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DrStrange
4 of a Kind
As many folks know, I offer a full spread for the players at my game. A nice meal, soft drinks and snacks on weekends, just drinks and snacks on a 3 hour weeknight game. It is a rare night where tips cover the cost of a meal, but the players do bring lots of extra treats and occasional lottery tickets as pot sweeteners.
I come into the night knowing I'll have some unreimbursed costs yet I am not deterred. These are our friends, some have been playing in the game for 15 years. I encourage other hosts to think of these costs as the same sort of costs you might have for any other social event you might sponsor. That doesn't mean I think everyone should put out a full spread, just that I hope people don't get discouraged by their expectations.
On a related note - - lots of players hit the door having just finished a meal. However by midnight even someone well fed at 6:30 might start getting hungry - it isn't uncommon for half the food to get eaten later at night. One session, my sweet wife sticks her head in the poker emporium about midnight and asks if folks wanted something more to eat given the dinner is long gone. Sure enough, the hordes are hungry and she whips up a batch of homemade biscuits with shaved & fried ham plus cheese - for some late night sandwiches. They ate all of those too . . .
For the young, single guys it is normally the best meal they eat that week -=- DrStrange
I come into the night knowing I'll have some unreimbursed costs yet I am not deterred. These are our friends, some have been playing in the game for 15 years. I encourage other hosts to think of these costs as the same sort of costs you might have for any other social event you might sponsor. That doesn't mean I think everyone should put out a full spread, just that I hope people don't get discouraged by their expectations.
On a related note - - lots of players hit the door having just finished a meal. However by midnight even someone well fed at 6:30 might start getting hungry - it isn't uncommon for half the food to get eaten later at night. One session, my sweet wife sticks her head in the poker emporium about midnight and asks if folks wanted something more to eat given the dinner is long gone. Sure enough, the hordes are hungry and she whips up a batch of homemade biscuits with shaved & fried ham plus cheese - for some late night sandwiches. They ate all of those too . . .
For the young, single guys it is normally the best meal they eat that week -=- DrStrange
I provide Poker ChilliTM. Cheap and relatively hassle free.
You can prepare it well in advance of the game and let it bubble away, gain power.
Then you only have to worry about rice. Boil in bag or microwave. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream and fresh bread (I normally go with baguettes).
Folk get their own hooch but I normally have some generic cooking lager in reserve for those who run dry.
You can prepare it well in advance of the game and let it bubble away, gain power.
Then you only have to worry about rice. Boil in bag or microwave. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream and fresh bread (I normally go with baguettes).
Folk get their own hooch but I normally have some generic cooking lager in reserve for those who run dry.
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
My next event I will be serving dry aged prime rib.
I know my players well enough to know that there will be some sort of potato, a salad or two, and likely a vegetable. There will be enough desserts to send a colony of ants into a diabetic coma.
I used to serve a full dinner, but as I gained more and more female players, I gained more and more dishes to pass. It is not required per se, but I have a limited number of seats. Those bringing food are more likely to land on the A-list.
It works well. I enjoy a restaurant sized meal preparation challenge, and the extra dishes means I can buy better food (like the prime rib). There is no way however, that this would ever be profitable, or even close to a break-even endeavor.
I do snag enough in leftovers to make it worthwhile. I have some excellent cooks in my group. Those that can't cook bring dips crackers, or grocery store food trays, which are great after the main course has been put up but 2 hours later you are getting snacky again.
I know my players well enough to know that there will be some sort of potato, a salad or two, and likely a vegetable. There will be enough desserts to send a colony of ants into a diabetic coma.
I used to serve a full dinner, but as I gained more and more female players, I gained more and more dishes to pass. It is not required per se, but I have a limited number of seats. Those bringing food are more likely to land on the A-list.
It works well. I enjoy a restaurant sized meal preparation challenge, and the extra dishes means I can buy better food (like the prime rib). There is no way however, that this would ever be profitable, or even close to a break-even endeavor.
I do snag enough in leftovers to make it worthwhile. I have some excellent cooks in my group. Those that can't cook bring dips crackers, or grocery store food trays, which are great after the main course has been put up but 2 hours later you are getting snacky again.
