Source for Cheap Wine Glasses by the Dozen?

[SethG]

We're hosting an engagement party next weekend for some friends. I hate having wine in plastic cups, and I thought it would be nice to get a bunch of really cheap wine glasses. We're having about 30 people. I've seen a few options on the web for glasses in the $3 range per glass but I'd like to find 'em even cheaper if I can. I want to care not a whit if they get broken.

Mail order/internet sources are welcome. Also if anyone knows of a resto supply place in NYC that might fit the bill, I'm all ears.

[AmyDaniel]

I was on the Bowery today to get a stockpot, but I didn't look at prices for wineglasses.

You could trek to IKEA...my sister bought a set of 6 glasses for $6.

edit to add: there's a bus that leaves from Port Authority to the Ikea in Elizabeth, NJ on a regular schedule on Saturdays and Sundays.

Port Authority to IKEA

Edited April 11, 2005 by AmyDaniel (log)

[SethG]

Amy, that is brilliant. I just checked the Ikea website, and there's a number of different stemware choices at the rate of $3.99 for six glasses!

Unfortunately, the glasses are only available for in-store purchase, which means I would have to trek out to Elizabeth to get them. Thus I'm still looking for other ideas, but if nothing better comes along, I'll make the trip. Thanks so much.

Edit: by the way, if you didn't find your stockpot, you should go to Target. This has been discussed several times here on eGullet-- there's a 16 quart stockpot under the brand name Chefmate that sells for about $30 at Target, and it's stainless steel with an aluminum disc in the bottom. Nonreactive, and it fits in the dishwasher (or at least my dishwasher) too.

Edited April 11, 2005 by SethG (log)

[bloviatrix]

Crate & Barrel has a selection of wine glasses for less than $3 each. They're not as cheap as Ikea, but it is accessible via the subway.

[CaliPoutine]

I know this is going to sound really tacky, and I thought that as well, but this is what we did. Btw, it came out wonderful.

For my wedding last year, we had the option of either renting glasses or getting our own. So, what we did ( because we had a year before the event) was to go to yard sales and thrift shops. We got 125 glasses this way and rarely spent more than 25 cents each. We let ppl take home their glasses if they wanted. We still had about 50 leftover and in fact, a work associate of my spouse just asked if we still had those glasses as she needs them for her sons engagment party. Anyway, I know its short notice, but you could probably check salvation army or goodwill or similar. I had a few conditions before I agreed. No colored glasses, and nothing with promotional sayings on them. We ended up with some really nice glasses. It worked out really well and so many ppl commented on how beautiful and interesting the tables looked.

[misstenacity]

Cost Plus (World Market). I've bought sets of 6 there for $7-12.

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

[mklynch]

check out www.cateringsupplies.com

I bought a couple dozen wine glasses from them as well as colorful mylar table covers, parchment papper and some other stuff. Great prices and great service.

[joey madison]

I've tried the Ikea route before, and while they are dirt cheap, they break like nobody's business. They're SO cheap that you might as well just toss them after a single use.

Bed Bath and Beyond has a set of a dozen wine glasses for $9.99. These are much more durable than the Ikea ones.

[andiesenji]

I second the BBB notion. I have a bunch of their glasses and they are cheap and tough.

The other place I buy glasses is Pier One.

[cdh]

I'll second the IKEA idea. And remember that there's one in Paramus as well as the one in Elizabeth... may be less of a zoo.

Last New Years we picked up 100 Ikea champagne flutes, and at the 4:30 AM end of the evening there were at least 90 of them still standing.

They feel good in the hand, and the price is right. And if you don't have someplace to store them, then donate them to the guests. Maybe find a glass etching kit and design a logo for the event, etc. Every guest could end up with a nice souvenier of the event at a very inexpensive cost.

Either that or rent... and use the Ikea pricepoint to negotiate the rental cost down.

Edited April 11, 2005 by cdh (log)

[bloviatrix]

Another place to try is Fish's Eddy. I know I've seen wine glasses there for pretty cheap.

[therese]

From the size of your party I'll assume that you're not using a caterer, but if you were you could ask your caterer to purchase the glasses (from a supply place where he gets a discount) for you. Mine actually suggested it when I brought up the topic of renting glassware recently, as he knows that I have fairly large parties with some frequency and they weren't much more per stem than renting them would have been.

