Booking a coffee cart takes one enquiry and a handful of answers. The events that run well are the ones where those answers were right the first time, because the quote, the crew size and the setup all follow from them.
This is the checklist we would work through if we were in your seat, in the order it tends to matter. It covers booking for any corporate function, from a team day to a product launch. For what drives the price itself, see what coffee cart hire really costs.
Start two to four weeks out
Two to four weeks before the event is the comfortable window to secure your date, especially in the September to November event season. Melbourne Cup, EOFY and the end of the year are peak periods, so book earlier if your date falls in one of them. We do take shorter-notice bookings when we have a crew free, so a late enquiry is still worth sending.
Two things want more runway than the booking itself:
- Branding. Branded cart panels and cups take four weeks of production from the moment we receive your artwork.
- Internal sign-off. Once the date is confirmed, cancellations within 30 days of the event incur a 50% fee, and within 7 days a 100% fee. Get the date approved before you lock it in.
Know your numbers before you enquire
Guest numbers and service times decide almost everything else, so have your best estimate ready. One barista serves up to 80 coffees an hour, and a second barista doubles that to 160. For very high-volume events a third barista is possible: one pulls shots, one steams milk, one pours and serves.
Your numbers also point you to a package. Standard starts from $999 and includes a set number of serves, which suits a smaller event with a predictable headcount. Unlimited starts from $1,499 with no cap on serves, which suits a bigger or less certain crowd. Both carry a one-hour minimum, prices are exclusive of GST, and weekend and public holiday events run at a published surcharge that we quote up front. If the event runs long on the day, we usually extend the service and invoice the extra time afterwards.
Check the venue: power, water and access
This is the part most likely to trip up an event on the day, and the easiest to settle with one conversation with your venue:
- Power. Two standard 10-amp domestic sockets for the regular cart, or a 20-amp outlet for the larger cart, close to where the cart will stand.
- Water. We carry our own, so a water connection is not required. Access to a back-of-house sink helps for refilling and washing up after service.
- Access. The kit travels in road cases that fit through any standard doorway or lift, but it cannot go up stairs, so confirm a goods lift if the room is above ground level.
- Parking. A spot for our vehicle close to the setup point.
- Paperwork. Many venues ask for certificates. We carry $20 million public liability insurance and Food Safety Supervisor certification, and supply certificates to your venue on request.
If you are hosting at MCEC in Melbourne or ICC Sydney, ask us about the partial rebate we contribute toward the venue's charge for an external coffee provider.
Choose the menu and any add-ons
The standard menu covers the full espresso range, including decaf and iced coffee at no extra cost, plus T2 tea, matcha, chai and hot chocolate. Full-cream and light milk, almond, oat and soy are all included in the package. If any guests have severe allergies, flag them at booking so we can brief the barista.
Add-ons are worth deciding at the same time, because they change the quote:
- Pastries, sandwich platters, seasonal fruit or a gluten-free slice pack
- Fresh juices, sparkling water or still water alongside the coffee
- Extra baristas, extended hours or a second cart for a large crowd
- Branded cups, a front panel or a full cart wrap
- Good Edi edible cups for a lower-waste service
What the quote needs, and what happens next
To quote accurately the first time, we need the event location, whether power and fresh water are available, on-site parking, expected guest numbers, your service start and end times, and the name and mobile of your on-site contact.
From there, corporate coffee cart hire with us runs in four steps. You enquire with the date, the headcount and the feel of the event. We come back with one all-inclusive price covering the cart, the crew and everything in between. You confirm the date, location and menu. Then on the day, the crew has the cart running within an hour of arriving and packs down within 45 minutes after service.
