like restaurants do when they serve parties of 8 or more. We do not add gratuity to our invoices as our servers are paid a fair hourly rate and we want our clients to determine if they want to tip and how much to tip based on the service they receive.

Cake-Cutting Fees

If you're bringing in a cake from an outside vendor, some caterers charge a fee per slice to cut and serve it. If we have servers working your event, they will gladly cut and plate your cake for guests to retrieve from the cake table.

Corkage Fees

If you provide your own alcohol, the caterer (or venue) might charge a fee per bottle to open and serve it. Caterers that don't have a liquor license may have a policy against opening bottles of champagne or wine due to liquor laws.

Delivery

Caterers typically charge for delivery. Make sure you know and budget for the amount upfront. For weddings, our meal costs include delivery up to 80 miles round trip. Delivery is $100 if the event is further than 80 miles round trip.  For corporate/general event catering, delivery is free within 2 miles of our Eagan commissary; 3-25 miles is $50 between 7am-4 pm M-F; before 7 am and after 4 pm is $75. All weekend delivery is $100. (Delivery fees are current as of March 2025 and subject to change.)

Setup and Cleanup

Your venue (or your family and friends who volunteer) handle setup and tear down of the tables, chairs and decorations. If your event includes plated service, our servers will clear tables, except for tablecloths, after the meal. We will then clean the food service area and depart. Any linens rented from CKC Good Food must be returned to us within 5 business days. We will inventory and wash all linens returned to us. Any missing items will be billed.

Special Equipment Rentals

If your event requires specific equipment that your caterer might not use consistently, such as a chocolate fountain, you'll likely be on the hook for the costs to rent that equipment.

Adminstrative Fee

CKC Good Food charges an administrative fee to cover expenses beyond food and labor costs, such as equipment wear and tear, utilities, cleaning supplies, dishwashing, etc.  Other caterers may call this fee something different or lump these expenses into their service fees or food costs.

Taxes

Don’t forget to account for local sales tax, which can add a significant amount to your bill.

Credit Card Processing Fees

Many merchants, including CKC Good Food, now pass along credit card processing fees to their clients. This rate is currently about 3% and is applied to the total amount charged to the card. 

To avoid surprises, carefully review your catering contract and ask for a detailed breakdown of all potential fees.