What Does ++ Mean in Event Pricing: How Service Charge and Tax Stack on Per-Head Costs

Every catering proposal I received in my first year as a planner listed prices per person, and every one of those prices was followed by two small symbols: ++. I didn’t know what they meant. I assumed they were formatting, like a footnote marker.

They are not formatting. They are two separate financial charges stacked on top of the listed price.

The first + is the service charge. The second + is applicable tax. When a venue shows you “$90++ per person,” you are looking at a base price of $90 that will have a service charge applied first, then tax applied on top of that combined total.

How the stacking works

Take a $95++ dinner package. Service charge at most hotels runs 22-24%. Tax varies by city and state, but 7-9% is common for food and beverage in most US markets. I’ll use 23% service charge and 8% tax for this example.

Step one: $95 base times 1.23 (service charge) = $116.85. Step two: $116.85 times 1.08 (tax) = $126.20.

Your $95 per-head dinner costs $126.20 per head by the time it’s invoiced. Multiply that by 100 guests and your $9,500 catering line item is actually $12,620.

That gap, $3,120, is not a billing error. It was disclosed in the ++ notation. You just didn’t calculate it.

What the service charge covers

Service charge is a venue surcharge applied as a percentage of your food and beverage spend. It covers event labor, linen, equipment, and, in most cases, venue overhead and profit margin. It is not automatically distributed to the servers who work your event. Many venues retain service charge entirely as revenue and pay service staff separately at an hourly rate.

This distinction matters because planners sometimes believe the service charge replaces gratuity. It does not, at most venues. The service charge goes to the house. Gratuity, if you want it to reach the individuals who served your event, needs to be specified separately in your contract.

What tax applies to

Tax in event catering is more complicated than it looks. Most states apply sales tax to food, bar service, and equipment rental. Some states exempt food but not alcohol. Others have different rates for the service charge itself. This is not something to calculate yourself based on your state’s general sales tax rate. Ask the venue directly: “What is the total percentage I should budget above the listed menu prices?”

The answer should be a specific number. “Our service charge is 23% and applicable tax in this county runs 8.5% on food and beverage. You should budget 31.5% above any listed menu price.” That’s the answer you want. If they say “oh it depends,” push for a worked example using your anticipated spend.

Why some venues don’t use ++

Not all venues use ++ notation. Some quote all-inclusive per-head prices that already embed service charge and tax. These are more common at standalone event venues, some loft spaces, and catered-only facilities where the operator sets a single bundled price.

If a quote doesn’t show ++ and you aren’t sure whether service charges are included, ask: “Does this price include service charge and tax, or will those be added?” Venues are generally straightforward about this. It’s the planners who don’t ask who get surprised.

The budget calculation I use

When I build an initial event budget, I add 33% to every food-and-beverage line item. That covers a 23% service charge and a 9% blended tax rate with a small buffer. It’s slightly conservative in low-tax states, slightly aggressive in high-service-charge markets like New York City, where service charges sometimes run 25-27%.

For a 150-person dinner at $85++ per head:

• Base: $12,750
• Add 33%: $16,957

I budget $17,000 for that line. If the final number comes in at $16,400, I’m within range. If I had budgeted $12,750 and didn’t account for ++, I’d be $4,250 short.

A worked example with a real quote

Here’s a quote structure I received for an 80-person event at a conference center in Atlanta:

• Continental breakfast: $24++ per person
• AM break: $16++ per person
• Lunch (buffet): $58++ per person
• PM break: $14++ per person
• Dinner reception (heavy appetizers, hosted bar): $95++ per person

Total listed per-person cost: $207.

With 23% service charge and 8% tax, total invoiced per-person cost: $277.40.

For 80 guests: $16,560 listed, $22,192 invoiced. The difference is $5,632.

Anyone who built an $18,000 catering budget for that event based on the listed per-head figures was $4,192 short.

When + means something slightly different

Some venues use a single + instead of ++. One + typically means the price excludes service charge but includes tax, or excludes tax but includes service charge. The meaning is not standardized.

I’ve seen proposals from smaller standalone venues and boutique properties that use + to mean “service charge included, tax additional.” I’ve seen catering proposals from all-inclusive venues that use + to flag that a specific item carries a surcharge. When the notation is anything other than the standard ++ format, ask the venue to spell out exactly what the symbol means in their context.

The only safe assumption is that listed prices in event catering are never the total. The safest habit: ask for a sample invoice before you approve any proposal so you can see the final math before you commit.

The multiplier to memorize

If you want a fast rule to use in budget planning, the ++ multiplier at most US hotel venues ranges from 1.28 to 1.36. That means a $100++ per-person cost will land between $128 and $136 on the invoice.

The low end of the range applies in states with lower tax rates (Florida runs 6-7.5% depending on county, which pulls the multiplier toward the lower end). The high end applies in cities like New York City, where service charges run 25-27% and combined state and local tax can exceed 9%.

If you’re planning an event and don’t yet know the exact service charge or tax rate, use 1.33 as a planning multiplier. It’s slightly conservative but will keep your preliminary budget close enough to reality that you won’t be shocked when the final numbers arrive.

What to ask before you approve a quote

Two questions. First: “What is the service charge percentage on this proposal?” Second: “What is the applicable tax rate on food and beverage in this venue’s county?”

Add both percentages together and multiply that factor against any listed price to find the true per-head cost. Don’t assume the service charge or tax rate in your contract matches what you’ve seen at other venues. I’ve seen service charges range from 18% to 27% at different hotel brands in the same city.

You’re booking at a hotel or resort, banquet hall, or conference center. If you share the quote with me, including the ++ line items, I can help you work through the real total before you approve.