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Métier, Chef Eric Ziebold's Prix-Fixe, Fine Dining Restaurant in Mount Vernon Square


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Métier will be the higher-end tasting menu format restaurant.  30 seats, $150-ish.  Parker House rolls TBD.

The Ziebolds are shooting for a December opening for both of their restaurants, which will be in the same building...but you know how that goes.

"Métier is the Name of Eric Ziebold's New Luxury Dining Room" by Becky Krystal on washingtonpost.com

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Kinship is open.  Attached is the menu from their website (for some items, the prices are a little different on the menu given at the restaurant).

Dang!  If that's what their casual neighborhoody menu looks like, I'm scared to see what the fine dining menu has!!

Those were my exact thoughts - I have very high expectations for Métier, and wouldn't be at all surprised if it (eventually) turns out to be the greatest restaurant this city has ever seen.

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Does anyone know when Metier will start accepting reservations?  Am getting close to flipping over two cards on the whole life calendar thing and thought it might be perfect.

I asked when booking a table coming up later this month, as I would have preferred to book at Metier, but wasn't given an answer.

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I asked the other night.  They are waiting on things beyond their control .  They were sort of vague on what it was, but I got the idea it was something to do with the city and permits or inspections or something like that.  I also got the feeling like they could, and would like to open today, but they were stuck waiting on paperwork, or approvals from the DC government.

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I asked the other night.  They are waiting on things beyond their control .  They were sort of vague on what it was, but I got the idea it was something to do with the city and permits or inspections or something like that.  I also got the feeling like they could, and would like to open today, but they were stuck waiting on paperwork, or approvals from the DC government.

Sounds like DC and MontCo have some things in common.  Too bad, sounds like I won't make it in time.

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Anyone have any updates about Metier's opening?

I received an email saying they're tentative opening date is April 26 and they will start taking reservations via their website tomorrow, April 14. It's $200 per person which includes service, but not tax and beverages. They charge $150 per person at the time of the reservation and the rest when you're done eating.

You can make reservations up to a month in advance of the calendar date.

The meal starts with hors d'oeuvers in the salon (I wonder if that's the little room just to the left of the front door at Kinship?) and then turns into a seven course tasting menu. They say to allow two and a half hour for dinner (which has been the average time for a Kinship dinner for me!) and they also note that gentlemen are asked to wear jackets while dining.

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I got this email yesterday:

Dear Guest,

Thank you for sending us your email information in anticipation of Métier's opening.

It is with great enthusiasm that we are reaching out to you as we will begin to accept reservations for the restaurant next week. Reservations will become available as of April 14 but we are giving you the initial opportunity to reserve as early as Wednesday April 13, ahead of the general public. The restaurant is tentatively scheduled to open on April 26.

Métier is an intimate restaurant, with 12 tables only. Reservations are not guaranteed and will be available on a first come, first serve basis. 


A few other details about what to expect:

  • Reservations at Métier can be made via our website at www.metierdc.com up to a month in advance of the calendar date. Please click on the link "Make a Reservation" to check availability for a specific date. The restaurant accepts reservations for parties of up to 6 guests, Tuesday through Saturday for dinner.
  • Dinner at Métier revolves around a chef-driven experience, with a selection of hors d'oeuvres to begin in our salon, followed by a creative seven course tasting menu priced at $200 per guest including service. Tax and beverages are not included. Please allow two and a half hours on average for dinner. "¨
  • All reservations require a $150 per guest deposit that will be charged upon making the reservation. The balance of your dinner will be charged on the night of your reservation. "¨
  • Cancellations with full refund of the deposit are acceptable up to two days prior to your reservation. If the cancellation occurs within 48 hours of the reservation date, the deposit will not be refunded. "¨
  • Kindly note that we do ask for gentlemen to wear jackets while dining at the restaurant."¨

Should you not be able to reserve at your preferred time, we look forward to seeing you in the future.

Best regards,

Eric Ziebold & Célia Laurent

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The meal starts with hors d'oeuvers in the salon (I wonder if that's the little room just to the left of the front door at Kinship?) 

When I received a tour of the unfinished Metier space this winter, I was shown a cozy, living room-like antechamber in the basement (complete with a fireplace, if I recall correctly) that will lead into the main dining room.

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I think we weren't supposed to share the email, so that those on the list could have a first crack at reservations.

But since others have spilled the beans, we are going Tue 5/3. We wanted to go opening night but my girlfriend is on a business trip that day.

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My bad, damned by the rule of unintended consequences. I hope the one day heads up will be seen as a "(DR) Community Service" but appreciate the views otherwise.

