[Sca-cooks] Adjusting your Feast budget for Comps

[Barbara Benson]

Saluti,

It is always interesting to see how other areas and Kingdoms do
things. Comps, pre-reservations, feast menu with bid ... all done
differently.

In the manner you are speaking, I have never comped a single diner at
a feast. During the bid process the Autocrat figures out how many they
want to feed, they can consult with me and I am happy to help - or
they can take it all on their own shoulders, their decision. The feast
budget does not comp anyone, the event budget does.

If you want me to cook for 150 people at $6 a head, my check better be
for $900. I will cook enough food for 150 adult people in 150 chairs.
If you, as the autocrat, chose to comp some of those chairs - that is
your business. If you chose to charge a partial amount for children of
a certain age, also your business.

Of course, per our Kingdom law there is a very restricted list of who
may and may not be comped - King, Queen, Prince, Princess, Baron,
Baroness (only at their own Baronial event. If it is a Kingdom event
being hosted by a Barony - the B&B are not comped). If the B&B of our
Barony wants to comp the B&B of a visiting Barony, that money comes
out of their pocket. Comps are built into the pricing structure of the
event fees, so in reality anyone who has purchased an event entrance
is subsidizing those individuals who are "comped".

I feel for you and your situation. It is a shame that so many people
feel entitled to the labor of another's hand. I guess in that way we
are emulating the Middle Ages with frighting accuracy.

Ciao,
Serena da Riva

On Mon, Apr 18, 2011 at 6:12 PM, Deborah Hammons
<mistressaldyth at gmail.com> wrote:
> I wish I had negotiated this one.  I was asked to cook, and after thinking a
> day, said yes.  The event steward was waiting to hear what was going on with
> the financials from Kingdom, because she had found a site, and needed the
> deposits, etc.  In the beginning, she thought cooking for 300 was the plan.
>  Well, the hall only seats 250, and that is in presentation mode.  The write
> up says  I will feed 250 or how ever many paid reservations I have up to
> that number by May 1.  I told them I needed $5 a head, and they delivered me
> a check for $750 which covers feeding 150.
> Aldyth