Coffee Catering Frequently Asked Questions

Real answers to the questions we hear most from clients booking mobile espresso bar service for corporate events, weddings, private parties, and more. If you don't see your question here, reach out at info@solariumcoffee.com or fill out our quote form.

Service & Setup

  • We need a 6x6 ft area for our cart, support table, and room for our baristas to work comfortably. Ideally, this space should be within about 15 feet of a power outlet. If your venue has tight floor plans, send us a photo or layout and we'll figure it out with you.

  • One dedicated 15-amp electrical circuit is all we need. That means nothing else should be plugged into the same circuit (space heaters, AV equipment, etc.). Most standard wall outlets work. If you're unsure whether your venue has a dedicated circuit available, your venue coordinator or facilities team can confirm.

  • Yes, both. Indoors, we just need the 6x6 ft area and a power outlet. For outdoor events, we offer a 12x12 ft tent and a generator as add-ons, so we're fully self-sufficient even in parks, courtyards, or parking lots with no power access.

  • Just the space and power. We bring everything else: the espresso machine, grinder, coffee, matcha, milk, oat milk, syrups, cups, lids, water supply, and trash handling. You don't need to coordinate anything on the catering side. We set up, serve, clean up, and leave your venue the way we found it.

  • Setup and breakdown each take less than an hour. We arrive before your service window to get everything dialed in, and we break down after the last drink is served. Both are included in your booking and don't count toward your service hours.

  • Yes. Our cart is designed for ground-level roll-in access or freight elevator entry. If your venue has stairs, loading docks, or unusual access requirements, let us know when you book and we'll plan accordingly.

  • With one barista, we serve approximately 50 drinks per hour. With two baristas, that doubles to about 100 drinks per hour. Every drink is made fresh to order, not pre-batched. We recommend two baristas for events with 100 or more guests or for events with shorter, high-traffic service windows like conference breaks.

  • Yes. With two baristas running simultaneously, we handle events with several hundred attendees. For multi-day conferences and expos, we scale service hours and barista count to match your schedule. We've served everything from 25-person boardroom summits to large multi-day events.

  • Yes to both. We bring our own water supply and handle all waste from our service area. You won't need to provide anything or arrange separate trash pickup for the coffee service.

Beverage Options & Customization

  • Our standard event menu includes unlimited specialty espresso drinks and matcha: lattes, cappuccinos, americanos, espressos, matcha lattes, and iced versions of all of those. We also serve our house-made signature and seasonal drinks, including Halle's Morning (our signature vanilla latte) and Cinnamon Sugar. The seasonal menu rotates, so there's always something new. You can see the full current menu at solariumcoffee.com/menu.

  • Oat milk is included at no extra charge with every booking. Almond milk and other alternatives are available with advance notice. Let us know when you book and we'll have it ready.

  • Yes. Decaf espresso is available as an add-on. For evening events, decaf is included at no additional charge, because we know many guests at an after-dinner service want the flavor without the caffeine. Our decaf is also a single-origin coffee ground fresh to order. Just because there isn’t caffeine doesn’t mean we skimp on quality.

  • Absolutely. Nearly every drink on our menu is available hot or iced. Cups and lids for both are included in every booking.

  • We work with a small rotation of specialty roasters, most often George Howell Coffee Company, a Massachusetts-based roaster recognized nationally for sourcing quality. Ben and Halle have met George Howell and selected the beans through cupping sessions at their roastery in Acton. We also source from Ilse and Metric depending on the season and what's tasting best. All of our espresso is single-origin, not commodity coffee.

  • All of our syrups are made from scratch using real ingredients. No commercial pump bottles. Our staples include Halle's Morning (an organic vanilla syrup named after the drink Ben makes Halle every morning) and Cinnamon Sugar. We also rotate seasonal syrups throughout the year. None of our syrups contain nuts or gluten.

  • Yes. We offer custom signature drink development for $100. We'll work with you to create a drink named for your brand, event, or theme, built from our espresso and house-made syrups. This is popular for brand activations, weddings, and corporate events where you want something guests remember.

  • Matcha lattes, chai lattes, and hot chocolate are all available. Matcha is included with every service. Chai and hot chocolate are available as add-ons to your event menu.

  • Specialty drip coffee and cold brew are both available as add-ons. Our standard service is espresso-based, but if your event calls for a hot coffee and/or cold brew option alongside the espresso bar, we can set that up.

  • Our espresso is naturally free of the major allergens, and none of our house-made syrups contain nuts or gluten. Whole milk and oat milk are our standard options. Almond milk is available with advance notice. If you have guests with specific dietary needs, let us know when you book so we can walk you through the details for your event.

Booking & Payment

  • Fill out our quote form with your event date, location, estimated guest count, and service hours. Ben or Halle responds personally, usually within minutes. You'll receive a custom quote with transparent, itemized pricing. No back-and-forth, no waiting days for a number.

  • As soon as you know your date, reach out. We limit our availability to maintain quality, and popular dates fill up. Two weeks of lead time is typically enough for weekday events and off-peak weekends, but peak season weekends book further out. That said, we always try to accommodate last-minute requests, so don't hesitate to reach out even if your event is close.

  • Our espresso bar service starts at $849 for one barista and $1449 for two baristas. Most events land in the $900 to $1,200 range. Pricing depends on service duration, guest count, location, and any add-ons you choose. Hourly rates of $300 per barista-hour apply for events beyond 2 hours. Platform fees are included in the base price. Full pricing details are on our pricing page.

