Fran Lee Caterers

The décor in here is nice. The food was decent for a catering hall. Parking was the only issue. Other than that it’s a nice place to have an event.

I have to preface this review by saying that, with Fran Lee Caterers, you get what you pay for. The price is cheap, but so is everything else.
A coworker and I planned and scheduled an afternoon holiday party for our office of about 120 people, of which about 70 people RSVP’d to attend. We agreed upon a package with a cost of $ 20 per person that included a buffet lunch and open bar with beer, wine, and soda for 4 hours. Tip was not included for any servers or bartenders.
Upon arriving, it was evident that the décor in Fran Lee has not been updated in about 25 years. In fact, another coworker whose parents actually held their wedding reception at Fran Lee mentioned that it still looked exactly like the pictures from at least 30 years ago. The walls are covered in either mirrors or faded, peeling wallpaper. The restrooms have large, glowing, neon pink signs above them specifying Men or Women. I can only speak for the Men’s restroom, but it was small, dirty, missing ceiling tiles in the drop ceiling, significantly colder than outside of the restroom, and the only stall had a nonfunctional lock.
With regard to the bar, I had thought that we agreed upon beer, wine, and soda being included, with the choice of any mixed drinks being made available to attendees at their own personal expense. My understanding and Fran Lee’s understanding were different as the bartenders told attendees that mixed drinks were not included and could not be purchased. To their credit, Fran Lee’s owner did eventually agree to let attendees pay for mixed drinks, but it was done grudgingly, as if our willingness to pay more money so that a handful of people could have mixed drinks was a major inconvenience.
The menu consisted of penne vodka, chicken, pork loin, vegetables, roasted potatoes, Caesar salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, rolls with butter, a pastry table, and a sheet cake. The highlights of this selection were the pasta salad and the rolls. Each of the entrees was dry, overcooked, and under-​seasoned. The pastry table consisted of two or three small trays of previously-​frozen petit fours. But that’s okay, because the menu included a sheet cake, right? No. The cake that’s listed on the menu was never served. Later in the day, I was rudely told that my party got its money’s worth, because our 70 people actually «ate like 80 or 90 people, and some people even went up for seconds.» I was confused. Wasn’t this a buffet lunch? I suppose it says something about the quality of the food when even Fran Lee’s owner is surprised that people would want second helpings.
I was told the week before that we would have 1 bartender and 1 server to cover 70 people, so that I could plan accordingly when bringing enough cash to tip. Upon arriving, there were 2 bartenders and 1 server, and I had to dig into whatever personal cash I had in my pocket to pay the second bartender that we had not planned on. This is nothing against the bartenders or server. They were mostly pleasant and accommodating of everyone in the party, but, again, it comes down to our understanding before the party and what was «correct» once we arrived.
Finally, instead of paying for a DJ, I was told ahead of time that I would be able to plug in an iPod to play music. Once more, my understanding was different than Fran Lee’s because I thought this meant I could plug an iPod into the speaker system. When asking where to plug the iPod in, I was directed to an electrical outlet. I explained that I wanted to plug into the speaker system but was told that was not an option. If I wanted my own music, I should’ve brought my own speakers. Instead, I was offered the option of turning on Fran Lee’s satellite music subscription… for an additional cost of $ 100 because they’re «in the business of making money.» I chose to pass on this option. I’m not arguing against a business making money, but it seems like nickel-​and-​diming for necessities that are not explicitly stated upfront.
All in all, we had a good time and made the best of the day in spite of the dingy décor, bad food, and lack of music, but I definitely would not recommend Fran Lee Caterers for any event and will be looking elsewhere for next year’s holiday party.