Frequently Asked Questions


This is the best food I’ve ever had! Where is your restaurant so that I can bring the rest of my family and friends to eat?

We don’t have a restaurant. Thrills From The Grill is exclusively an off premise, Special Events Caterer. The food at your function is prepared especially for you, not leftovers from the day before. We staff your job according to its’ service needs, never “stealing” a server from your party because the restaurant is short handed that day. A restaurant is completely different from a catering company. The restaurant mind couldn’t feed 1000 people in 1½ hours; nor could a high volume caterer cook dinner for 4 guests.

What constitutes a special event?

Thrills From The Grill caters Family Days and Company Picnics; Wedding Receptions and Rehearsal Dinners; Holiday Parties: both Social and Corporate, Cocktail and Dinner; Bar and Bat Mitzvahs; Safety Lunches and Inventory Meals; University Functions and High School Athletic Banquets; Grand Openings and Ground Breakings; Birthday and Anniversary Parties; and Block Parties and Backyard Barbecue’s. You might have another idea for a special event. Just call us and let us know.

What size functions do you cater?

We cater groups from 50 to 5000 people; however, the Thrills’ team loves big, tricky parties. At the VA Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, we just fed 1400 people in 1½ hour. We cooked Hushpuppies, BBQ Chicken, Hotdogs and Green Beans and Taters on site for this job. At Quintiles, we fed 1200 people in 56 minutes, serving ½ Chinese food and ½ Mexican food. We cooked Asian and Southwestern Egg Rolls; Beef and Chicken Stir Fry; Vegetable Lo Mien; and Beef and Chicken Fajitas – all on site. On the other hand, one of our Corporate Partners might need box lunches for 50 people; we will gladly accommodate them. Though our average size party is about 300 people, all we really need is a minimum of $1000.00.

What is a Corporate Partner?

Our Corporate Catering Division seeks out companies with 50 or more employees who cater either a company picnic and/or a holiday party. In catering these larger jobs, Thrills From The Grill is able to satisfy their other catering needs. At the same time, we’re respectful of their needs and budgets. For example, Georgia Power in Atlanta, Georgia had a small budget but needed a very nice Thanksgiving luncheon and had more money for a steak dinner retirement party. We met their budget needs at Thanksgiving and made up the difference at the retirement party. We partner with our valued customers to ensure the best possible function while meeting their monetary expectations. Basically, we are in business with our customers.

Is there a discount if I book both my Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding Reception with Thrills From The Grill?

By all means yes. We love catering both the rehearsal dinner and reception. We meet several of your guests at the rehearsal dinner, learning what they like to drink and where they are from. The next day, we are already familiar with many of your guests and ready to make your reception as successful an event as was the rehearsal dinner. Our chefs are able to create menus for both functions that complement and contrast each other. Dan and Fred Metz loved having Thrills From The Grill cater both functions because of these reasons. Your discount is 10% off food for each function.

Can my fiancé and I sample your food?

Again, yes. At the initial consultation, our Wedding Planner will design a menu for you based on your monetary expectations and desired foods; whether you want a sit down dinner with appetizers, a dinner buffet, heavy appetizers, or multiple food stations. When a menu is decided on, you come in and sample the food, sign the contract, and make a deposit. This guarantees your date and is the first step towards a successful, memorable event.

How about tastings for Corporate events?

Yes. After consulting with your Event Planner on the phone, our Sales Manager will schedule a meeting with you to taste our food, sign the proposal, and reserve your date.

This Barbeque tastes a lot like what my Grandfather made. What is your secret?

We smoke our BBQ on seasoned pecan wood for about 12 hours. It’s a cooking technique you can’t achieve with a gas pig cooker. Pecan is a cousin of hickory, and is not as overpowering in its flavor (it’s also great with poultry, beef and fish). We then either hand-pull or chop the BBQ for your party, depending on your requests. Belo created his sauce in 1981 while living in Fairmont, NC-about as far east as you can get; however, its not just vinegar and peppers. All of our customers find our sauce to be more compatible with BBQ.

Can you provide Bartenders and Alcohol?

Yes, we have many professional Bartenders on call for your function. We have our off premise beer and wine licenses and can buy and provide these; however, we cannot provide spirits. We can serve spirits and provide mixers, garnish, glassware, and ice. Our Event Planners will also help you project your beverage needs, so as not to waste money or intoxicate your guests.

Why does your invoice have so many categories?

The “Subtotal” reflects the total of your food, alcohol, corkerage fees, etc. The “service and gratuity” or “labor” reflects these charges. “Delivery” pays the cost of fuel, auto insurance, tires, etc. The other categories reflect what is pertinent to them. What this does is allows the consumers to see and understand what is involved in executing their parties. Some people see these charges and opt to have the food delivered, and they provide their own servers, chafers, tables and linens, and grills.