Pappasito's Cantina questions?

Question

We were planning a party here for my 30th birthday and they said that for 25 guest we would have to have a $1,000 tab or we couldn't reserve a room. Is that normal?

Answer 1

I don't think so.  There are plenty of places that will do it for alot less.  You may have to gaurantee a certain minimum, but a grand for 25 people is an average of 40 bucks each for liquor (if you mean purely the tab, and not the ticket).  Even so, if someone has a $15 meal,  that's requiring them to drink a solid 3 drinks apiece, or $25 in liquor.   Some people will, but expecting everyone to, that's nuts.

I'd go someplace else.  Call at least 5 places to compare, then you'll start to get a feel for what to expect.

For the record - I've planned quite a few large (as in 50 people or so) restaurant parties.   I've had quite a few want a deposit, others want a standard meal amount per person ahead of time, and others, a gaurantee on the number of people (or else you pay for  them), but I've never heard of a grand for 25 people at a mexican food joint.   Run away!!!

-Kevin

PS - I know this is opposite what the answer below has.  I believe the answer below, the guy is in the business - but I've been on the other end of it.  I do 2 things to make sure I get the most bang for my buck.  I sit down and bargain with the manager.  I start at a high end nice place, then pick apart the menu and find ways to save a few bucks here and there on the average price.   A thin slice of cheesecake instead of tiramisu for example.  The other thing I do - is just have everyone buy their own liquor.  They can run their own tab, or buy it at the bar.  That leaves them free to drink on their own dime and have as much as they want.  A drinker's meal versus a non-drinker's meal can cost several times as much.  I know - I drink with meals.  

Also - I've been to pappasitos many times.  I've also been to pappadeaux's and pappa's burgers.   I'm familiar with them, and I don't think they are worth 40 bucks.

If it were me, I'd look into Buca Di Beppo and try to get the Pope Room.   They are just as fun, the food is just as good, and you'll get alot more for your money.

Answer 2

For 25 guests, a US$1,000 tab isn't all that much. That comes out to about 40 bucks a head, excluding tip. The restaurant will also probably add gratuity to your tab, so expect the cost of the party to be around US$1,200+.

This is fairly normal for most places that offer a room for your gathering. Consider the size of the room, and then consider how many people will be in it. Will it be big enough for them to be comfortable?

US$40 a person at a restaurant is not hard to reach, although it can be considerably expensive, when you think about it. I assume that out of 25 people, someone will be taking tequila shots at a Cantina. If everyone has 1 shot like Patron, which is likely to cost around 8 to 10 dollars, you'd cover 200-250 bucks already in one round of shots. How is the food priced? How are appetizers priced? You'll need to figure out if food or drink will be more of a focus. If you are afraid that food will be expensive and then drinks will put it into overkill, you should BYOB, very discreetly. If you get your own room, it will be easier to BYOB. Most importantly, watch out for the automatic gratuity that they throw on you, because if your table is more than a certain number of people, your bill is automatically charged gratuity. Make sure to note if the service is worth paying this gratuity as well, because some servers will get lazy with your room knowing that they're getting gratuity anyway.

Consider that if you're having a party, there's going to be plenty of people showing up, there may be more than 25 people, there could be plenty of other things that you've not considered that will come up. So, if 1,000 is too rich for your blood, you should take the party elsewhere that's not as pricey, a bit more laid back, and easier on the wallet.