Chai & Tea Station for events across India
A desi live chai counter with brass kettles, kulhads and a full tea menu from masala chai to green and herbal teas.
What's included
Every chai & tea station booking is all-in: crew, equipment and consumables for 50+ guests, from ₹90 per guest. Here's exactly what arrives at your venue.
- Brass kettles & kulhads
- Chai wala in ethnic attire
- Snacks pairing option
- Herbal tea selection
Menu & best uses
Pick as many of these 6 drinks as you like — a tighter menu pours faster, a longer one photographs better. Off-menu and dietary requests are free.
Chai & Tea Station packages & indicative pricing
Pricing for chai & tea station works off a per-guest rate that drops as guest count rises, because setup, travel and the first machine are fixed costs. Below are the three tiers we quote most often, with what each includes and an indicative total at a realistic guest count for that band.
| Package | Service window | Guest band | From (per guest) | Indicative total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-day shift | 4 hours | 50–100 guests | ₹100/guest | ₹10,000 at ~100 guests |
| Full-event shift | 8 hours | 100–250 guests | ₹90/guest | ₹22,500 at ~250 guests |
| Full-day multi-counter | 12 hours | 250+ guests | ₹80/guest | ₹40,000 at ~500 guests |
All rates are indicative starting points that include crew, equipment and consumables. Minimum booking value is ₹7,500. Tier 1 metros, outstation travel, branding and extended hours are quoted on top. GST is extra.
Half-day shift
50–100 guests · 1 counter · 1 crew
- 4-hour service window, plus 75 min load-in and 40 min teardown
- 1 counter at roughly 110 drinks an hour
- Chai wala in ethnic attire
- Brass kettles & kulhads
- Herbal tea selection
- A 4-drink menu — Adrak Chai, Elaichi Chai, Kashmiri Kahwa, Green Tea
Smaller, shorter events — Festive events and Weddings
Full-event shift
100–250 guests · 1 counter · 1 crew
- 8-hour window, so you can run a morning and an evening sitting
- Counters scaled to your guest count using the planner below
- Brass kettles & kulhads
- Chai wala in ethnic attire
- Snacks pairing option
- Herbal tea selection
- Full 6-drink menu with one off-menu request
- Snack pairing — samosa, khari, biscotti included
The standard booking for Festive events and Weddings
Full-day multi-counter
250+ guests · 2 counters · 3 crew
- 12-hour window with a staggered crew so the counter never closes
- Multi-counter layout with a dedicated queue lane per counter
- Brass kettles & kulhads
- Chai wala in ethnic attire
- Snacks pairing option
- Herbal tea selection
- Full menu, a signature drink developed with you, and printed menu cards
- Named event manager on site from load-in to teardown
- Consumption report and GST invoice within 24 hours
Full-day and multi-zone events where queues are the real risk
| Add-on | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Snack pairing — samosa, khari, biscotti | ₹70 per guest |
| Kulhad upgrade with branded sleeves | ₹18 per cup |
| Second chai counter for a big lawn | ₹9,000 per counter per day |
Add-ons are optional and quoted as separate line items so you can drop any of them without re-pricing the whole event.
How booking chai & tea station works
Five steps, with the timings we actually work to. Most clients get from first enquiry to a confirmed date inside 48 hours, and 10 days is a comfortable run-up to event day.
- 1
Send the brief and get a costed plan
Day 0 · reply in 2 working hoursTell us the date, city, venue, guest count and how long you need the counter open. We reply with a counter plan, a menu, the crew and machine count from the planner below, and an indicative per-guest rate for your chai & tea station — no site visit needed for a first number.
- 2
Lock the menu, branding and date
T−10 daysChoose your drinks from the 6-item menu, confirm milk and sugar options, and send branding artwork if you want the counter and cups carrying your logo. A 30% advance holds the date and the crew; the balance is due against a GST invoice after the event.
- 3
Recce, load-in and setup
T−75 minutesThe crew reaches the venue 75 minutes before doors. We build the counter, connect to the 16A point, flush and heat the machine, dial in the grinder against the day's humidity, and taste the first drinks about 20 minutes before your guests arrive.
- 4
Live service with queue management
2.5 hrs–12 hrs on the floorEvery counter holds about 110 drinks an hour. One crew member works the machine while runners keep cups, milk and garnishes moving and read the queue — if a session breaks early, we pre-pour and pre-steam so the line never stalls at the counter.
- 5
Teardown, handover and invoice
40 minutes after close · invoice in 24 hrsWe strip the counter, carry out segregated waste and leave the floor as we found it — 40 minutes, start to finish. You get a cup-count summary and a GST invoice within 24 hours, with PO and vendor-portal details if your finance team needs them.
How many baristas and machines do you need?
Capacity planning for chai & tea station comes down to three numbers: how many drinks land in the busiest hour, how many drinks one counter can hold, and how much floor space the venue can give you. Here is how those play out from 50 to 1,000 guests.
| Guests | Peak drinks/hour | Counters (machines) | Crew on floor | Counter space | Service window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 20/hr | 1 | 1 | 2 m × 1.5 m (3 sq m) | 2 hrs · ~95 cups |
| 100 | 40/hr | 1 | 1 | 2 m × 1.5 m (3 sq m) | 2.5 hrs · ~190 cups |
| 250 | 100/hr | 1 | 1 | 2 m × 1.5 m (3 sq m) | 3 hrs · ~475 cups |
| 500 | 200/hr | 2 | 3 (2 on machines + 1 runner) | 4 m × 1.5 m (6 sq m) | 4 hrs · ~950 cups |
| 1,000 | 400/hr | 4 | 6 (4 on machines + 2 runners) | 8 m × 1.5 m (12 sq m) | 4 hrs · ~1,900 cups |
Formula: peak drinks/hour = guests × 0.4 (the share who order in the busiest hour). Counters = peak ÷ 110 drinks per counter per hour, rounded up. A runner is added for every second counter. Counter space is the running counter length, excluding the ~1 m the crew works in behind it.