You decide what you want your games to be like. Your players will obviously influence this. I know some guys here have success hosting poker dinner parties. That doean't mean every poker game requires a meal, but that's for you to decide. Personally, I'm good playing cards for 6 or 8 hours without a meal. That's what I would prefer; I'm there to play cards, not wait for people to eat. But again, that's up to you and your players.
slisk250
Straight Flush
This reminds me of the first Divide when Paulo cornered me with those big puppy dog eyes offering some financial help and I briefly tried to resist. If you had 20 Paulos showing up at every game, you don't have a problem @ChaosRock
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
This nails it right on the head. No two games need to be exactly alike. Some players may not want food or drinks, they are there to play cards. Other groups have players looking for an evening out, which is food drinks, and some poker. Some low stake games center on getting everyone around the table, and the cards take a back seat to the conversation. One group may be a bunch of beer and liquor pounders, while another may see nobody drinking anything harder than a Red Bull. Some may charge for definitive food and drink spreads, some accept tips, and others do it as a kindness.
There is no right or wrong here. Do what works. Trying to change it up might be difficult, no matter which way you shift the tide.
ssanel54
Flush
Honda, based on what you described in the OP, It sounds like you kind of shot yourself in the foot.
You had an existing system in place, where people were accustomed to BYO, and you traditionally provided a small amount of drink and snacks. In turn, your players often tipped you out at the end of the night. You decided to change the system to conduct an "experiment", and went out of your way to announce that you would be providing all of the food and drink, and made no mention of donations welcome. If I were one of your players, I would interpret this as an out of the ordinary generous gesture, where tipping would not be appropriate.
If you want to integrate a system where you provide food and in return expect donations to cover your cost, then you should be clear about your intentions. A more appropriate "experiment" I think would be to provide a nice spread without announcing that you are taking care of everything, and then see how your players respond.
You had an existing system in place, where people were accustomed to BYO, and you traditionally provided a small amount of drink and snacks. In turn, your players often tipped you out at the end of the night. You decided to change the system to conduct an "experiment", and went out of your way to announce that you would be providing all of the food and drink, and made no mention of donations welcome. If I were one of your players, I would interpret this as an out of the ordinary generous gesture, where tipping would not be appropriate.
If you want to integrate a system where you provide food and in return expect donations to cover your cost, then you should be clear about your intentions. A more appropriate "experiment" I think would be to provide a nice spread without announcing that you are taking care of everything, and then see how your players respond.
ssanel54
Flush
OP
OP
Would not work.
Had I provided a bunch of food and drinks, and not announced such in advance, everyone would have continued to bring lots of food and beverages (which is the norm).
This little Food experiment was a side note to the pokerz. It wasn't that big a deal.
Just an interesting facet of hosting is that we are constantly trying to improve the game. Gotta take shots now and again.
I still remember the Crawfish pasta (did i say that right?) and the never ending sausages at The Great Divide !!
Some good eating there
My strategy was to tip the host, then proceed to felt them on the poker table
ssanel54
Flush
I’m assuming your food is prepared fresh, and would be consumed before the standard bags of snacks. The unopened snacks can go back or be served next game. If people get accustomed to your good prepared dishes, they will likely bring less and tip more.
But as others have said, if it’s not really broken, why fix it.
Its sort of my most irrational dream purchase. I've never had need for one, so I've never bought one. But if I ever start hosting, that will be my first purchase.
Didn't look like it needed much looking after either, fill the back up with water, plug it in, let it roll !
I did have a thought in the middle of the night that, hmmm is it still on? will it burn the hotel down? but thats just the way i think anyway.. and it wasn't and it didn't.
So whats the dog of choice?
I'm voting for all beef, uncured, top shelf !
Hebrew National, followed by Nathans. Yes, there are better dogs in this world, but I'm not shelling out big bucks for microbrew hot dogs for a bunch of poker degens.Didn't look like it needed much looking after either, fill the back up with water, plug it in, let it roll !
I did have a thought in the middle of the night that, hmmm is it still on? will it burn the hotel down? but thats just the way i think anyway.. and it wasn't and it didn't.
So whats the dog of choice?
I'm voting for all beef, uncured, top shelf !
No water needed. Just plug her in and she's rolling.Didn't look like it needed much looking after either, fill the back up with water, plug it in, let it roll !
I did have a thought in the middle of the night that, hmmm is it still on? will it burn the hotel down? but thats just the way i think anyway.. and it wasn't and it didn't.
So whats the dog of choice?
I'm voting for all beef, uncured, top shelf !
Best hot dogs are Hebrew National or Kirkland (Costco brand) - hands down.
johnnycnote
Flush
Chicken Rob
Full House
Life nit hosts game for other life nits and doesn't like the outcome. Host claims to be big winner in his own game but claims $100/month in hosting costs will break him.
Mental Nomad
Full House
You made a change in a regular game.
Changes take time to break in.
Changes take time to break in.
Psypher1000
Straight Flush
Date & time, please?
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
OP
OP
Toyed with the idea of a roller dog machine. Wife nixed the idea. Love Costco stuff tho
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