Frequently Asked Questions
general
What areas do you serve? Will you go as far south as Santa Barbara?
As far north as Monterey?
How many people does the chocolate fountain serve?
What is included in my Chocolate Diva Fountain rental?
What if we want to keep the fountain for a longer period of time?
What if we want more chocolate?
What kind of chocolate do you use?
Is the chocolate fountain kosher?
Do you have insurance and food safety certification?
Do you sell chocolate fountains?
Where can I buy the chocolate?
pricing
How much does it cost to rent a Chocolate Diva Fountain?
How much of a deposit do you require to reserve my date for me?
booking
How do I book the Chocolate Diva Fountain for my event?
dipables
Do you provide the dipping items? What do you recommend?
Can I provide the dipping items?
set up & logistics
What size chocolate fountain should I have for my wedding?
Do you provide plates? What about trash?
What are the space and electrical requirements for the Chocolate Fountain?
How do you display the dipping treats? Do I need to provide anything?
I am having an outdoor party. Can the Chocolate Fountain be used outdoors?
general
What is a chocolate fountain?
We're not quite sure who invented it, but certainly it was someone
who LOVED chocolate. A chocolate fountain is simply a tiered
stainless steel fountain with a heating element in its basin. A motor-driven auger carries warm chocolate up to the top tier, and the
chocolate then cascades down continuously like a chocolate waterfall.
Guests have a wonderful time dipping items such as fruits, cookies,
marshmallows, etc., in the fountain. 
top
What areas do you serve? Will you go as far south as Santa Barbara? As far north as Monterey?
Our regular serving area is San Luis Obispo County. We are based in
the city of San Luis Obispo, and travel from Nipomo to Paso Robles
without extra charges. We do on occasion work with special clients
outside SLO County and add a travel surcharge to these events. top
How many people does the chocolate fountain serve?
We offer fountains in four sizes: Weekender (19") , Tall (27") , Grande (36") and Extra Grande (44").
1) The Tall (27") Fountain is great for up to about 75 - 85 people: All inclusive
2) The Grande (36") Fountain is great for up to about 150b- 175 people: All inclusive
3) The Extra Grande (44") is great when you have more than 175 people up to 400 or more. All inclusive
4) The Weekender is great for up to 40 people. The Weekender is 19" and is the only fountain where you rent it for the weekend and we teach you everything you need to know to have a great party. Included are 4 lbs of chocolate and instructions. You return it the following Monday.
If you want to offer your guests more variety, we suggest renting
fountains with two different types of chocolate.
We offer a discount on the second fountain of the same or lower price provided they are near one another and one chocolatier can attend both fountains. If they are not together, your event may require a second chocolatier in which case there is no discount on the second fountain. Also, we offer discounts for combined Chocolate Fountain/ Espresso bar set-ups (see coffeediva.com for details).
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What is included in my Chocolate Fountain rental?
Our package price is ALL-INCLUSIVE, unlike other companies that add on a per-head charge or per-item charge.
Your chocolate fountain rental includes:
· Your chocolate fountain
· Serving table, either 4 foot or 6 foot
· Black table cloth, skirt, your choice of gold, silver, red or white top garment with lights
· Choice of dark, milk or white gourmet chocolate
· On-site, uniformed fountain attendant: delivery**, set up,
maintenance and removal
· Wooden fondue skewers and cocktail napkins
**Your attendant will be present an hour before your event to set up
the fountain, and an hour afterwards to break down, remove and clean
the fountain.
During the dipping time your attendant assists guests with the
fountain and answers fountain related questions. He/she keeps the
fountain replenished and discourages the guests from "double dipping" and "skinny dipping."
Serving platters for your event, including dipping treats: fresh strawberries, Maui pineapple, cookies assortment, pretzels, marshmallows. top
What if we want to keep the fountain for a longer period of time?
We charge $40.00 per half hour for additional dipping time should you
wish us to keep serving past the agreed-upon time. top
What if we want more chocolate?
Extra chocolate is rarely needed, but is available and the cost
depends on the number of guests. top
What kind of chocolate do you use?
We only use premium gourmet couverture chocolate: Callebaut from
Belgium. Couverture (French for "covering") chocolate has about 35
percent more cocoa butter than regular chocolate and is used as a
coating when making chocolates and truffles. It is ideal for
chocolate fountain dipping. Our chocolate does not require the use of
added oils in our fountains, something to consider if you want the
very best in display and presentation. top
Is the chocolate fountain kosher?
Yes, we only use certified kosher chocolate in our fountains. top
Do you have insurance and food handling certification?
Yes, we are the only chocolate fountain rental company that carries
comprehensive general liability insurance and we have a current
permit with the San Luis Obispo County Department of Health. top
Do you sell chocolate fountains?
We sell the Weekender home models in our coffeehouse/juice bar Outspoken at 1422 Monterey Street in Uptown San Luis Obispo. top
Where can I buy the chocolate?
