@pg

Sadness. That's simultaneously a week too early and one too late

Both are fine, depends on how turnout is for the 3k. If it's lower than what they plan on, you might get some HU/3handed to start which is great fun. 10k the first levels matter without feeling rushed, but I haven't explicitly looked at 2016's structures to see if they are any different. I've been out in the first 75 min of the 10k but that was the same deal, started 5-6 handed and made magic happen.

i only tip floor people if they bring me chips and then i tip $1 which is the same amount i tip the dealer when i win a pot, the service person when they bring me a water and the cage when i cash out.

if you even show up this year.

Yeah, I'm basically guaranteed to run better than last year at WSOP -- given last year I got sick and did not attend

Therefore, 2016 is kind of a freeroll!

Break my bust out record. IMO

First world problems question.

I rented a suite for the Caps 2nd playoff game for my small company. I can get it catered, but it's pretty pricey for what you get. If you were an employee of FooCo, would you expect food/drink to be included in such an outting?

You should skip the catering and hire a remote high-priced EE consultant, say in Colorado.

I would expect food, but only because those suites often come with food as part of the overpriced nature of them.

If you clarify in the invite that it's cash bar and food or some such, that would say expectations right, and people would still be happy with the good seats and suite experience I think. Unless you somehow already have a reputation for cutting corners or being cheap, in which case no good deed goes unpunished.

Likely have the opposite image. I re-invest heavily in the company by way of experiences (took everybody to Mexico for a week in January, etc). I just like to try to get value for the $$$.

Was gonna host a happy hour @ bar nearby beforehand....seems like reasonable compromise?

It seems reasonable as a last resort.

There's no way to get an outside caterer? Or to order less or cheaper food from the inside caterer? Or to negotiate prices?

In part it depends who you're courting at the event. If it's your initiative (you want something from them), you have to expect some of them show up because they just want free ****, and having food and drink around is a good mediator of uncomfortable interactions. If it's a reward to your employees, it's fine to have happy hour followed by buying a 24-pack at Walgreen's and telling everyone to sneak a bottle or two in their pockets.

This is like explaining to someone who told you that it was $3000 to get a projector at a convention hall that they should just rent for the day for $50 -- the food is overpriced because of the venue, and having set the prices high it isn't like they're going to allow an outside vendor to undersell them.

^-----this

What's the cost of trying?

A lot of places have a very optimistic asking price, they will offer discounts when they realize you won't autosign on the dotted line.

Projectors at conventions are a great example since I have some experience with that. The American Chemical Society had a spat with the Chicago Convention Center in the mid-2000s where it was basically "this level of overcharging is disrespectful" vs "whatcha gonna do, not have a convention in the midwest for the next 15 years?" The answer was basically "yes, **** you." The 2013 meeting - already scheduled for Chicago - was moved to Indianapolis, and after the Chicago Convention Center came crying back with more reasonable levels of overcharging, the next Chicago meeting was scheduled for 2022.

I'm not saying you should form a picket line outside and get Stevie Wonder to sing we are the world. I'm saying you should say, "Hey, we're a small company and can't afford this. What if we give up (the most expensive or difficult part) and you give us a break on the price?"

If they say no, then you do whatever you would have done had you not asked.

If you also suggested that someone who didn't have an electricians union card be allowed to plug in said projector, I'm amazed you're alive to tell this story.

Fwiw, the contract specifically says no outside catering, and I asked them to discount - they wouldn't because their suites are in high demand.

C'est la vie.

It's a lot less sexy than that.

Dude you have to have some level of catering in your suite - at least beverages. Yes it is spendy but it would come off as terrible if you don't. I remember one time going with a company to a suite where the person was too cheap to get food and it was dollar dog day. So the guy goes and buys 50 hot dogs with condiments and rolls it in. Which was fine and sort of cool but some people didn't eat meat, then you are on the hook to get your own beverage, etc. just spring for the catering it is a ripoff but it is part of the deal.

If I rented a suite to a a baseball game and somebody complained about the free hot dogs because they are a vegan I would fire them on the spot.

* if they didn't complain, but just passed on hot dogs at a baseball game I would likely fire them as well

You would fire someone because they were vegetarian or just didn't like hotdogs??

Story checks out.

Yes

I would fire them because I couldn't trust them, If its a company picnic, then sure have a salad or whatever, if its a baseball game either eat the hotdogs or just don't eat anything but certainly don't expect a vegetarian option, unless you want to fill up on funnel cakes and beet