Planning a group meal and worried about what the restaurant will ask of you? Restaurant event planning comes down to knowing group rules, deposits and deadlines before you book. Check each venue’s terms first.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Lina Stores: set menus required from | 9 guests |
| Lina Stores: deposit for tables of 9-15 guests | £100 |
| Lina Stores: deposit for groups of 16+ guests | 50% of the full set menu cost per person |
| Lina Stores: private dining deposit | 50% of the agreed minimum spend |
| Shoryu Ramen: counts as a group booking from | 6 or more guests |
| Lina Stores: corkage for still and sparkling wine | £20 |
These figures come from Lina Stores’ events terms and Shoryu Ramen’s booking page, two London restaurant groups used here as neutral examples. Terms differ by venue and can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What counts as restaurant event planning?
Restaurant event planning covers any meal that needs more than a normal table booking: a birthday, a team dinner, a party or a rehearsal dinner. The common thread is that the venue wants notice, final numbers and often money upfront.
Shoryu Ramen, for example, treats groups of 6 or more guests as group bookings, and its team reviews each request by hand before confirming, according to its booking FAQ.
Start with the type of occasion, because each one changes which rules matter most:
- For a relaxed get-together with friends or family, read how to plan a group dinner: how to plan a group dinner.
- For a personal celebration, start with these birthday meal at a restaurant ideas.
- For colleagues and clients, use the guide on how to plan a work dinner.
- For the busiest weeks of the year, the christmas party restaurant planning guide is the place to begin.
- For the night before a wedding, use rehearsal dinner planning as your starting point.
If you want to understand why venues set deposits and minimums in the first place, read about how restaurants work, because the rules usually protect kitchen and staffing plans.
Choosing the venue and the type of booking
Before you compare menus, decide whether you need a large table, a private room or the whole venue. You can compare venues side by side with the guide on how to choose a restaurant for a large group.
Lina Stores’ events terms show how one restaurant group splits things up:
- Large table bookings cover 9-15 guests and bring a set-menu requirement and a deposit (Lina Stores events terms).
- Group bookings start at 16+ guests and use a deposit based on the set menu cost (Lina Stores events terms).
- Private dining bookings involve reserving an entire space at one of the restaurants.
- Exclusive hire runs for the entire service, with its own, longer notice periods.
Room size matters just as much as booking type. The Wolseley Piccadilly describes a private dining room that accommodates 15 guests on one central oval table, suited to working breakfasts, lunches or celebration dinners, in its published venue text.
Shoryu Ramen says capacity varies by location, and that most of its restaurants can seat groups of up to 20-30 guests, as stated on its booking page. For the questions to ask before hiring a room, see the private dining room hire guide.
Set menus, pre-orders and dietary needs
Many restaurants ask larger parties to choose from set menus. Lina Stores requires groups of 9 guests and more to dine from its large party menus, which are shared Italian feasting style so no individual dish choices are needed, per its events terms.
The same page lists its Selezione di Lina menu at £35 per person (Clapham and Soho only) and its Festa da Lina menu at £45 per person, which adds a shared main dish. It also says a full pre-order is required for your entire party, so you will need a final headcount early (Lina Stores events terms).
Shoryu Ramen takes a similar view: it offers set menu options for group bookings, which it says can simplify ordering, according to its booking FAQ.
Dietary needs deserve their own deadline. Lina Stores asks for all allergies at least 7 days before group bookings and private events, or 14 days before exclusive hire events, and notes that its open kitchens mean it cannot guarantee the complete absence of cross-contamination (events terms).
The practical lesson is to collect dietary information when you send the invitation, not on the night. Pass it to the restaurant in one tidy list well before its deadline.
How deposits, minimum spend and cancellation terms work
Deposits are how venues protect themselves against empty tables, and the amounts and refund windows vary by booking type. These examples come from Lina Stores’ events terms:
- Tables of 9-15 guests: a £100 deposit, deducted from the final bill, which is non-refundable for cancellations less than 24 hours before the booking.
