Blog posts from August, 2015

Just as wedding trends can become the hot item of the season or year they can also die out just as fast. It seemed for the latter half of 2014 and beginning of 2015 – a lot of these trends were going strong. Brides.com, Special Events Magazine and Gurley Events have predicted the 2015 wedding trends that are passé with the help of event planners on the front lines.

Check out the trends that are out of style that you may want to consider retiring from your inventory.

1. Patterned Cakes like Chevron, Stripes and Polka Dots (Source & Photo Source)

2. Blush Pink in favour of bolder metallic and jewel tones (Source & Photo Source)

3. Mirrors as centerpiece anchors (Source & Photo Source)

4. The Boho theme (Source & Photo Source)

5. Chalkboards for anything and everything (Source, Source & Photo Source)

6. The seated dinner is out – with strolling food stations becoming the trend for better networking (Source)

7. Fake back dropped photo booths with cheap decorations to play with (Source, Source & Photo Source)

8. Candy Buffets (Source & Source)

9. Mason Jars (Source, Source, Source & Photo Source)

10. Burlap (Source, Source & Photo Source)

11. The Roaring ‘20s / Great Gatsby theme (Source & Photo Source)

12. Glowing Furniture (Source & Photo Source)

13. Macarons (Source)

14. Large elaborate weddings (Source & Photo Source)

We know we’re not the only game in North America for event supplies but we’ve heard horror stories of our customer’s thinking they’re getting a good deal from the US only to find out it isn’t the fairy tale they initially thought. We’re all for trying to make our customer’s lives and businesses better so we thought it made sense to compile a list of questions based on hidden fees / costs that are often found when buying from United States event equipment suppliers.

Here are questions to make sure you ask / costs you are aware of so you have the all-in pricing to compare against Canadian event supply companies.

1. Do they have the items in stock?
2. Do they charge a credit card processing fee? What is it?
3. What is the exchange rate your credit card provider will charge to convert US Dollars to Canadian Dollars?
4. Is there any minimum order quantities required?
5. Do you have to pay for skids (if you are ordering skid volumes)?
6. Where is the product shipping from?
7. Do you have to pay shipping from their US warehouse to their Canadian warehouse and then from their Canadian warehouse to your location? Or do you only have to pay shipping from their US warehouse to your location?
8. What customs fees, brokerage fees and duties are associated with the products you’re buying? Most companies (ourselves included) know the duties and customs/brokerage fees associated with exporting products.
9. How long will it take for them to ship your order?
10. How long does it take once the order is shipped for the order to get to you?

Hopefully this list gives you the questions needed to ensure you get the products you need for your rental inventory. If we’re missing any questions – let us know so we can update the list!

Restaurants are notoriously tight on profit margins and every way of reducing operating expenses helps a restaurant’s bottom line and equals more revenue. Energy costs can eat up a huge portion of a restaurant’s operating expenses. There are a lot of energy sucking appliances that exist in a commercial kitchen.

If you’ve ever wondered how a restaurant can reduce energy costs, then look no further than the infographic below from Powerhouse Dynamics. They figured out which systems and appliances consume the most energy in a full-service restaurant.

For example, they found that food preparation equipment accounts for 40% of a total restaurant’s energy use, the most of any restaurant component. They also found that reducing energy use by 20% could increase profits by 10% - which is a huge percentage when the average restaurant’s profit margin is 10%.

Check it out to see savings tips on various appliances and systems in the kitchen and dining areas.

Presented By Powerhouse Dynamics

It’s no surprise that technology in any industry can be a huge blessing. I know there can be issues associated with technology but in general for society and businesses we are infinitely more productive (except when watching too many cat videos) and able to tackle things faster with less people more efficiently. The foodservice industry is no exception and there have emerged, over the past decades, POS systems, payment systems, back of the house systems, online ordering and delivery systems, front of the house systems and much much more. I found an infographic that provides a comprehensive view of all the different technology offerings available for the restaurant industry and thought it was worth sharing so that restaurant’s had a frame of reference for who to evaluate when reviewing a new technology to implement. Check it out:

 

60 inch Round tables are a must-have when hosting any sort of event – whether it be a wedding, a meeting with dinner, a community centre gathering or another special event. Party rental companies, hotels, banquet halls and even churches and community centres know the benefits of having an inventory of 60 inch round folding tables in stock as they are one of the most popular sizes of round table. They fit a generous amount of people (generally 6-8) and allow guests the opportunity to easily socialize given the table shape. Because we supply thousands of companies across Canada with 5ft (60in) round folding tables in both wood and plastic, we recognize the importance of knowing how much to budget for new 5ft round tables. If your organization is in the market to replace your 60 inch round folding tables or are looking to make the switch from renting to owning, one of the first questions you’ll likely ask is "How much does a 60 inch round table cost in Canada?" This post attempts to answer this important question so you can begin your buying process.

60 inch Round Wood Table

The range in pricing for 60 inch round wood tables will depend on how thick the table top is, the type of locking mechanism used to keep the legs erect, the material and thickness of the legs and the type of wood being used. 60 inch round wood folding tables will range in price from $129.95 to $329.95. Keep in mind that companies that sell primarily to commercial organizations will also provide volume discounts with the cost per table decreasing based on the larger number of tables being purchased.

60 inch Round Plastic Table

The range in pricing for 60 inch round plastic tables will depend on how thick the table top is, the type of locking mechanism used to keep the legs erect, as well as the material and thickness of the legs. Because of this, 60 inch round plastic folding tables will range in price from $110.00 to $158.95. As mentioned with 60in round wood folding tables, 60in round plastic folding tables also will have similar volume discounts from commercial focused companies.

Hopefully this post gives you a good idea of the pricing available in the Canadian market for your refreshed 60 inch round table inventory.