Two venues quote you. One is R50 cheaper per person. Easy decision?
Not always. The real cost of a function is the per-person menu price plus every fee added around it: venue hire, décor, cakeage, corkage, after-hours staff and extras. The venue with the lower headline price can end up costing more.
Here is how to compare properly.
The six costs to check before you sign
- Menu price per person. What exactly is included? Count the items, not just the courses.
- Venue hire. A flat fee for the room. Ask whether it applies to your menu, your day and your time slot.
- Minimum spend or minimum guests. Some rooms require a minimum. Falling short can cost you anyway.
- Cakeage and corkage. Fees for bringing your own cake or drinks.
- Décor and extras. Flowers, balloon arches, party packs, stationery, entertainment.
- Time and staff. Evening functions and overtime usually cost more because staff work after hours.
A worked example (hypothetical)
The figures below are illustrative only, to show how fees change the total. They are not real quotes.
A baby shower for 30 guests:
| Venue A | Venue B | |
|---|---|---|
| Menu per person | R350 | R400 |
| Menu total | R10,500 | R12,000 |
| Venue hire | R3,000 | R0 |
| Cakeage | R400 | R0 (cake ordered in-house) |
| Décor set-up | R1,500 | Included [verify] |
| Total | R15,400 | R12,000 |
| Real cost per person | R513 | R400 |
The venue that looked R50 more expensive was R113 cheaper per guest.
How Goddess Café prices functions
Goddess Café publishes its function rules plainly, which makes comparison easier:
- Function menu Options 1 to 5: no venue hire fee at all.
- Option 6 and extended Option 6: venue hire applies.
- Evening functions: venue hire applies, because a dedicated team hosts you after hours.
- Corporate catering: from R200 per person.
- Bring your own cake: R250 cakeage. Or order from Miss Cake with 24 hours’ notice.
- Home catering: delivered within 30km of your nearest café, R150 delivery fee, order 72 hours ahead.
- Extras such as flowers and balloon arches are quoted separately by the Functions Coordinator.
You can download the full Functions Menu and Functions Room Menu before you enquire.
Questions to ask every venue
- Is there a venue hire fee for my menu and time slot?
- Is there a minimum spend or minimum number of guests?
- What does the per-person price include?
- Can I bring my own cake or drinks, and what does it cost?
- What happens if numbers drop after I confirm?
- When do you need final numbers and payment?
Frequently asked questions
Is a venue with no hire fee always cheaper? Not always, but it removes one of the biggest fixed costs. Compare the total, divided by your guest count.
Why do evening functions cost more? The venue brings in a team to host you after normal trading hours.
Can the menu be customised? At Goddess Café, yes. If an item is not on the menu, the team will try to source it for your event.
Compare with the full picture
Download the function menus, then ask the team for a quote with every fee shown.