It's a reasonable interpretation. If they had *really* wanted to lock it down to their list, they could have done so easily.

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12 minutes ago, DPop said:

DonRocks, our source for BREAKING NEWS :P

And your source alone, for the time being.

The best thing people can do is to tell their friends about this community. There will be lots of news broken here that won't be broken anywhere else, and I'm not going to Tweet about it, so the only way people will know, for now, is to sign in.

Don't assume that this forum will always be password-protected, however - write like you're writing for the general public, because one day you probably will be.

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11 minutes ago, Pool Boy said:

No corkage = booooooooooooo

10 minutes ago, Simon said:

+1

No boo! Have you seen Kinship's wine list? Try a bottle (or a glass) of their Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé and then let me hear you say, "Boo!"

Note: This is not the legendary Didier Dagueneau, who passed away several years ago, but a descendent - but no matter, because the wine is wonderful.

Métier has a full-time sommelier, Kerstin Mikalbrown, whose job it is to select good wines at a fair price. This is a luxe dining experience, and I (for one) have changed my mind about the virtues of walking into a restaurant such as this holding a brown paper bag (or even my black leather wine case). This place *must* survive financially - trust me, once you go there (if you haven't), you'll see why I say it *must* survive financially, for the good of Washington, DC (I'm talking here about the entity as a whole; I haven't been to Métier).

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1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

No boo! Have you seen Kinship's wine list? Try a bottle (or a glass) of their Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé and then let me hear you say, "Boo!"

Note: This is not the legendary Didier Dagueneau, who passed away several years ago, but a descendent - but no matter, because the wine is wonderful.

Métier has a full-time sommelier, Kerstin Mikalbrown, whose job it is to select good wines at a fair price. This is a luxe dining experience, and I (for one) have changed my mind about the virtues of walking into a restaurant such as this holding a brown paper bag (or even my black leather wine case). This place *must* survive financially - trust me, once you go there (if you haven't), you'll see why I say it *must* survive financially, for the good of Washington, DC (I'm talking here about the entity as a whole; I haven't been to Métier).

I, indeed, have, Don, and have been to Kinship three times.  Hard pass at those markups.  Last Saturday, I happily paid $50 at Kinship to drink my own Dujac.  For me, the choice is between BYO or, in all likelihood, spending less than $50 on wine with that kind of list (as I did on my second visit).  This is getting into personal territory, but you brought it there: I personally am not a heavy drinker so I don't need a bottle to split between two people and at these markups will pass.

ETA: I was told by Celia in December that Metier would also be offering $50 corkage, so this is something of a reversal.

 

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24 minutes ago, Simon said:

I, indeed, have, Don, and have been to Kinship three times.  Hard pass at those markups.  Last Saturday, I happily paid $50 at Kinship to drink my own Dujac.  For me, the choice is between BYO or, in all likelihood, spending less than $50 on wine with that kind of list (as I did on my second visit).  This is getting into personal territory, but you brought it there: I personally am not a heavy drinker so I don't need a bottle to split between two people and at these markups will pass.

ETA: I was told by Celia in December that Metier would also be offering $50 corkage, so this is something of a reversal.

If you happily paid $50 to drink a Dujac (which, depending on the Dujac, cost you more than your entire meal), then all is well. I gladly pay them $11 to drink a five-ounce pour of their Brun in good stemware, served at the proper temperature, and *not shaken up* - I don't care if they have five-hundred wines that cost over a thousand dollars, as long as I can find something good to drink in the $40's, and I can.

I still think restaurants (including Kinship) should charge more for food and less for wine (because the best wines in the world can be found in personal cellars, but their food can't be obtained anywhere else), but as long as it all works out in the end, it doesn't really matter.

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2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

No boo! Have you seen Kinship's wine list? Try a bottle (or a glass) of their Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé and then let me hear you say, "Boo!"

Note: This is not the legendary Didier Dagueneau, who passed away several years ago, but a descendent - but no matter, because the wine is wonderful.

Métier has a full-time sommelier, Kerstin Mikalbrown, whose job it is to select good wines at a fair price. This is a luxe dining experience, and I (for one) have changed my mind about the virtues of walking into a restaurant such as this holding a brown paper bag (or even my black leather wine case). This place *must* survive financially - trust me, once you go there (if you haven't), you'll see why I say it *must* survive financially, for the good of Washington, DC (I'm talking here about the entity as a whole; I haven't been to Métier).