- Groups of 16+ guests: a deposit of 50% of the full set menu cost per person. Cancel 14 or more days ahead for a full deposit refund, less than 14 days for a 50% refund, and within 7 days the deposit is non-refundable.
- Private dining: a deposit of 50% of the agreed minimum spend, with the remaining 50% due 7 days before the event.
- Exclusive hire: a full refund for cancellations 28 days or more ahead, 50% for less than 28 days, and no refund of the deposit within 14 days.
A minimum spend is the amount a private booking must reach. At Lina Stores it covers food, drink and a discretionary 12.5% service charge, and any shortfall on the day is charged as a room hire fee, while prices vary by location, day, time of year and timings (events terms).
Falling numbers are the clause people miss. If guest numbers reduce inside the cancellation window, Lina Stores still charges the full pre-ordered number of menus, saying this helps avoid unnecessary food waste, according to its booking terms.
Not every venue publishes fixed figures. Shoryu Ramen says that for larger groups and special events it may require a deposit, and tells guests to contact the specific restaurant for details (booking FAQ).
Timing, final numbers and the day itself
Ask how long you keep the table. Lina Stores gives group bookings on its two set menus 2h30min (events terms), and its booking terms say it may ask groups of 16+ guests for the table back after 3 hours. Exclusive hire lasts the entire service.
Deadlines matter more than most hosts expect. Final guest numbers must be confirmed at least 7 working days before a group or private event, and 14 working days before exclusive hire, and that figure becomes the minimum number charged on the day (Lina Stores events terms).
Changing the date is harder than it sounds. Lina Stores considers rescheduling only in exceptional circumstances, at least 7 days before the event (14 days for exclusive hire), and an event may be moved once only (events terms).
Plan for late arrivals and payment. For tables of 9-15 guests Lina Stores can hold your table for up to 30 minutes, and it does not accept cash, taking up to 8 card payments to settle the bill (events terms). If your group wants to pay separately, read how to split the bill for a group before you sit down.
Bringing your own extras usually costs money or needs permission. Lina Stores charges £20 corkage for still and sparkling wines and a £20 cakeage fee for your own cake, per its events terms.
Decorations and entertainment are welcome there only with prior approval from its events team. All decorations must be safe and non-damaging, and nothing may be attached to walls, tables or fixtures (Lina Stores events terms).
A simple planning timeline
Shoryu Ramen recommends booking at least one week ahead for groups of 6 or more, especially at weekends, and 2-3 weeks ahead for larger parties or special occasions (booking FAQ). Use that as a floor rather than a target, and start earlier in busy seasons.
A workable order of play looks like this:
- Fix the date, a rough headcount range and a budget per person.
- Ask each shortlisted venue for its group terms in writing: set menus, deposit, minimum spend, cancellation and timings.
- Book, pay any deposit through the channel the restaurant specifies, and keep the confirmation.
- Collect dietary needs and send them in before the venue’s deadline.
- Confirm final numbers by the deadline, remembering that this figure is usually the minimum you pay for.
- Agree how the bill will be paid before the day.
For wider background on eating out, browse the food and dining guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many people count as a group at a restaurant?
Show answer
It varies by venue. Shoryu Ramen counts 6 or more guests as a group booking (booking page), while Lina Stores requires parties of 9 or more to dine from group set menus, and 7 and above at its Greek Street restaurant (booking terms).
Will I have to pay a deposit?
Show answer
Often, yes. Lina Stores asks for a £100 deposit for tables of 9-15 guests, deducted from the final bill (events terms), and Shoryu Ramen says it may require one for larger groups (booking FAQ).
Can I bring my own cake or wine?
Show answer
Ask first. Lina Stores charges £20 corkage for still and sparkling wines and a £20 cakeage fee for your own cake (events terms), and other venues will have their own policies.
What happens if fewer guests turn up than I booked?
Show answer
At Lina Stores, final guest numbers become the minimum number charged on the day (events terms). If numbers drop inside the cancellation window, the full pre-ordered number of menus is still charged (booking terms).
