Hosting a monthly supper club out of my apartment

How it works

Step by step

1. 1Check local rules first: most cities allow occasional 'private dinners' as long as you don't advertise publicly, don't sell alcohol, and don't operate weekly. If in doubt, invite guests via a private list, never a public site.
2. 2Pick one Saturday a month and commit for six months. Consistency is what builds a waitlist.
3. 3Design a single fixed menu of 4-5 courses that scales well: one that can be plated in under 90 seconds per guest. Test it on friends twice before your first paid night.
4. 4Cap at 10-14 seats around one long table. More than 14 and it becomes catering, not conversation.
5. 5Price to cover ingredients + a 60% margin. Example: $28 food cost → $70 ticket. Add $10 if you provide non-alcoholic pairings.
6. 6Collect payment upfront via a Stripe or Lu.ma link. No-shows kill supper clubs; a paid RSVP eliminates them.
7. 7Send guests a plain-text email 48 hours out with the address, arrival window (15-min window), dietary confirm, and one line on what to expect.
8. 8At the dinner, keep the menu printed on a single card at each seat. Introduce each course in 30 seconds — no lectures.
9. 9Pass a small notebook at dessert for names, emails, and whether they want to be invited next month. This is your entire marketing engine.
10. 10After each dinner, spend 30 minutes cleaning the menu: what took too long, what got the biggest reaction, what to cut.

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