I do not want them to fail. However, I do like to dine out more often than less often. Paying corkage allows me to extend my dining out budget. It also lets me choose a bottle to drink out of my cellar at the time ***I*** think it is ready. It also allows me to try a vintage of a bottle that I have that is older than what is on the list at Metier or any other place for that matter. $50 is steep, but I would pay that to bring the right bottle.

That being said, I am happy to buy a sub $100 bottle (ideally sub $75) that is not ridiculously marked up that is on their list in most situations.

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3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Métier has a full-time sommelier, Kerstin Mikalbrown, whose job it is to select good wines at a fair price.

Second this.

Also, FWIW, having known Kerstin for a long time, I can personally attest that she is committed to (and cites as one of her main motivators) finding and highlighting amazing wines from every price range. We grabbed drinks a few weeks ago at Joe's, where she lamented the fact that fine dining (in DC, especially, but all over) is so focused on trying to upsell already expensive bottles; according to her, the fun of being an expert is being able to find an incredible wine that both pairs with Chef Ziebold's food and that is (*gasp*) reasonably priced.

But, then again, I don't have a wine cellar filled with outstanding bottles that I know have been stored and aged properly, and that I know I like...viewing from that angle, I can see why people might be bummed there's no corkage.

Cheers!

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6 hours ago, DPop said:

I traded e-mails with the sommelier Kirsten yesterday and there are 2 options for wine pairings, $100 and $185, along with the wine list.  Unfortunately, they will not allow corkage.

Ouch.  Does that include service like the meal itself?  

I'm still excited to try Metier, but this hurts more than I imagined it would and as much as I love a good wine pairing, I'm hard pressed to imagine going for either of these options.  

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Not exactly sure on all the math but this is adding up to one expensive night out. 
Dinner - $200 (includes service but not tax)
Wine Pairing - $100 or $185
Sub-Total - $300/$385 
Tax (10%) - $30/$38.50 (unclear how much is taxed since the ($200 includes service)
Grand Total - $330/$423.50 (plus additional gratuity for wine pairing)

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This will not be a long or overly detailed writeup, as I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone.  The space is lovely and it's obvious that they focused on every little detail and spared no expense.  I would say they put more thought and effort into their ceramicware than any restaurant I can recall.  Dinner took about 3 hours and, even on opening night, the service was impeccable.  My wife and I enjoyed the food, though we admittedly had higher expectations given how much we love Kinship.  Metier is not Kinship 2.0 -- there are obviously some similarities, but Metier is more innovative, more imaginative, is done with more precision, and is a very different experience.  Everything is executed flawlessly, but I think the Kinship menu may just be more to my taste (at least compared to last night's Metier menu).  Which isn't intended as a knock on Metier, because everyone has their own tastes and I happen to think Kinship is the best restaurant in the DC area.  I suspect most will prefer the food at Metier.  Regardless, it's a 4 star experience with 4 star execution.

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Gang, this will be my last post on the subject, and I'll move the non-Métier corkage stuff (btw, I agree 100% with Pool Boy) into the corkage thread.

But there should not be any surprises here. Eric came right out and said this was going to be expensive, and that there were going to be things such as caviar, foie gras, Japanese beef, etc. You can get the same-quality food (with less-expensive ingredients, and less formality) at Kinship, which is almost universally being praised for its quality *and* value - there are numerous dishes on that menu for $14, and they're not all that small.

Eric and Célia intend for Métier to be an extravagant, luxurious, extraordinary night out that is meant to be remembered for the rest of your life, with everything you should expect in a Michelin 2-star restaurant (those are my words; not theirs). You can pretty much rest assured it's going to be up there with the most expensive restaurants in town, and with Kinship literally right on top of it, why shouldn't it be? One thing I'm willing to bet on: You won't find a better value for the money, and this is going to be DC's French Laundry, Alinea, Per Se, pick your superlative. I also know virtually nothing about the restaurant (I just know Eric and Célia, and when they say <<luxe>>, they mean <<LUXE>>As in: a 50th birthday or 25th anniversary extravagance). 

That said, Eric flat-out told me, before I ever went, that they're taking Kinship every bit as seriously as they're taking Métier, and that even Kinship is absolutely *not* intended to be a "neighborhood restaurant"; it's intended to basically be a less-formal, less-expensive version of CityZen. If you want to fly first-class, you're going to have to dress up, pony up, and take the elevator downstairs. I'll be upstairs flying coach - come say hello on your way out.

Okay, I've spoken my piece and I'm done - anything more would be repetition.

(ALargeFarva, I didn't see your post until I had already posted this one. Thanks a lot for the tease!)
 
