Restaurant fundraising dinner

Buy out a restaurant for a night, sell tickets above the per-head cost, and add a speaker, auctions and a raffle.

Typically raises

$15,000

$4,000–25,000 per eventest.

About $250 per organiser hour

Based on a 100-guest dinner at $150

Is it right for us?

Money: $10,000–50,000
Work: A team for weeks
Helpers: 3–6 people
Lead time: 2–4 months
Red tape: Some

Uncommon: a treat night that most groups haven't tried

People: 6-10
Organiser time: 40-80 (estimate)
Lead time: 8-12 weeks
Up-front cost: $500–$7,000. Venue deposit; some venues want a guaranteed minimum number paid in advance.
Risk: Medium. If the venue holds you to a minimum number, unsold seats are your loss.

Can suit, but rarely run by: Primary or intermediate school, High school, Sports club or team, Church, Charity, Community group, marae or service club

When: Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov), Christmas

How big a job: A small team for weeks, 3–6 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Take about $17,000, pay about $2,000 of costs, and you keep about $15,000 per event: the typical result for a 100-guest dinner at $150.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

Worked model in this report: 100 guests, $150 ticket, $70 a head venue cost gives about $15,500 net with auctions and raffle (assumptions labelled). Low and high are estimates.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Agree the per-head price, minimum numbers, deposit and cancellation terms in writing.
Set the ticket price so each seat earns a clear margin.
Book a speaker who connects to the cause.
Collect 3-5 strong live-auction items and 10-20 silent-auction items.
Sell tables to networks first, then single seats.
Set a run sheet: arrival with silent auction, entrée, speaker, main, live auction, dessert, raffle draw.
Have card payment ready for auction winners on the night.
Follow up winners and donors within a week.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Helpers for the day or night, and local businesses for prizes.
Ask people to buy: People to book tickets or tables, and turn up.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 6–8 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Community newsletters and magazinesResidents’ newsletters, village magazines and other churches’ bulletins often run community notices free. Small ones close early.
Other groups sharing itAsk the school, kindy, church, sports club or marae down the road to share it in their newsletter or page. Offer to share theirs back.
Free notices in local papersMany local papers print some community notices free: ask what they offer. Not every town still has one, so check what comes to your letterbox, and book early.
Writing a press releaseA one-page story the paper can use: what’s happening, why, a quote and a photo. Coverage is up to them, not you.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: NeededA business’s site (shop front, store BBQ)
Landowner’s permission: NeededYes, in writing
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: CheckUse a licensed venue and confirm its licence covers your event. A club licence usually covers members and guests only
Gambling rules: NeededClass 2: prizes up to $5,000 and all tickets printed worth up to $25,000. Run by a club or society, with the money going to community or charitable purposes. Prizes at least 20% of ticket value; sold in person only, every ticket numbered (our rule: on paper). Prizes over $5,000 need a Class 3 licence

The restaurant's licence and food registration cover the meal and bar. Ticket and auction payments can't be receipted as donations.

Make more from it

Live auction of 3-5 strong lots
often $2,000-15,000 at a well-heeled dinner (estimate)
a good auctioneer turns competition between tables into money
Silent auction of donated items
often $1,000-5,000 at a 100-person event (estimate)
guests browse between courses or acts
Raffle on the night
often $300-1,500 (estimate)
the crowd is already there with cash or cards out
Paddle-raise or pledge appeal for one costed need
often $1,000-10,000 (estimate)
a specific ask in the room after a moving speaker; gifts are receiptable for donee groups

Stack it: on its own, about $15,000. With the 4 priced add-ons above, roughly

$32,900est.

What you can get donated

Auction items, raffle prizes, speaker's time, wine (for consumption, not prizes).

Tips

Run the live auction after the main course, when the room is settled (AANZ advice).
Ask the venue for a cut-down 'charity menu' price.

Watch out for

A minimum-number guarantee you cannot meet.
Too many live lots; three per group is a good limit (AANZ).

Also pairs with: Guest speaker, Raffle

Free tools for this

Event budget and break-evenCompare pay-per-head with a guaranteed minimum before you sign with the venue.
Event run sheetPlan the night to the minute so the auction and draw don’t run late.
Silent auction kitAdd a silent auction on the night: bid sheets, terms and a winners register.
Checklist for any ideaBefore, on the day and after, built from this idea’s own steps and rules.

Typical rules

Alcohol: at a licensed restaurant, hotel or club bar the venue's own licence normally covers the bar; confirm with the venue before planning BYO or your own bar.
Raffle on the night: a lottery under the Gambling Act 2003. No licence if total prizes are $5,000 or less and turnover is $25,000 or less (Class 1: both $500 or less; Class 2: run by a society). Alcohol, tobacco, firearms and some other items are illegal prizes, so no wine hampers as raffle prizes.
Tax receipts: a ticket price or an auction purchase is not a donation, even when the price paid exceeds the item's value (IRD QB 16/05). Only a separate, voluntary gift (e.g. a donation appeal on the night) can get a donation receipt, and only from an approved donee organisation.
Auctions are not gambling under the Gambling Act. The Fair Trading Act auction rules still apply, and anyone who carries on business as an auctioneer must be registered under the Auctioneers Act 2013; a volunteer calling one charity auction is a different situation, but check (Commerce Commission fact sheet).

Check the details

Sources

Researched October 2026. All fundraising ideas

* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide