Author Topic: Providing drinks for 50 people  (Read 3061 times)

Stachetastic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 769
Providing drinks for 50 people
« on: October 26, 2018, 06:14:47 AM »
I have made a huge mistake. I'm on PTO and somehow volunteered to provide a staff meal next week for all 50 employees. I ordered sandwich platters from Kroger and am planning on bags of chips and pasta salad. I've got 2 other moms helping with desserts. I need to hydrate these people, but damn this is getting expensive. Any ideas?

Hula Hoop

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1762
  • Location: Italy
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2018, 06:17:22 AM »
Big pitchers of tap water with ice. 

Notch

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 114
  • Age: 34
  • Location: Australia
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2018, 06:26:10 AM »
We normally just get 2 litre bottles of orange juice and plastic cups at my work when we get catering.

elliha

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 453
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2018, 06:42:23 AM »
I would go for sparkling water or juice (probably apple or orange). Sparkling water has the positive side of being slightly more fun than regular water, no allergy problems if not flavored and not very expensive. It is bad for the environment compared to tap water but seems less cheap if tap water is not the default option. Juice is usually also acceptable to most people but if I would go for this option I would also add a pitcher of tap water in case there are allergies or someone who just hates juice. Sure, some people hate bubbles too so maybe a pitcher of water for this option as well.

GuitarStv

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 23129
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #4 on: October 26, 2018, 07:27:57 AM »
Big pitchers of tap water with ice.

+1

Although I imagine that there would be a lot of shock at the idea that water (that's not packaged in a plastic bottle) is drinkable.

Free Spirit

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 177
  • Be water, my friend.
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2018, 07:33:38 AM »
Water and Iced tea. If you wanna get fancy have some lemons available. ;)

Hadilly

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 483
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2018, 07:46:10 AM »
Lemonade is my go-to. Buy frozen and jazz it up with thin lemon slices and mint. Check the sweetness level, use more water than suggested so it hits the point of being tart and refreshing. People love it.

AMandM

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1673
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2018, 07:46:40 AM »
Personally, I'd substitute veggie trays for the pasta salad.

I think tap water is fine. Sparkling water is more festive but also more expensive. In between is lemonade or iced tea made from powder.

Stachetastic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 769
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2018, 07:51:29 AM »
Personally, I'd substitute veggie trays for the pasta salad.

I strongly considered this, but I can make pasta salad much cheaper. Any suggestions for cheap veggie trays?

GuitarStv

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 23129
  • Age: 42
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2018, 08:12:24 AM »
Personally, I'd substitute veggie trays for the pasta salad.

I strongly considered this, but I can make pasta salad much cheaper. Any suggestions for cheap veggie trays?

You can get a 20 lb bag of carrots for like 6$.  Cauliflower is often dirt cheap too.  Celery can be had for very little money.  It's really just the prep time peeling and slicing that takes a while.

rubybeth

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1390
  • Location: Midwest
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #10 on: October 26, 2018, 08:26:47 AM »
You could just get a few 12 packs of soda/LaCroix/whatever else, and then a couple pitchers of ice water with lemon or cucumber to fancy it up. :)

DS

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 673
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2018, 08:29:15 AM »
This does sound like a huge mistake!! What would compel you to do such a thing? Haha.

charis

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3162
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2018, 08:41:50 AM »
Pitchers of ice water (tap), a few 2L bottles of soda, and an urn of coffee is my experience and usually covers most tastes. Most workplaces own at least one coffee urn, but if not, send an iso email or FB post and you can borrow one very quickly.

LifeHappens

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 12158
  • Location: Tampa-ish
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2018, 08:47:02 AM »
When I worked catering we provided ice water, lemonade and iced tea as part of the standard package. You can cater to 50 people for maybe $5 total if you are fancy and provide lemon slices and sweetener.

pbkmaine

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8927
  • Age: 67
  • Location: The Villages, Florida
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #14 on: October 26, 2018, 08:49:05 AM »
For veggies, gigantic bag of baby carrots in a pretty bowl with a random dip made out of whatever is in your refrigerator. For drinks, ice water with lemon slices and unsweetened ice tea.

Stachetastic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 769
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #15 on: October 26, 2018, 09:14:02 AM »
This does sound like a huge mistake!! What would compel you to do such a thing? Haha.

They asked for volunteers at the last meeting and after a long silence, I made the mistake of asking what it entailed. Lesson learned!

Unique User

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
  • Location: NC
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #16 on: October 26, 2018, 11:43:52 AM »
Second on the ice tea.  You can do concentrate so it is easier to transport.  We always did an unsweetened and sweetened, but it seems like people have no clue what sweet tea is outside of the south. 

BrightFIRE

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 223
  • Location: Philadelphia
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2018, 02:30:13 PM »
Spa water! Just regular tap water, but float things in it to flavor it: orange/lemon/lime slices; cucumber; mint springs; pinapple slices; ginger slices - usually a combo of 2, like cucumber lime or pineapple mint. Makes water seem way fancier (this is how I weened my SO off of soda, btw) and doesn't cost much.

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #18 on: October 26, 2018, 02:44:42 PM »
Water, lemonade, iced tea.

If it's a non profit, McDonalds will often give you orange drink free.

use2betrix

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2492
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #19 on: October 26, 2018, 03:51:23 PM »
Wait - so this is work related and you’re providing a staff meal for 50 employees and it’s not reimbursed??

Jaayse

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 307
  • Age: 37
  • Location: Somewhere on the Ocean
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #20 on: October 26, 2018, 04:33:06 PM »
Drinks don't have to be that expensive, buy 2 or 3 things of crystal light and have water pitchers with ice, and water pitchers with crystal light.  Done!  I personally light the raspberry lemonade ;)

I'm a red panda

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8186
  • Location: United States
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #21 on: October 26, 2018, 04:38:18 PM »
Wait - so this is work related and you’re providing a staff meal for 50 employees and it’s not reimbursed??

Based on "two other Moms" rather than "two coworkers" this sounds like an event for school staff?  I'd also love to hear this.

If it is work, send an email out the day before and say "BYOD", and be grateful I got anything. Because this is insane.

Stachetastic

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 769
Re: Providing drinks for 50 people
« Reply #22 on: October 26, 2018, 07:23:15 PM »
Wait - so this is work related and you’re providing a staff meal for 50 employees and it’s not reimbursed??

Sorry for the confusion. I’m on the PTO at my kid’s school, and this meal is serving all of the teachers and school staff on parent/teacher conference night.

Update: I ran to Goodwill on my lunch break and scored two really nice glass pitchers for $3 each, so I’m all set for some nice fruity water and some lemonade or tea. And I’ll gladly offer the use of my pitchers to the next sucker who volunteers for this!
« Last Edit: October 26, 2018, 07:26:19 PM by Stachetastic »