(Bart also asks a very good question below, and I don't know the answer - I think the restaurant will need to clarify this, as I can see it going (legitimately going) either way depending on their business model and revenue forecasts (sorry to reduce it to such MBA terms): This is definitely an ambiguity on their part that will need to be cleared up, and there is no wrong answer - it's either one or the other, it was decided long ago, and they just forgot to tell people which one it is!)

(mtureck, would you consider a brand new Bugatti Veyron for $1 million good value for the money (assuming you couldn't turn around and resell it)? There's no right or wrong answer here; just seeking clarification on your thought process.)

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13 minutes ago, jandres374 said:

Not exactly sure on all the math but this is adding up to one expensive night out. 
Dinner - $200 (includes service but not tax)
Wine Pairing - $100 or $185
Sub-Total - $300/$385 
Tax (10%) - $30/$38.50 (unclear how much is taxed since the ($200 includes service)
Grand Total - $330/$423.50 (plus additional gratuity for wine pairing)

I was wondering how the "service included" and the wine pairings or just a wine order will work.   Am I supposed to tip 20% on the $100/185 wine pairing or is that already included?  Same question if I do what I'll most likely do........order a $40/50 bottle (!).......am I supposed to tip on that or is it included?

For some reason I assumed that since service was included the only addition to your dinner bill would be tax and the cost of beverages.  But then again, if two people order the expensive pairing that's nearly $400 untipped cash that's walking out the door.  But then again, again, I assumed that the reason for including service was to relieve the diner of having to do math at the end of the night........just pay the amount on the bottom of the bill.

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5 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

 One thing I'm willing to bet on: You won't find a better value for the money,

It could be the best meal I have ever/will ever eat, and it still won't be a good value for the money.

Not a knock on the place, as I don't go out to dinners like that for the value...I go for the experience.

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On April 27, 2016 at 4:48 PM, Bart said:

I was wondering how the "service included" and the wine pairings or just a wine order will work.   Am I supposed to tip 20% on the $100/185 wine pairing or is that already included?  Same question if I do what I'll most likely do........order a $40/50 bottle (!).......am I supposed to tip on that or is it included?

For some reason I assumed that since service was included the only addition to your dinner bill would be tax and the cost of beverages.  But then again, if two people order the expensive pairing that's nearly $400 untipped cash that's walking out the door.  But then again, again, I assumed that the reason for including service was to relieve the diner of having to do math at the end of the night........just pay the amount on the bottom of the bill.

To answer your question, I believe service is included in all stated prices. Our check doesn't have the word gratuity anywhere and no gratuity or service was added for the drinks we ordered.  There isn't even a place on the receipt to add gratuity if you wanted to.  Hope that helps.

Edited by ALargeFarva
Deleted tax info
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3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Eric and Célia intend for Métier to be an extravagant, luxurious, extraordinary night out that is meant to be remembered for the rest of your life, with everything you should expect in a Michelin 2-star restaurant (those are my words; not theirs). You can pretty much rest assured it's going to be up there with the most expensive restaurants in town, and with Kinship literally right on top of it, why shouldn't it be? One thing I'm willing to bet on: You won't find a better value for the money, and this is going to be DC's French Laundry, Alinea, Per Se, pick your superlative. I also know virtually nothing about the restaurant (I just know Eric and Célia, and when they say <<luxe>>, they mean <<LUXE>>As in: a 50th birthday or 25th anniversary extravagance). 

This is pretty spot on.  I would even say the service, the experience, the ingredients, the execution is 3 Michelin star quality without question.  In fact, better some 3 star restaurants I've been to (I'm looking at you, Saison and Benu).  For me, the taste of the food at Metier wasn't transcendentally exceptional like The French Laundry, but nowhere is in my opinion.  It is a really intimate space with truly exceptional service and they focus on making it an experience and really focusing on the guests (which I can't say for some 3 star places, like Jean Georges or Le Bernardin, which don't look and feel all that different from a 1 star caliber restaurant like Marcel's or Fiola Mare).

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To clarify, tax is additional, service is not.

So if you order the wine pairing it's already priced with the idea of it being service included as well.

I'm one of those that thinks the current system is antiquated and broken.   Personally, I'd be very happy if that's the future for the hospitality industry.

 

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I will put this here since the email kept bouncing back on Metiers website - I tried to order a gift card for a wedding gift (triggers an email to the restaurant) and kept getting errors sent back. 

I am going to call directly today or tomorrow but figured it was worth the FYI for Eric. 

