Pauly's Beverage Catering-Frequently Asked Questions

Pauly's Beverage Catering Frequently Ask Questions

What are my options for a bar?	If your event is at a location that has a liquor license, then most of them offer a hosted (open) bar or cash bar. A hosted bar is where the host (you) pays for all the drinks and a cash bar is where each guest pays for their own drinks. Either option is generally charged by the drink and is in the range of 3 to 4 dollars per drink. If your event is not at an establishment that has an on premise bar then check with them, because most will allow you to contract with a licensed vendor to provide bar services. The mobile bar service can be less expensive if you choose one that charges by the bottle and not by the drink, however keep in mind that this option may not work for you if you do not have the budget to pay the bar bill, as mobile bars are most likely to only offer hosted bars.
Can we have a juice bar only?	We will provide juice only bars however the price is going to be somewhat high, as we have to make a profit in order to provide services. When there is no profit provided by sales of alcohol products there is little profit to us, thus other charges are going to be applied. Please check with your event coordinator for more detail. You may want to consider other options for juice only bars. These do not require a licensed server so unless you are looking for the convenience of having these events staffed then you may consider family, friends or self-serve bars.
Can we have a Cash Bar?	The State of Michigan does not allow cash bars during an off premise event. Non-profit organizations can apply for a one-day liquor license from the state of Michigan; however, we cannot apply for you, and all cost and efforts in doing so are up to you. If you do obtain such a permit from the LCC, we can accept tickets for drinks; however, you must collect the cash for and supply the tickets. You must also remember that you are responsible for verifying the age of all persons purchasing tickets as well as insuring that no minors are furnished alcohol. Please be aware that the bartender has the right to refuse service to anyone. Being in possession of a ticket does not grant the holding person the write to service.
Can we sell tickets for drinks?	If you are a non-profit organization and have obtained a one-day license from the Michigan LCC then yes, otherwise No. The state of Michigan does not allow cash bars during an off premise event and this would count as a cash bar. The only legal way to have liquor at an off premise bar is to have it hosted, which means that a host such as your self is paying for all the liquor and there is no charge to the guests. This means that your guests cannot be charged for alcoholic drinks in any form.
How do you charge for liquor and other alcoholic beverages?	We charge 2.00 over the self-price (the price you pay in the store) for all liquor products and liquor is priced by the bottle. Beer is priced by the keg, or if desired we do offer bottled beer ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 per bottle. Wine is priced by the 1.5-liter bottles.
Do you give credit for unused liquor?	Michigan law does not allow for returns of liquor, however, we have developed very accurate estimating software that allows us to quote accurate quantities needed for a given number of guests and hours. What this means, is that we will not sell you any more than is needed to serve the number of guests for the given number of hours. Our estimates have proven to be within $50.00 of the final total. This allows us to ensure that you will not be purchasing products that will not be consumed.
Can we purchase our own products and have you serve them?	No. We have a large liability on our side by serving the products and it is not profitable for use to pay for liability insurance, and other cost if we are not profiting from the sales of products. Products are very competitive through out the state of Michigan thus you would not be able to save much, if any by purchasing your products elsewhere. In fact, you would be taking a big chance of purchasing too much or not enough products and once you purchase liquor, it cannot be returned. If you do not purchase enough products then it reflects on our business and we pride ourselves in the fact that much of our business is by referrals.
Will the bartenders be checking age of drinkers to insure that no minors are drinking?	Yes. We are required by law to verify the age of any person/s that we feel may not be of legal drinking age. This includes the host and in fact, we cannot and will not deliver alcoholic beverages to any customer who is not of legal drinking age. If anyone is asked to show ID and cannot or will not produce a form of valid identification, that person will be refused alcoholic drinks. Bartenders are also required by law to refuse service to and report any person who provides alcoholic beverages to any minor.
