Venue Requirements

Most venues ask the same questions before they will let an outside coffee vendor through the door. Here are the answers in writing, so you can forward one link instead of chasing us for a document. Anything your venue needs on their own form, we will fill out and return.

Need something that is not here? Call (773) 377-6688 or email events@woodencowcoffee.com. A real person answers.

Insurance and documentation

Liability insurance

We carry general liability insurance on every event.

Certificate of insurance

Sent before load-in at no charge, naming your venue or building exactly as they require. Send us the naming language and we will usually return the COI the same business day.

Venue vendor forms

We complete venue vendor packets, building loading-dock forms, and W-9 requests. Send them over with your booking.

Venue-specific requirements

Requirements vary by building, and some venues ask for things a coffee cart is not typically covered by. Send us your venue's vendor requirements early and we will tell you plainly what we can and cannot meet, before you are committed to anything.

Power and space

Electrical

Two dedicated 20-amp 120V circuits within 25 feet of the service location. Dedicated means nothing else heavy is pulling on those circuits during service. Our cords cover the 25 feet.

If power is short

A standard residential 15-amp circuit will not run the espresso machine. Tell us early if you are unsure what the space has, and we will work it out with your venue before the date.

Footprint

8 feet by 6 feet of level space for the cart, equipment, and staff.

Outdoor service

We need a covered area, a tent, a porch, or an indoor backup. Rain, snow, or extreme cold without cover is the one thing that stops us.

What you provide

Power, the space, and a load-in time. That is the whole list. The cart is self-contained, so there is no plumbing hookup and no kitchen access needed, and we bring everything else.

Load-in and timing

Arrival

We arrive one hour before service to load in, set up, and dial in the machines. You are billed for service hours only, never for setup or teardown.

Teardown

About 20 minutes after service ends, and we leave the space the way we found it.

Docks and elevators

Loading docks, freight elevators, and timed load-in windows are routine for us. Send the dock hours, the elevator dimensions, and the point of contact, and we will plan around them.

Minimum service

Two hours.

Capacity, honestly

One barista sustains about 40 drinks an hour. A second barista on the same cart brings that to roughly 55 an hour combined, not double, because both people share one espresso machine and one grinder. That ceiling is why we quote a service window and a staffing plan instead of promising a rate.

In practice that covers most of what we are asked to do. A 150-guest reception over three hours, a 200-person office morning, a conference booth with a steady line all day. We take one event a day, so the cart, the baristas, and the day belong to your event.

Allergens and dietary

Milk

Whole milk is standard. Oat milk is included at no charge, planned for roughly 20 percent of your guest count, and we will bring more if you tell us your crowd runs that way.

Other alternatives

Almond or soy milk can be added with at least 14 days notice so we can source and plan cart space.

Cross-contact

Every drink is made on one machine with shared steam wands and pitchers, so we cannot guarantee any drink is free of contact with dairy or nut milks. We would rather say that plainly than let a guest assume otherwise.

Ingredient questions

We will tell your team exactly what goes into each drink and can send manufacturer ingredient information for our syrups before the event. Hosts are responsible for notifying guests of potential allergens.

Decaf

Not currently offered. One grinder, and cart space is finite.

What we pour

Our espresso comes from Tala Coffee Roasters in Libertyville, Illinois, roasted close to your event date rather than pulled off a distributor shelf. French vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut syrups are included, and we can add others. The full drink list is on the menu.

Iced drinks are served in Tossware NATURAL cups: plant based PLA, BPI certified for commercial composting, and rated to break down in three to six months at a commercial facility or about a year in a home bin. Hot drinks go in a poly lined paper cup, which is neither compostable nor widely recyclable, and we would rather say that than round it up. The kraft sleeves are post-consumer recycled content and are recyclable. Cups and sleeves are both made without intentionally added PFAS. If your venue runs a composting program, tell us and we will sort the cold cups into it.

Booking and response

Quotes

Sent within 24 hours, itemized, with travel included in the number. You can also see a price range instantly before you talk to anyone. Most events run $900 to $1,800.

Holding a date

A 20 percent deposit reserves the date. The balance is due one week before the event. Card, ACH, or check.

Travel

Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison travel is quoted in every quote. Beyond the included zone it is $0.90 per mile, stated up front.

Reaching us

(773) 377-6688 or events@woodencowcoffee.com. Both go to the people who run the cart, not a booking queue.

More answers are on the FAQ, and the full contract language lives in our terms.