(Don please delete if this isn't appropriate to put here).  

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I want to mention - and I think the Chef will be the first to agree - that while Eric has good taste in things such as lighting, flowers, ceramic ware, etc., Célia is almost surely the brains behind this aspect. Even if they hired a company, Célia is an artist, and I have no doubt that she's largely responsible for the end product, whatever that end product may be. I have several of her artworks in my home, but I suspect the chance to buy more of them has ended, as this tandem of restaurants (and their adorable daughter, Adèle, who - thank the Lord - inherited much of her looks from her mom) will be taking up all of Célia's time going forward. Eric will justifiably be getting much of the press, but Célia deserves recognition, not just for her floor presence, but for her artistic talents as well.

On a related note, I'm pretty sure it wasn't Tom Power who designed the Go-Go, Chuck Brown-ish vibe of Baby Wale - his wife, Natsu, is an assistant professor of theater at Georgetown University, and unless there's something I'm unaware of, she is the principal artist in the household. 

I'm glad Métier is living up to its considerable opening hype - the bar was set pretty high, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried. I've seen an almost complete disappearance of two people I used to hang around with on a regular basis, and I know now that the only chance I'll have just even to say hello in person is at 7th St. NW (which was completely expected, and perfectly understandable).

I can also tell you this much: If you're worried about leaving a negative comment, I can promise you that Eric wants to know about it - it doesn't have to be in your post, but I'm *certain* he'd appreciate a PM (just keep in mind he's probably the busiest person on the planet right now, so don't expect a long conversation or anything more than a quick "Thank you," at least not in the short term - I also know Eric well enough to know that he'll remember that you did this in the future, even years from now). I myself have a text message into Célia, and we're trying to figure out a time to discuss a minor service glitch I encountered - I'm choosing to do this privately because it was so minor, so easily fixable, and so obviously human error - almost certainly a one-time incident that nobody but these two would even care about. If there was a problem with the food, PM Eric; if there was a problem with the service or any other non-culinary topic, PM Célia. They respect readers of this community, and will appreciate what you have to say - please understand in advance that they simply will not have time for any sort of extended conversation, not at this stage - the national press will be rolling in within the next couple of months.

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Why is the reservation deposit $150/person?  Let's I want to book a table for 2 with a friend, I'd paid $300 when making a reservation.  I guess if we both get wine pairing, then my friend would pay $300 at the restaurant.  Otherwise, we'd have to find another way to true up.  I don't have a problem with a hefty deposit, but $100/head would make bill splitting much easier. 

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35 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Why is the reservation deposit $150/person?  Let's I want to book a table for 2 with a friend, I'd paid $300 when making a reservation.  I guess if we both get wine pairing, then my friend would pay $300 at the restaurant.  Otherwise, we'd have to find another way to true up.  I don't have a problem with a hefty deposit, but $100/head would make bill splitting much easier. 

I don't want to speak for the Ziebolds, but I suspect $100 per person isn't enough. The cost of a no-call, no-show at Métier is undoubtedly severe, as they base their previous night's ordering on how many reservations they have coming up. 

Yours is a legitimate question - perhaps one that will be addressed - but you aren't talking about just a few dollars; you're proposing a drastic difference - one which could cause great harm to the restaurant if it were implemented. It also seems like we're dealing with some pretty round numbers here - $100, $150 - and $150 can be easily divided among 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 people. Allow me to stress: These are merely my words, and I know absolutely nothing about their internal operations.

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37 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Why is the reservation deposit $150/person?  Let's I want to book a table for 2 with a friend, I'd paid $300 when making a reservation.  I guess if we both get wine pairing, then my friend would pay $300 at the restaurant.  Otherwise, we'd have to find another way to true up.  I don't have a problem with a hefty deposit, but $100/head would make bill splitting much easier. 

Why would $100/person make bill splitting easier?

Dinner is $200, and includes service, but not tax. So even if you didn't drink at all, if you had laid down the $100/person deposit, you're still not square at the end of the night if your dining companion pays the day-of bill.

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Assuming no drinks.  The person who makes the deposit is down $300 @ $150/person.  The day of person pays $100 plus tax. No way to true up without cash.

@$100/person, the deposit is $200.  The day of person pays $200.  Each can then pay equal amount of tax on the day of without cash changing hands.

 

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Is this really an issue? With the world of credit cards, Venmo, and the variety of other ways we pay, is it that hard? 

I think the bigger issue is a $150 deposit! Wow. That's aggressive. But, we are in a new gilded age so 100, 150, 200... People will pay 

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