Short answer
Explain what the price covers, state the number plainly, then pause. Let them think.
After this lesson: You will deliver price with calm confidence and trade scope when budget is tight instead of discounting the same work.
When the number lands
You have been in their kitchen. You know the guest count, the courses, the proteins. Now they want the figure.
How you say it shapes whether they flinch, negotiate, or nod and move to dates.
What I learned
Filler after the number sounds like you do not believe it. Apologizing trains them to treat your price as a mistake.
In another business I sold high-ticket foundation work. The numbers were bigger than most catering jobs. I learned to shrink the sound, not the truth.
Why this works
Say what it covers: scope, their kitchen, date, service style, guests. Then the figure in plain language. Then stop. Silence is part of the quote. They are not rejecting you in those three seconds; they are doing math.
Reading the room
One client was friendly the whole visit. When we got to price, the air changed. He had hinted he feared a big number.
I said it lightly: it will be just twenty-five thousand dollars. We both laughed at the just. He already knew it was serious money; the tone matched the relationship. We moved forward.
What I learned
Match their tone when you know them. Never mock a real budget constraint. Humor only when the relationship is already light and you are naming an elephant you both see.
When they need a lower number
Respect the limit. Propose what you would change in the plan: fewer courses, different proteins, buffet instead of plated.
They are often asking what is possible within a ceiling, not attacking your worth.
- Three courses instead of five.
- Chicken instead of beef.
- Buffet instead of plated service.
- Ask what they would flex on before you rewrite the whole event.
What to do
Write the scope in one breath before the number.
Use rounded language when it helps: about ninety-five a person, not a long wind-up.
State the figure. Stop talking.
If they pause, let them. Answer the next question when they ask it.
Lines to use
For eight guests, five courses, served in your kitchen on the fourteenth, with shopping, cooking, and cleanup, you are at about ninety-five per person.
If we need to land closer to your number, we could do three courses instead of five, or chicken instead of beef. What would you flex on?
FAQ
- Should I split labor and food on the quote?
- For personal chef work, clients usually want one clear figure for the experience. Split only if it helps them decide.
- What if they go silent a long time?
- Wait. If you must speak, ask if they want to adjust scope rather than apologizing for the price.
- Can I ever discount the same dinner?
- Trade scope, not value. Same work for less teaches them your first number was negotiable theater.
- Per person or flat total?
- Match how they think about the event. Small dinners often sound cleaner as a total; larger parties as per person.
Related: Wrong shelf, wrong comparison