At our store in San Luis Obispo. top
pricing
How much does it cost to rent a Chocolate Diva Fountain?
Unlike companies that provide a flat-fee service, we believe that
each event is unique, and we want to work with you to ensure that you
get exactly the service that works for you. You may want our Extra
Grande fountain with dark chocolate and the Tall with white chocolate
for your entire reception. Perhaps the Grande fountain would work
best with just appetizers. Some brides prefer a chocolate fountain
instead of wedding cake, and we can help you decide what serving
times and fountain(s) will work best for serving your event. Please
fill out the Contact Us Form and we will be in contact to provide an
all-inclusive quote for you. top
Do you take credit cards?
You may make a deposit or payment on our website. We accept Paypal,
Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Of course, checks are welcome,
too! top
How much of a deposit do you require to reserve my date for me?
We require a 50% deposit to reserve your date at the time of booking,
and the balance within 7 days of the event. We cannot hold a date
until your deposit has been received. top
booking
How do I book the Chocolate Diva Fountain for my event?
After receiving your quote, you will want to call or email to make sure that your date is still available. If still available, You can reserve your Chocolate Fountain by sending us (via our online website or check) a 50% deposit to hold your date and send one copy of your quote signed by you to (the Chocolate Diva, PO Box 12443, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406) or by fax: 805-545-7664.
We can only book one fountain per date, and weekends often fill up 6 months to a year in advance. Reservations are limited and are on a first-come, first- served basis.
Once your reservation is confirmed and you've paid your deposit, we will send you an email confirming that we have received your deposit and agreement.
The balance of your payment is due at least 7 days prior to the date of your event. top
dipables
Do you provide the dipping items? What do you recommend?
Unlike other companies that provide dipping items on a "per item"
charge, our package price includes all of the following: fresh
strawberries, bananas, fresh, sweet Maui pineapple. assortments of
cookies, marshmallows, and pretzels.
We have found in our years of experience that it's better this way:
there is something for everyone and our clients feel incredibly well
taken care of — spoiled, even! top
Can I provide the dipping items?
Our experience has also taught us that it's best for us to take care
of the entire Chocolate Fountain area, including displays, food
items, and serving platters, in order to maintain the quality and
level of service that have earned us the reputation of "best" on the
Central Coast. We are open special requests and make every attempt to
work with you to ensure that the presentation meets your standards. top
set up & logistics
Do you provide tables?
We provide a 4 foot rectangular table for our Weekender (19") and Tall
(27") Fountains. For our Grande (36") and Extra Grande (44"), we
provide a 6 foot banquet table. top
Do you provide table linens?
Our package price which we quote you includes our standard black
table skirt, our black table cloth, and your choice of gold, silver,
white or red table topping/embellishment. Any other linens must be
agreed to at the time of booking and available to us at least two
hours prior to our start time. top
What about lighting?
We provide festive lighting for the tabletop area only, i.e., small
lights beneath the table toppings. If there are any additional
lighting needs (i.e., if you are setting the chocolate fountain in a
dark corner, a room with difficult flourescent lighting) it is up to
you to provide additional Lighting. We are happy to consult with you
on this, and have lighting resources that may be useful. It is your
responsibility to ensure that the fountain area is visible and that
the lighting is congruent with your event. top
What size chocolate fountain should I have for my wedding?
We have four sizes, and can accommodate any size group, depending on
your needs and the details of your event. top
Do you provide plates? What about trash?
Yes, we do provide small plates and cocktail napkins. We teach people how to enjoy the chocolate and keep it off of themselves, their neighbors or the floor. Our motto is "in you not on you".
We do provide a 30 inch high black trash can (2 for the Extra Grande)
beside our table for used napkins and skewers which we dispose of
ourselves. We never leave behind any mess! top
What are the space and electrical requirements for the Chocolate Diva Fountain?
We need at least a 10 foot by 10 foot area so that guests will not be crowded as they enjoy the fountain. This area CANNOT be in a breezy doorway or adjacent to an air vent, as temperature changes and wind will carry the chocolate. In the event that we are providing two or more fountains, this may need to be larger.
The Chocolate Fountain requires a 120-volt grounded electrical outlet that adheres to contemporary safety standards and supplies at least
15 amps, within 10 feet of the set-up location. top
How do you display the dipping treats? Do I need to provide anything?
We have a variety of tiered platters that we provide, depending on the size of the event. For weddings, we would ask that you provide one or two small bouquets to fit the 6 inch high "mussy tussies" that top our silver tiers — a nice touch! top
I am having an outdoor party. Can the Chocolate Fountain be used outdoors?
Unfortunately, chocolate fountains are too attractive to insects and the flow of the chocolate is too sensitive to wind and temperature shifts to be used outdoors. top
How about in a tent?
Again, we have to say no. Our reputation is spotless, and we want to keep it (and the bride's gown) that way! Unless it is a tent built on a platform, totally wind-protected and temperature controlled, we have to say no to this request. top
