frequently ASKED Questions
GENERAL INFORMATION
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We work with every client to personalize your menu to be a unique reflection of you or your event, offering a truly customizable experience to all potential clients. However, this means our pricing is specific to each job, so it is hard for us to answer this question with a simple, one-size-fits-all answer. While we have been able to work within many budget ranges, most of our corporate drop-off events begin at $14-18 per person, and full-service weddings begin between $35-40 per person.
Once we find a starting point, menu theme, or personality you would like to build around, we will put together your custom quote and get to work making your vision a reality! We keep you in the loop every step of the way, so if you have any questions or concerns (about the food, price, or otherwise), we are happy to help and will work with you to find an arrangement that is great for everyone. GET STARTED
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We have catered events of all shapes and sizes, including small house parties, large weddings, company-wide corporate events, and virtually everything in between. Our smallest events begin with only a few people, and we’ve provided dinner to 1,000+ people over three concurrent sites, with most weddings falling between 50 and 250 people. So, if you are looking for some great food for any event, odds are we can make it happen if you give us a call!
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Dates get booked up quickly each year, so sooner is always better, especially for weddings and big events. However, we are always happy to help if we are available! We have booked some weddings that are weeks away and others that are much further out, so we encourage everyone to give us a call, no matter what stage you are in.
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We try to be as flexible as possible because we understand that even the best-laid plans are subject to life's uncertainties. Our contracts have a cancellation policy that increases as your date approaches, but it is not in full effect until a few months before your event. If you have paid more than the amount required to cancel your event, we will refund any overage back to you! In the event of a requested date change, we will do everything we can to adjust with you, though we cannot guarantee our availability.
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When you book with us, we require a 10% deposit based on your estimated job total. Typically, we collect when you sign your contract. If you cancel outside our cancellation policy window, your deposit will be refunded.
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You’ll confirm your final guest count with us between 3-4 weeks before your event. This gives you ample time to get RSVPs back and us plenty of time to prepare! We’ll issue your final invoice once your headcount is confirmed.
SERVICE
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Full Service Buffet
This is our most popular service style for wedding receptions. We arrive and set up a stylized buffet line and a self-serve drink station. During dinner time, our team will serve guests as they are dismissed to go through the line.Plated Service (or Service to Table)
For more of a restaurant-style service, we will plate and serve food to tables for your guests to enjoy without needing to visit a buffet line. This can be done with a single menu served to all guests or as an RSVP’d choice confirmed with your invitations.Hover Service
For jobs that don’t require full staffing, such as appetizer offerings or grazing tables, we will provide a team to setup, replenish, and cleanup your food. For the duration of your service time, guests will be able to graze and serve themselves as desired. Typically, this service is not available for wedding receptions but is a common cocktail or social hour arrangement.Drop-off Service
We will drop off and set up a self-serve buffet line using disposable utensils and serving dishes. Once setup is complete, we will depart, leaving you to enjoy. This is great for corporate meals and some personal parties, but this service is not available for wedding receptions.Cocktail Hours, Grazing Tables, Coffee Bars, Specialty Desserts, Etc.
We are happy to discuss the addition of any or all of these services to your event, so make sure to ask during your consultation! We can work with you to bring your vision to life in some way with all of our service levels.While our most common services are listed here, hybrid and custom service styles have been utilized in the past, including family style or food station services. If you have a unique vision for how you would like your food served, just let us know!
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We do! We've got great people who love serving as much as we do and have staffed teams to serve hundreds of people at a time. The size of our team will match the needs of your event so that every detail is taken care of. Our goal is always to ensure that the food for your event is effortless, allowing you to freely enjoy the day!
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We do offer cake cutting, and it is included in all of our service packages that require a team to be on site! There is no additional fee for this service unless your cake cutting timeline extends beyond our scheduled departure time (which is rare).
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We’ll travel between 45 minutes and 1 hour from our shop in Kingsport, TN. This includes all of Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol, Greeneville, Abingdon, Gate City, Bluff City, Gray, and Limestone, as well as essentially all the surrounding areas. If you’re not sure if your event is within our service area, reach out. We’re happy to accommodate you if possible!
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Tableware
You have a couple of good options here, and we’re happy to facilitate any of them for you. For those seeking to use China dishes, metal flatware, and standard glassware, we can assist you with sourcing, quantities, and logistics for rentals if your venue does not have them in-house. We will also help with any cleanup and return logistics. If you would prefer a disposable option, we have both standard options and links to specialty shops, and we will provide the same sourcing and logistics support.Linens
Generally, our quotes include black linens for our service tables. If you need assistance with other linen rentals, we can facilitate these for you, as well.
MENU/FOOD
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Not only can you fully customize your menu, but we actually encourage you to! We LOVE a menu that reflects those being celebrated, and this typically means that a “one-size-fits-all” approach can only take us so far. For most clients, we begin by walking you through some popular “menu themes,” and once we identify what sounds best to you, we’ll go line by line through them until it is perfect for you! For those with an incredibly specific vision, we’ll take that, too! On many occasions, we have taken a few family-favorite dishes and built a menu around them.
For corporate planning or last-minute needs, we can provide pre-set menus for speedy planning!
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Yes! We offer tastings for couples planning their wedding and for larger corporate jobs. We get it – you want to make sure you love the food you’re going to serve your family and friends. To help make this easy, we offer one tasting for up to 4 people at no charge once a consultation has been complete and a quote has been shared.
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We don’t have them posted online, but when you schedule a consultation with us, we’ll walk you through some of our favorite menus so you can get an idea of what we love to do. However, we love customizing a menu for each client to ensure it reflects you and your story!
If you’re a corporate client who needs to plan more quickly, we’re happy to help expedite this process for you.
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In many cases, the answer to this question is, "Yes!" In some extreme cases, we may not be the best fit, but for most common requests (non-celiac gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.), we are happy to facilitate food that fits your needs.
Important note: We do process peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, gluten, soy, dairy, egg, shellfish, and other common allergens in our facilities, so we cannot assume liability for any adverse reactions to food prepared or delivered by Good Batch Mama.
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The leftovers belong to you! Once dinner service concludes, we’ll package everything and set it aside for you. We’ll make sure you or your planner knows where it is and who it belongs to before we depart. If, for some reason, you don’t want your leftovers, let us know, and we can help you make a plan!
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We make some really awesome desserts, but we do not make traditional wedding cakes or cupcakes. However, if you want to go a less traditional path, such as a cookie table or dessert parfaits, for example, we are happy to help satisfy every sweet tooth in attendance!
If you do get a traditional cake from someone else, we’re typically able to facilitate your cake cutting. Just let us know so we can plan accordingly!
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Of course! We offer fully staffed bartending at most types of events, including weddings and holiday parties. We have a few packages you can choose from, the most popular of which include beer, wine, and two cocktails. While we can’t purchase your alcohol for you, we’ll help you set your menu and recommend quantities so that you can place your order with relative ease. Once we arrive on-site, we’ll collect your alcohol from you, set up, and serve your bar until last call. Ask us about it during your consultation, and we’ll get you set up!
