What do you charge for food and drink? (1 Viewer)

[TexRex]

30+ years ago, when i first started playing poker, our group had a simple rule: You provide the place, the guests provide everything else. I never hosted, but always provided the poker stuff -- chips, cards, etc.

I host a monthly tournament. 2-3 times a year, we provide punch and maybe a snack. Other than that, it's bring your own. I have some who always bring stuff, and I'm sure some who never do. We always seem to have plenty.

When I play at others' places, I typically bring my own drinks simply because they might not have what I like and I don't want the host to feel bad. I play in one where the host provides the food, the game rotates, and in a way I feel bad because I never host that game. But they aren't spending a lot of money on a real spread.

Charging for food is probably a bad idea. Passing the hat might or might not be OK, depending on the state. The "bring something to share" rule I think works anywhere.

Bottom line: Whatever your group is comfortable with is fine, as long as it's legal.

 

[Trihonda]

Ya, in WI, poker ain't legal regardless... So, really whether you charge for food or ask people to BYOB, it's the same.

That said, though it's illegal, I use my community impact rationalization...

If it doesn't have community impact, NO ONE cares. For instance, how many people here have jay-walked? It's illegal in just about every state. However, it's harmless for the most part. Now, jay-walk across a busy highway, cause a 10-car pileup and injuries, NOW people care.

Same with home poker here. Host a small game of friends, regular acquaintances, and nobody cares... Host a HUGE game, with thousands on the table, and people's mortgage money on the line, or acting like a casino, and somebody's wife will care and file a complaint... THEN you get in trouble.

Most of the home games I play at have several cops in attendance, many lawyers, several political figures (mayors and state reps), and even a judge (once).

 

[chipjoker]

I always provide snacks and its always BYOB, I do state in my Invite (or evite) Grab a bite on your way, and bring your beverage of choice, just so they know its ok to bring stuf.
I do provide Coffey at 9:45.
Everyone enjoys the game more than anything else...

 

[Schmendr1ck]

For a weeknight game, I have snacks, soda and beer on hand, and sometimes my wife bakes cookies. I don't ask for donations and usually don't receive them (my regs aren't tippers), and I'm fine with that. To me, hosting is a form of entertainment, and I don't charge people for a soda when they come to my house to hang out.

A few times a year, I host a Saturday tournament where I provide dinner in addition to the usual snacks and drinks. For these games I ask everyone for a $5 donation. I'm typically still in the red, but since these games can be as large as 20 people, the donation helps offset some of the cost (and my players have never complained).

 

[EZMONEYRMJ]

I host a game about 8 or so times a year. Typically have anywhere between 14 and 30 players. All of our games are BYOB and bring a snack to share. Most that show up bring a great dinner dish as the snack. We will play for 80 minutes and then have our dinner break. Probably the best time of the night when we are all feasting on all the great food that is brought. Last weekend, had 6 crockpots full of different soups, stews and casseroles plus a handful of other dishes and deserts. All that I provide is the poker equipment, bottled water, coffee and shots off the whiskey bottle. I do not expect anything other than friends showing up and having a great time.

 

[RussB42]

It is against the law in Texas to charge for anything, or for a kitty to be set up.

I provide some snacks as the other do, and every one brings what they want to drink....

 

[72o]

I don't charge anything as the crew I hang out with are not there for the food and will bring there own beers if so desired. But I tell them in advance to grab their own dinner before and I will usually just pick up some pretzels, chips and Swedish Fish for snacks. I find it's hard enough to get people together sometimes that I want to make it as easy as possible to get them to the table. So I don't want to tell them they have to stop and bring something if they don't want to. I do supply a fridge with beers (nothing crazy somthing like Bud Lights) and Coke. People know they can bring whatever they want and I tell them I'll keep any leftover beers in the fridge for the next time as the fridge is dedicated to poker/entertainment.

 

[Forest@Farmington]

I am also in Wisconsin as Trihonda is. I have never looked up the regulations of Home Poker. I have a group of 5 - 8 regulars and used to ask for some cash for Beer and Food. I supply favorite beer for each person ( 4 - 6 drink the same and the others drink differently so I always have many beers in the fridge. Also supply all snacks, chocolate, nuts, pretzels and so on. I stopped charging after a game or two with non regulars that didn't like to pay and now the regulars just give what they want at the end of the night. I never make more then I put out and I don't expect anything. It is just nice to get together shoot the breeze play some cards and have fun with the boys for a night.

 

[BGinGA]

When we host a tournament I ask for $5.00 (added to the buy-in) to cover "catering". That would entail pop, and things like home-made spring rolls, strombolis, butter tarts, chili, plus whatever might pop into my wife's head for that event. Those are just some examples . . . but no one has EVER brought up the issue after seeing the spread, and those first timers who do are often told (by others) that their $5.00 will GLADLY be covered for them, if the payee can take home the rookie's share of the grub.

As most everyone else has said, adult beverages are up to the individual.

^^ This is pretty much what we do for our rotating-host two-table tournament series events.

$5-6 per head for hospitality, which the host uses to provide the entrants sufficient snacks/chips/cookies/candy, sodas, water, and an informal sit-down meal (either home-cooked or delivery/pick-up, ranging from burgers/dogs, pizza, chili, spaghetti, barbecue, subs, or whatever dinner grub the host chooses). It's always BYOB, and very few people do. Series tournament events can be hosted by anyone, but events are usually held at four to five different places each season. The host(s) usually lose a bit on the deal, but nobody is forced to shell out a whole bunch of cash for the privilege of hosting.

Poker chips and related equipment are supplied by me about 50% of the time; as some of the other hosts have good stuff too -- real poker tables, plastic cards, and nice chips (either china clays, ceramics, or real clay chips, usually the latter) are used at all events. So are paid dedicated dealers, which are paid for by optional dealer tokes that earn players extra starting chips (but everybody participates).

 

[Mr Tree]

I do a $10 catering charge for bbq at S@P but otherwise usually absorb costs myself. Still I see nothing wrong with a nominal charge to cover someone's expenses.

 

[Andrew Marks]

I host a weekly game and provide chips, cookies, soda, bottled water, fruit salad and occasional other baked goods. We play a fixed limit $10-$20 game with many games being hi-lo split pot, where the dealer (self-dealing) antes $5 in stud games. We rake any odd $5 chip from a split pot until the snacks are paid for (~$40). Never had a problem making the rake.

 

[Payback]

For our normal games I don't charge anything. I keep a lot of pop/water on hand for people who want it along with a variety of nuts, pretzels, cookies etc. The fridge also has beer it in for people that don't have a chance to get to the store and buy something if they want it however if people are going that route I tell them to either bring something next time to replace it or just give me $1/beer so that I can replace it. At cashout time I have some people that come that always leave the extra change behind and others that will cash out to the quarter. If we order any food people pay their own costs and if I do catering I charge $10 a head and then just pay the difference out of my pocket.

 

[Shanghai Sparky]

I've never hosted a game, but I would feel like a heel if I came empty handed or didn't contribute to the gathering.

 

[Jake_rrr]

I usually provide cold waters, but the guys usually bring their own beer/liquor. Our games start at 7:30 so most guys have eaten before they come over and on the rare occasion we have a game that there is food needed, we pick a place and everyone pays for their own food with one guy making a run to get it.