Can my under aged children drink alcoholic beverages, with my permission?	No, serving alcohol to a minor is a crime punishable by law in the state of Michigan. Michigan law states that no person/s shall provide or allow the purchase or consumption of alcohol by any under aged person/s. We understand that some guests may be from out of state, a state that may allow the consumption of alcohol by minors when accompanied by a parent or guardian, however, this is not the case in Michigan and Michigan laws must and will be followed.
Can we have a punch bowl with alcohol out for self-serve to the guests?	No. State laws require that a licensed and qualified person control alcoholic beverages. Placing a punch bowl out for self-serve would allow minors to have access to alcohol and is not permitted.
Do you serve shots at the bar?	We do serve shots to an extent. Meaning we do not serve tequila, Jagermeister, or any liquors that we believe to be a high liability risk. Keep in mind also that the bartender/s will refuse service to anyone who appears to be overly intoxicated, so although the bartender may serve shots to one person, he/she may not allow another person to have shots. The bartender is always in control of who may and may not drink.
Do you serve pitchers of beer at the bar?	No. Unlike an on premise bar that has wait staff walking the floor we only have bartenders at the bar and thus we can not monitor who is drinking from the pitchers so by law we can not allow pitchers of beer to leave the bar site.
Can we save money by offering a beer and wine only bar?	In general the answer is no. Liquor is not that expensive and produces a larger number of drinks than does beer and wine. By opting for a beer and wine only bar, you are only limiting what your guests have to drink, thus they will drink twice as much beer and wine and will most often increase the price to what a full bar would have cost. If you are trying to control the level of intoxication, then a beer and wine only bar may be the option, otherwise we recommend going with a full bar and offering your guests a variety of drink options.
Can we save money by closing the bar during dinner?	When your guests learn that the bar is closing for dinner, they will simply head to the bar right before dinner and will often request two and three drinks. Closing the bar can even serve as a distraction and delay in getting people seated for dinner, as they will all want a drink and we will end up with a large line of guests, leading to a delay in seating. Closing the bar for dinner will also mean that your guests will not be able to get soft drinks, water, and juices during dinner, as we either close the bar completely or leave it open. This is not a recommended option, however it is available if you desire. Staffing fees will still apply during dinner hour.
How much time is required for bar setup?	Most halls require as we do, 2 hours to setup. We want to insure that we are ready to serve when your guests arrive. If guests arrive during set up, they assume that we are late and always try to get service, delaying the setup even further. Please remember that there is a lot of work in setting up and we need the full, uninterrupted 2 hours to do so. We encourage you to ensure that guests know that the bar will not be serving drinks until opening hour. Often guests arrive early and most always want to get something to drink, leading to frustration to your guests and possibly delaying opening hour, so please be as accurate as possible with arrival times.
Do you provide ice and soft drinks?	All of our bar setups come complete with cups, napkins, straws, fruit, and mixers, which are included in the bar fee, and we will bring ice if required and not provided by hall. Some halls offer ice for about $25.00, which is much cheaper than we can provide bagged ice. Check with your hall, and see if they provide ice, if not we will bring enough ice to last event. Our estimates include 2 liters of assorted soft drinks and we provide enough for mixed drinks as well as non-alcoholic.
Do you provide every thing required for the bar or are their products that we are responsible for bringing?	We come prepared with everything needed. This is a very busy time for you, so don't worry about anything to do with the bar setup. We will provide everything needed to stock the bar.
When is the last drink served?	We do last-call 45 minutes before closing. This allows for 15 minutes of final serving, and then 30 minutes for everyone to finish their drinks and vacate the hall. Most halls require the building be cleaned and guests vacated by the specified ending time.
When is payment due?	We require a 20% deposit to reserve the date and final payment is due on or prior to the event date. Michigan law requires that alcohol be paid for before delivery. Adjustments will be made after the final inventory at the end of the event.
Can we pay with a credit card?	Yes, we do accept major credit cards as payment, however card processing companies' charge a 3% fee, which will be added to your total bill.

11250 Fulton East • Lowell • MI 49331 • CALL US TODAY 616•550•6831

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