Catering packages: what's included and what's not
Upper Crust packages run from $14.50 a person for boxed lunches to $22.99 for holiday dinners. What each includes, and the add-ons that are priced separately.
By the Upper Crust Catering kitchen
Catering packages at Upper Crust are priced per person and include the food: from $14.50 for a boxed lunch, $18.99 to $20.99 for a buffet, $21.99 for the Shower Package, and $22.99 for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. What is not in the per-person price is rentals, serving gear, drinks, staff and delivery. Those are listed separately on your quote so you can see every line.
The packages and what they cover
- Boxed Lunches: from $14.50 each, individually boxed on fresh baked French rolls. Minimum 20 boxes.
- Buffet Menu 1: $18.99 a person, comfort classics. Herb roasted chicken, baked mostaccioli, meat loaf, pulled pork and more.
- Buffet Menu 2: $19.99 a person. Chicken piccata, marsala, pot roast, roast turkey and our famous pork chops.
- Buffet Menu 3: $20.99 a person, the celebration menu. Carved sirloin, cordon bleu, cod, brisket and salmon.
- Shower Package: $21.99 a person. Croissant sandwiches, salads and sweet treats.
- Thanksgiving Dinner: $22.99 a person, minimum 6 people, cooked from scratch and ready to reheat at home.
- Christmas Dinner: $22.99 a person. Pick two entrées and get all the sides.
Buffets and the Shower Package start at 20 guests. Thanksgiving starts at 6 people. Each menu page lists the entrées, salads, starches, vegetables and breads you can pick from. If you want to design your own, the build-a-buffet page walks through it.
What the price covers
The per-person price covers the food, cooked from scratch in our licensed kitchen in Yorkville. Breads, salads, starches and vegetables on buffet menus are shown as included on the menu, for example Assorted Dinner Rolls & Butter.
What costs extra
- Plates, napkins and silverware. Plates, Napkins & Silverware are $1.50 per person. Disposable Appetizer Plates & Napkins are $0.99 per person.
- Chafing dishes. A Chafing Dish Set is $17 per hot dish and yours to keep. The Stainless Steel Chafing Dish rental is $20 per set, returned after the event.
- Serving tongs and spoons: $1 each.
- Drinks. Soft Drinks and Bottled Water are $2.49 each. Coffee, and Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade, are $89 for 50 servings.
- Staff. Servers are $35 an hour, with a 4-hour minimum per server.
- On-site carving, for carved sirloin, is $150. Ask about it when you quote.
- Delivery, quoted when you order.
- Sales tax of 9.25% on food and rentals.
A package priced out
Buffet Menu 1 for 50 guests: 50 x $18.99 = $949.50. Add plates, napkins and silverware at 50 x $1.50 = $75. That is $1,024.50 before tax, delivery and any chafing dishes.
A staffed event adds servers at $35 an hour, a $50 event production fee and a 20% service charge on food and rentals. Drop-off and pick-up orders have no service charge. The difference between drop-off and staffed is covered in more detail in what catering costs per person.
How the paperwork works
You get one written quote with food, staff, rentals, delivery and tax on a single sheet. It is valid for 14 days. A 25% deposit holds your date, and the balance is due 7 days before the event after the final count. Standard orders need 3 days of notice, staffed events 14.
Not sure which package? The catering near me guide compares them at a glance. Call (630) 553-9533 or send your details on the quote form.
Questions
Are plates and napkins included?
No. They are $1.50 a person for plates, napkins and silverware, or $0.99 a person for disposable appetizer plates and napkins.
Is the Shower Package a good fit for a baby shower?
It is built for showers: croissant sandwiches, salads and sweet treats at $21.99 a person, 20 guests minimum.
Is the holiday dinner a hot meal?
It is cooked from scratch and ready to reheat at home, and reheating instructions are included.
Do packages include servers?
No. Servers are added to a quote as a staffed event.