  • No minimum guest count. Our minimum booking is $849, which is the starting price for one barista. We serve events of all sizes, from intimate gatherings to large conferences.

  • Every booking includes:

    • Unlimited specialty espresso drinks and matcha from the event menu (hot and iced)

    • Professional and friendly barista(s)

    • Single estate espresso from specialty roasters (most often George Howell Coffee Company)

    • House-made syrups

    • Whole milk and oat milk

    • All cups and lids (hot and iced)

    • Water supply and all waste handling

    • Full setup and breakdown

    • No travel fee for events within 25 miles of Framingham

  • Add-ons are priced separately and include:

    • Custom cup branding with your logo or event details: $150 (2 weeks notice required)

    • Custom cart branding in your brand colors: $300 (2 weeks notice required)

    • Custom signature drink development: $100

    • Menu additions: cold brew, chai lattes, specialty drip coffee, decaf espresso, hot chocolate

    • 12x12 ft tent for outdoor events

    • Generator for venues without accessible power: $125

    Let us know what you're interested in when you fill out the quote form and we'll include everything in your quote.

  • A 50% deposit is due at the time of booking to reserve your date. The remaining 50% is due no later than 7 days before your event. Invoices are sent via email with a secure payment link. We accept credit card, check, ACH, and cash. A late fee of 2% of the outstanding balance applies the day after the due date and accrues every 30 days until paid.

  • All cancellations must be submitted in writing. The refund depends on timing:

    • More than 14 days before the event: Deposit refunded minus any non-recoverable expenses already incurred. All additional payments refunded in full.

    • Between 7 and 14 days before the event: Deposit is non-refundable. Additional payments may be refunded minus non-recoverable expenses.

    • Within 7 days of the event: No refunds issued. All payments are retained, as materials and staffing have been fully committed.

    If we cancel for any reason, you receive a full refund of every payment made, no exceptions.

  • Yes. If you reach out at least 7 days before your event, your deposit and any payments already made can be applied as a credit toward a new date. Rescheduling is subject to our availability and must be submitted in writing. We always do our best to make it work.

  • Our Event Service Agreement includes a force majeure clause. If your event is canceled due to circumstances outside anyone's control, including severe weather, government restrictions, natural disasters, or public health emergencies, both parties make a good-faith effort to reschedule. If rescheduling is not possible, you receive a full refund of all payments, including the deposit.

  • No travel fee for events within 25 miles of Framingham, MA. That covers most of Greater Boston and MetroWest, including cities like Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Wellesley, Waltham, Needham, Natick, Dedham, and Quincy. For events further out, a travel fee may apply and will be included in your quote upfront.

General

  • Solarium Coffee is an owner-operated business. Ben and Halle are personally involved in every event we book, from the initial planning conversations through menu decisions and day-of logistics. Most of the time, one or both of us will be the barista behind the cart. For larger events, or on the occasional day when both of us cannot be on site, a trained team member joins or stands in for us. Anyone representing Solarium has been prepared by us directly and is held to the same standards we set for ourselves.

  • Three things. First, Ben and Halle are personally involved in every event we book, and most of the time we're the baristas behind the cart. When we bring in additional help, that person has been trained directly by us. You're not hiring a company that dispatches a stranger on your event day. Second, the coffee is genuinely specialty grade. We serve single-origin espresso from roasters like George Howell Coffee Company, not commodity beans from a food service distributor. Third, every syrup is made from scratch. The result is a noticeably better cup of coffee served by people who actually care about your event going well.

  • We serve the Greater Boston and MetroWest area. Our current service areas cover Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Wellesley, Waltham, Needham, Dedham, Framingham, Natick, Somerville, Brookline, Lexington, Concord, Quincy, Worcester, and broadly MetroWest. If your event is outside these areas, fill out our quote form and we'll let you know if we can make it work.

  • We serve any event that benefits from a quality coffee experience. Our most common bookings include corporate events, conferences and expos, weddings, private parties and celebrations, retail pop-ups, brand activations, fitness and wellness events, teacher appreciation and school events, apartment and condo resident amenity service, and cars and coffee events.

  • Yes. Our gallery shows the cart at corporate events, weddings, brand activations, and community gatherings. It's a good way to see what the setup actually looks like in different venue types and settings.

  • Yes. Solarium Coffee LLC maintains general liability insurance. A certificate of insurance (COI) is available upon request, which many venues and corporate clients require before an event.

  • We ask during booking whether tip jars are allowed at your venue or event. If they are, we're happy to set one out. If your venue or company policy doesn't allow tip jars, no problem at all.

  • This is handled case by case. We regularly serve at community events around the area where prospective clients are welcome to stop by, try menu items, and see the cart in person. If you're interested, reach out and we can share details on upcoming events near you.

  • Yes. We regularly serve multi-day events. Pricing is calculated per service day based on duration, barista count, and add-ons. Include all dates in your quote request and we'll build out the full package.

  • We don't offer discounts for multi-day events, but if you're looking at a recurring service (weekly, monthly, or ongoing), reach out and we can discuss bulk pricing for your specific schedule.

  • This comes up often, especially at wedding venues and corporate campuses. We handle these on a case-by-case basis. If your venue has an exclusive caterer or restrictions on outside vendors, point us to the venue contact and we can reach out directly on your behalf to work out the details.