Dinner dance, dinner, banquet
Organise a meal where nobody is left without a place
Dinner dances, paella, couscous, senior citizens' lunches or neighbourhood dinners: online bookings with menu choice, prepayment, and everyone seated at the table.
Why Donoor for this project
The tools you need, already connected and free. No pricing plan, no tiers, no equipment to rent.
The right number of covers
Guests book and pay in advance: you order exactly what you need, with no waste.
Adult and child menu
One price per menu: adult, child, vegetarian. The menu list is ready for the kitchen.
Tables by family
The payer books several places at once and gives the guests' names.
0 commission
For 120 meals at €18, the €2,160 goes to the organisation. The guest can cover the bank fees.
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What to prepare
The honest list of equipment and team you need to make your meal a success. No proprietary hardware to buy, you already have 90% of what you need.
Our team
- 1 kitchen manager or catererThey receive the list of menus a few days ahead.
- 4 to 6 volunteers for serviceDepending on the number of tables.
- 1 volunteer on receptionThey scan the bookings and seat the guests.
- 2 volunteers at the barCard payments taken with a phone.
Equipment and tools
- A Donoor accountFree: bookings, menus, scanning and payment collection.
- A hall with a kitchenOr a hall and a caterer who delivers.
- Tables, chairs, crockeryOften lent by the town hall.
- PhonesFor reception and the bar.
- A seating planBased on the exported list of bookings.
French regulation
What the law says
We explain the legal obligations for your meal in plain language. Checked by our team and up to date for 2026.
Food hygiene
Cold chain, product traceability and preparation in a suitable kitchen. A professional caterer takes care of these obligations.
Temporary refreshment stand
Code de la santé publique, art. L3334-2
Up to five permits a year from the town hall, for non-alcoholic drinks and certain low-alcohol drinks.
Six events exempt
Code général des impôts, art. 261-7-1° c
Proceeds from six support events a year are exempt from VAT and commercial taxes.
Music
A dinner dance with protected music must be declared to SACEM.
Your checklist for D-Day
Everything you must not forget, by phase. Print it and tick items off as you go.
1 to 2 months before
- Book the hall
- Choose the caterer or menu
- Set adult and child prices
- Create the bookings on Donoor
- Apply for the refreshment stand permit
2 to 4 weeks before
- Announce the meal and share the link
- Display the QR code at local shops
- Recruit the volunteers for the service
- Declare the music if it's a dinner dance
- Close bookings at D-5
On the day
- Send the number of meals to the kitchen
- Install the Donoor app
- Welcome guests by scanning
- Take refreshment stand payments by card
- Run the raffle on the day
- Review the takings
Examples to picture it
Three typical scenarios of organisations running a meal, based on common situations, so you can picture realistic cases.
Example 1
Senior citizens' club
End-of-year meal with a caterer, booked by families for their parents, paid online or in cash, recorded on the dashboard.
Possible outcome
95 covers, no menu lost
Example 2
Cultural organisation
Fundraising couscous to fund a trip, adult and child menus, desserts made by volunteers.
Possible outcome
180 meals, €2,600 for the trip
Example 3
Neighbourhood committee
Street shared meal with a €5 contribution, bookings to estimate quantities.
Possible outcome
120 neighbours at the table
Worked example
An organisation's annual dinner dance
150 covers: adult menu at €22, child at €10. Bookings open one month ahead and close 5 days before, so the caterer can order the exact number of menus. Bar and raffle on site, paid by card.
€3,200
meals and bar, into the organisation's account
Hesitating over another platform?
Compare Donoor with other providers on fees and features.
Other compatible projects
Many organisations run or combine several types of project. Explore the related guides.
Available in 19 countries
One platform, 19 countries.
Is your association outside France? Donoor works in these countries too, following each country's rules.
In France
Your donors pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal, online or contactless with Tap to Pay.
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In GreeceFrequently asked questions
What hygiene rules apply to a community meal?
Food hygiene rules apply: cold chain, traceability of products, preparation in a suitable kitchen. Using a caterer greatly simplifies the organisation.
Can we offer several menus?
Yes: one price per menu (adult, child, vegetarian). The number of menus of each type is shown in real time.
Can we serve wine?
With a temporary bar licence issued by the town hall: five per year maximum for an organisation, for certain low-alcohol drinks.
How do we handle those who want to pay on the spot?
Keep some places for on-site sales, paid by card with a phone, or record cash payments to keep a complete list.
Is a charity meal taxable?
Proceeds from up to six charitable or support events a year are exempt from VAT and commercial taxes for a not-for-profit organisation.
How much does it cost to book a meal on Donoor?
€0. No subscription, no commission. Only the bank fees from Stripe or PayPal apply, and the payer can cover them.
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How it works
Set up in under 8 minutes, no technical knowledge needed.
Create the meal
Date, venue, number of covers, one price per menu.
Open bookings
Link by e-mail, on social networks, or QR code displayed at the town hall and in local shops.
Prepare the kitchen
Number of menus by type in real time; close bookings a few days before.
On the day
Guest check-in by scan, bar and raffle on site, paid by card.