One counter is one crew member plus one machine, and holds about 110 drinks an hour at a pace it can sustain all event — push past that and shot quality and queue times both suffer. Not everyone drinks in the same hour, though: for chai & tea station roughly 40% of guests order in the busiest hour, which is why 1000 guests need 4 counters rather than twelve. That works out to about one machine per 250 guests — the same ratio we use for conference breaks, where one machine per 200–250 delegates is the planning rule. Across a full event, expect about 1.9 cups per guest.
Venue requirements for a chai & tea station
Everything below is what a chai & tea station counter needs from the venue — worth forwarding to your banquet manager, facility team or production lead before load-in day. Per counter, the short version is 2 m × 1.5 m of level space, one 16A power point, and water nearby. We bring the rest.
- Counter footprint
- 2 × 1.5 m
- Per counter, plus about 1 m behind for the crew to work
- Power
- 1 × 16A
- Per counter. Peak draw is roughly 2.4 kW — one dedicated point per machine
- Load-in / teardown
- 75 / 40 min
- Access before doors open and after the last guest leaves
- Comfortable lead time
- 10 days
- Double it for peak wedding and conference season
| Requirement | Barista Station brings | Venue provides |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Counter, skirting, back-of-counter prep and a bin station | A level, dry 2 m × 1.5 m spot per counter with one open serving face |
| Power | Machines, extension reels, surge protection and a spare cable run | One 16A point per counter (2.4 kW peak), generator-backed for outdoor venues |
| Water | Filtered water cans and boiler treatment so the machine stays scale-free | 15 litres stored per counter, plus a tap within 20 m |
| Crew | Uniformed, FSSAI-trained crew — 90 guests each, with a supervisor from two counters up | Vendor passes, parking, and crew meals on shifts over 8 hours |
| Consumables | Loose-leaf tea, whole spices, milk, sugar, kulhads and serveware | Nothing — every consumable is on us unless you ask us to use your stock |
| Waste | Segregated dry and wet waste bagged and carried out | A bin point or a housekeeping handover at teardown |
| Access | 75 min load-in and 40 min teardown with our own trolleys | A service lift or ramp, and the access window confirmed in writing |
Your venue checklist
- One 16A point per counter, or clearance for an LPG burner
- 2 m × 1.5 m per counter, ideally not fully enclosed
- Ventilation for steam and spice aroma
- Water access and a waste point for used kulhads
Chai & Tea Station vs other setups
Picking between setups is mostly about guest flow and venue constraints, not taste. This table compares chai & tea station with the three services clients most often shortlist alongside it.
| Setup | From | Best for | Staffing & throughput | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chai & Tea Station (this page) | ₹90/guest | Weddings, Festive events, Corporate breaks | 1 crew, 1 counter per 100 guests · ~110 drinks/hr | Desi, aromatic and the fastest counter we run |
| Live Coffee Bar for events | ₹180/guest | Conferences, Weddings, Product launches | 1 crew, 1 counter per 100 guests · ~75 drinks/hr | Café-grade espresso bar that works in a ballroom or a lawn |
| Wedding Coffee Bar for events | ₹220/guest | Mehendi & Haldi, Sangeet, Reception | 1 crew, 1 counter per 100 guests · ~70 drinks/hr | Decor-matched and styled to your mandap palette |
| Hot Chocolate Bar for events | ₹150/guest | Winter weddings, Kids' parties, Christmas events | 1 crew, 1 counter per 100 guests · ~85 drinks/hr | Warm, sweet and a hit with kids and winter nights |
Per-guest rates are indicative starting points for the minimum guest count of each service. Many clients combine two setups — an espresso bar plus a chai counter is the most common pairing at Indian events, because roughly 40% of guests reach for tea.
Chai & Tea Station: questions & answers
The nine things clients ask before booking chai & tea station — on cost, inclusions, staffing, lead time, travel, invoicing, contingency, customisation and cancellation.
Still unsure? WhatsApp us your date, city and guest count and you'll have a counter plan the same day.
How much does chai & tea station cost in India?
What's included in a chai & tea station booking?
How many baristas and machines do I need for 200 guests?
How far in advance should I book?
Do you travel to outstation and destination events?
Do you provide a GST invoice and support vendor onboarding?
What happens if the venue loses power mid-event?
Can we customise the menu and brand the counter?
What is your cancellation and rescheduling policy?
Chai & Tea Station by city
We run chai & tea station in 60+ Indian cities with local crews, and travel to destination venues.
Tier 1 cities
Tier 2 cities
Other services
Most chai & tea station bookings come together in a single phone call: you tell us the date, city, venue and guest count, we send a counter plan and a per-guest rate the same working day. For a 100-guest event that is 1 counter, 1 crew, 2 m × 1.5 m (3 sq m) of space and about 190 cups — a plan you can hand straight to your venue.
