Questions, answered.

Every event is quoted individually. Your quote reflects service duration, guest count, menu, staffing, equipment, venue logistics, travel and the alcohol you purchase separately. Tell us about your gathering and we'll prepare a custom quote. Quotes are valid for seven days and do not hold your date.

Every full-service package includes professional bartenders, the mobile bar and equipment, Ice and practical beverage chilling equipment appropriate to your event. Still water and four selected nonalcoholic beverage varieties are included. Sparkling water counts as one variety, with up to two flavors. Selections and quantities are confirmed during event planning. Choose four standard mixers suited to your menu. Options include cranberry, orange, pineapple and grapefruit juices, sour mix, club soda, tonic and ginger ale. Ginger beer and specialty ingredients are available for an additional charge. Cups, napkins and package-appropriate garnishes, full setup and breakdown, local travel within our standard Chicago service area, and alcohol purchasing guidance. Alcohol is purchased separately by the client or venue and is not included in Shake & Gather’s invoice. Exact inclusions are confirmed in your quote.

Still water and four selected nonalcoholic beverage varieties are included. Sparkling water counts as one variety, with up to two flavors. Selections and quantities are confirmed during event planning. Available choices may include cola, diet cola, lemon-lime soda, ginger ale and sparkling water; selections are confirmed during event planning.

Choose four standard mixers suited to your menu. Options include cranberry, orange, pineapple and grapefruit juices, sour mix, club soda, tonic and ginger ale. Ginger beer and specialty ingredients are available for an additional charge.

Yes. If you already have your bar setup and beverages covered, Bartender-Only Service has a four-hour minimum consisting of one hour of setup and three hours of event service — not four hours of guest-facing service. You provide the alcohol, beverages, mixers, garnishes, ice, drinkware, consumables and chilling equipment, unless additional supplies are included in your quote. Bartender-only service does not include the mobile bar, ice, mixers, disposables or other full-service supplies.

Yes. Pop-up and mini activations are available for intimate gatherings. Tell us about your occasion and we'll recommend a setup and service format that fits.

Full-service mobile bar packages include the mobile bar and equipment. If your venue already has a usable physical bar, we can provide package service at your existing bar — the professional service, tools, ice and package-specific mixers and consumables — without transporting a mobile bar structure.

Yes. For offices, hotels, venues and event spaces with an existing physical bar, we provide BASSET-certified bartenders, bar tools, ice and the consumables associated with your quoted package — without transporting a mobile bar structure.

Yes. Shake & Gather bartenders are required to maintain current BASSET certification. Certification is one part of professional service; venue permission, insurance requirements and cleanup responsibilities are confirmed for each event.

Yes. Our Craft experience includes up to two signature cocktails selected from the available cocktail menu, with seasonal options available. Fully custom cocktail recipe development is available as a separately quoted enhancement. It can also be added to another package, confirmed in your quote.

Selected nonalcoholic beverages are included in full-service packages. Enhanced mocktails and expanded zero-proof menus are available as quoted additions. Some mocktail adaptations need recipe development rather than a simple swap, so we'll confirm details in your quote.

Your quote separates professional service charges from event consumables. The products we supply for your event—such as mixers, garnishes, ice, cups and napkins—are charged at our cost, without a product markup. Applicable sales tax is itemized separately. Alcohol is purchased separately by the client or venue and is not included in Shake & Gather’s invoice.

You don't have to calculate that yourself. Shake & Gather determines appropriate staffing based on guest count, menu, venue and service needs, so the right number of professionals is behind the bar. If you have a specific request, you can describe it in the notes field of your inquiry.

Tell us about your event and let us recommend the experience. Share your vision, guest count and the feel you're going for — we'll help you find the bar experience that fits.

Yes. Private cocktail-making classes bring hands-on instruction to your home or a suitable event space, for birthdays, celebrations with friends and team gatherings. Classes are quoted individually — share your group size, occasion and favorite flavors and we'll prepare a quote.

Your estimate is a starting point. This shopping list is based on the information and assumptions entered into the calculator. Final quantities and specific bottles may change based on your selected cocktails, recipe measurements, guest preferences and confirmed event details. Please have Shake & Gather review your list against your intake and selected menu before purchasing. Saving a plan does not submit an inquiry or reserve your date.

Shake & Gather serves Chicago and surrounding Chicagoland areas. Travel to your venue within our standard Chicago service area is included. Any additional distance-zone travel, plus parking, tolls or extraordinary access charges, is disclosed in your quote before you book.

Yes, subject to event conditions and setup requirements. Outdoor service requires suitable shelter and a safe backup plan. From backyard celebrations to garden receptions, we'll help plan a bar setup that works for your space.

An inquiry, saved plan or quote does not reserve your date. Booking requires quote acceptance, a signed agreement and the required payment, subject to availability. Ordinary bookings require a 30% retainer calculated on the entire invoice, credited toward the total. The remaining balance is due 14 days before the event. Bookings accepted 30 or fewer days before the event require full payment upfront and a 20% short-notice premium. Final guest count and beverage selections are due 30 days before the event, or at booking for short-notice events.

We encourage early booking, especially for weddings, corporate holiday events and popular dates. Availability varies by date, so reaching out early gives us the best chance of holding your date.

Yes. Tips are voluntary, and there is no mandatory gratuity or tip guarantee.

Our Booking Policies page covers reservations, payment, changes and service expectations. It's linked from the footer and from the inquiry form.