Thank you for your interest in the Taste of Buffalo Presented by TOPS. The policy of the Taste is to offer returning veteran restaurants (restaurants that participated in the 2011 event) the right of first refusal. The deadline for turning in Restaurant Applications for the 2012 festival has ended. Early February, the Taste Restaurant Committee will review all completed applications received by the deadline date and will begin filling the available space.
To be considered for entry into the event as a Restaurant, your establishment must meet the following criteria:
- Establishment must be a public-eating place, whose primary commercial function is to serve food to the general public.
- Establishment must offer seating at the principle place of business.
- Establishment must be open year round in Western New York.
If your restaurant is selected to participate in the Taste of Buffalo you must meet the following menu item criteria:
- All menu items must be on your regular menu or your specials menu.
- You must serve at least 3 items, but no more than 4.
- You must serve one "Healthy Option" menu item. This can be one of the 3 items or can be added as a fourth item.
- You must serve one "taste" item at $2.00. Your "taste" item must be a "taste-size" portion of a signature item that you are serving at the event.
- All pricing is in $0.50 increments.
- $1.00 is the minimum and $4.00 is the maximum you may charge.
- You may price up to 2 menu items at $4.00, the other 1 or 2 menu items must be priced between $1.00 and $3.50. Multiple price points for 1 menu item are acceptable (Example: $4.00 large portion, $3.00 portion and a $2.00 "taste" portion).
- Your menu items may not duplicate any other participating restaurant's menu items. Meaning, no two restaurants will be serving items prepared the same way. The Taste Restaurant Committee will make all final decisions regarding menu item duplication.
The Taste of Buffalo provides each restaurant:
- One tent, including side flaps sufficient to cover three sides of the tent
- One professionally made sign identifying your restaurant with name and/or logo
- Roaming event security
- 110 volt 4-outlet 60 AMP electrical line - additional electric is available at an extra cost, including 220 lines
- Access to potable water
- A Taste Restaurant Committee Representative assigned to your restaurant.
- Necessary Health Department permit and City of Buffalo Temporary Stand permit ONLY. Should a restaurant's activities require any additional permits, those additional permits will be at the restaurant's own expense.
- Paid parking for cars and restaurant vehicles is available at an additional cost.
You will be expected to:
- Remit an Entry Fee of $700.00 by the stated deadline date; remit 18% of your Gross Sales to Taste of Buffalo; Taste of Buffalo will withhold NYS Sales Tax from your proceeds and remit to NYS on your behalf.
- Complete all necessary paperwork by requested deadlines
- Attend the Mandatory Restaurant Meeting held in June 2012. Date to be determined. At least one principal or decision maker must attend.
- Adhere to all guidelines and rules of the Taste of Buffalo
- Provide an electronic copy of your restaurant's color logo in either vector art EPS format or a high resolution JPEG or TIFF format (300 dpi).
