Mystic Meals

We love popping up with local businesses, events, organizations and people doing cool things in the desert. Some of our favorite events have come from simple messages asking us to come set up.

We want every pop up to be good for everyone involved, the host, our customers, your customers and us. Before reaching out, please take a minute to read through our booking guidelines.

• WE DO NOT PAY VENDOR FEES FOR EVENTS WE ARE INVITED TO.

If you are asking Mystic Meals to come provide food at your business, venue or event, we will not pay a booth fee, space fee, percentage of sales or other fee for the opportunity to vend.

Bringing a food pop up to an event is a substantial investment on our end. We purchase inventory, prep food, schedule staff, transport equipment, set up, break down and assume the financial risk of whatever doesn't sell. At the same time, we're providing a service to your guests, helping keep people at your location longer and bringing our own following through your doors.

We believe that exchange should benefit both sides.

• PLEASE DON'T DOUBLE BOOK FOOD VENDORS.

If you invite us to be the food vendor at your event or location, we're accepting that invitation with the understanding that we will be the food vendor unless something different has been discussed with us beforehand.

Adding additional food vendors after we've committed directly divides the same pool of customers between small businesses that have already invested money, labor and inventory into being there.

More vendors may sound better on paper, but without the attendance to support them, it usually just means everybody sells less.

If you're planning a larger event where multiple food vendors genuinely make sense, that's totally fine just tell us before we agree to participate. Any additional food vendors should be discussed and agreed upon in advance.

• PLEASE BE REALISTIC ABOUT ATTENDANCE.

We don't expect anyone to predict the future, but please give us the most accurate information you have about expected attendance, previous turnout and the nature of the event.

Preparing for 300 people and serving 50 isn't simply a slow night, it can mean hundreds of dollars in food, labor and prep that can't be recovered.

• PROMOTION IS A TEAM EFFORT.

We'll promote events to our audience whenever appropriate, and we ask our hosts to promote them to theirs as well.

Part of the value of collaborating is introducing our customers to your space and your customers to our food. The strongest pop ups happen when both sides are excited about the event and actively tell people about it.

• PLEASE COMMUNICATE CHANGES EARLY.

Dates, service times, locations, expected attendance, additional vendors and major event details shouldn't change at the last minute.

We often begin purchasing ingredients and preparing food days before an event. If something changes, just communicate with us as early as possible.

• WE NEED A SAFE, LEGAL & ACCESSIBLE PLACE TO SET UP.

The host is responsible for making sure we have permission to vend at the agreed location and for informing us ahead of time about any venue specific requirements, restrictions, load in procedures or required paperwork.

Please also make sure we have reasonable access for loading/unloading and enough space to safely operate and serve customers.

• SELLING OUT CAN HAPPEN.

We prepare based on the information available to us while trying to balance having enough food against creating unnecessary waste.

An unexpectedly busy event may mean we sell out before the scheduled end time. An unexpectedly slow event may leave us with unsold inventory. That's part of the risk we take every time we pop up.

• OUR MENU DOES CHANGE.

Unless we've specifically agreed to a menu beforehand, Mystic Meals determines what we serve at each pop up. Availability, seasonality, prep requirements and the type of event can all affect the final menu.

• RESPECT GOES BOTH WAYS.

At the end of the day, we're small businesses and community members working together.

We're not interested in squeezing every possible dollar out of a host, and we don't want a host trying to squeeze every possible dollar out of their vendors either.

We show up, work hard, support the places that support us, and do everything we can to make an event successful.

We simply expect the same consideration in return.

The goal is collaboration, not extraction.

These guidelines are here to keep every pop up fair, respectful, and worthwhile for everyone involved. When that spirit is there, we’re happy to come back again and again.

If the expectations above aren’t respected, plans are repeatedly changed, or the relationship stops feeling mutually supportive, we’ll probably choose not to return for future events. No hard feelings we’d simply rather put our time, energy, and food into places where we’re genuinely wanted, appreciated, and the feeling is mutual.

SOUND LIKE A GOOD FIT?

Send us the date, location, event hours, expected attendance, event description and any other vendors you plan to have involved.

We'd love to hear what you're putting together.