[rooftop1000]

Dollar store ....they are only a dollar

while buying aluminum pans at 3 for a dollar I noticed that you could outfit an apartment with tableware for about $5 per person

[Priscilla]

Linens & Things has wineglasses and flutes by the dozen for $9.99, too.

[reesek]

popping in to second mklynch.

and add a clickable link!

[designchick88]

I hate plastic glasses too. I bought a supply of glass ones a few years ago because of it. They're kind of a pain to store, but they've come in handy pretty often.

Sources for cheap glasses...

Crate and Barrel always has relatively inexpensive glasses.

Bed, Bath and Beyond/Linens N Things in our city used to have "party packs" of differently shaped wineglasses, $12 for 12. I used to see those packs around the stores a lot during November and December.

I got my inexpensive party wineglasses (and plates) at Big Lots. I am not sure if they have Big Lots everywhere. I think I got several 12-packs of cheap wineglasses for about $25, no joke. If there's a Big Lots anywhere convenient to you, check it out.

[*Deborah*]

For a small (but highly alcoholized) wedding, I picked up 24 IKEA flutes, they were boxed, $4 (CAD) for 4 stems, and while they are far from elegant crystal, they are good enough. We didn't break any, either. I think some of the nicer IKEA stuff may be more fragile than these flutes...

[SethG]

popping in to second mklynch.

and add a clickable link!

←

This link to cateringsupplies.com shows that they sell 8 1/2 oz. wine glasses at $13 for a dozen.

These are all great suggestions, and some of them are so obvious I feel a little embarrassed that I had to ask! I looked at Crate & Barrel but didn't think of Linens & Things or Bed, Bath & Beyond. I think with all these choices I'm all set. Thanks people.

Now: we're not serving dinner, just cocktails and small bites. I'm thinking about making some pate. We're getting cheese & olives. Would it be weird to make a gravlax, to serve with little slices of pumpernickel? That's appropriate, right? Or is that out of place unless it's part of a larger buffet of real entrees?

[sassybat]

i agree with the ikea idea. i have a set of the generic wine glasses, and they've never failed me yet. they get tossed into the dishwasher all the time, and still haven't broken.

[Blondie]

I like the Ikea glasses for the price too. We use them outdoors for BBQs and haven't broken one yet. There's also an Ikea on Long Island, just south of the LIE in Hicksville.

[snowangel]

Now:  we're not serving dinner, just cocktails and small bites.  I'm thinking about making some pate.  We're getting cheese & olives.  Would it be weird to make a gravlax, to serve with little slices of pumpernickel?  That's appropriate, right?  Or is that out of place unless it's part of a larger buffet of real entrees?

←

Not sure what time of evening this is, but I'd serve the gravlax. Bet some of the people won't have had dinner yet...

[M. Lucia]

These are all great suggestions, and some of them are so obvious I feel a little embarrassed that I had to ask!  I looked at Crate & Barrel but didn't think of Linens & Things or Bed, Bath & Beyond.  I think with all these choices I'm all set.  Thanks people.

Now:  we're not serving dinner, just cocktails and small bites.  I'm thinking about making some pate.  We're getting cheese & olives.  Would it be weird to make a gravlax, to serve with little slices of pumpernickel?  That's appropriate, right?  Or is that out of place unless it's part of a larger buffet of real entrees?

←

Don't feel embarrassed at all- you gave me a good idea. I'm going to BB&B to pick up a dozen glasses for entertaining (the Ikea ones break really fast).

And gravlax on pumpernickel (topped with a little dill) sounds great for light bites.

[SethG]

I'm glad no one disapproved of the gravlax, since I put it up yesterday.

I made pate once a year ago, but I must have blocked out what a pain in the butt it is to make. It's a James Peterson duck terrine, and it isn't one of those single-texture blend-it-all-up-and-scoop-it-in deals. It's all about different textures, i.e., more steps for the cook. You make big puree of a bunch of things (mostly pork, pork fat, duck & chicken liver), chop into small pieces a bunch of other things (duck legs, cured pork, pistachios), and marinate strips of other stuff (duck breast and more pork fat).

At the end I was faced with the same dilemma as last year-- I reached the target temperature way before Peterson said I would, but the juices are still running pink not clear as he recommends. What to do? I think I let temperature guide me last time and I didn't kill anybody. So that's what I did tonight. If it comes out like it did last year I'll be very happy.

I'll have to taste it early in the day so I'll know if it's deadly before our guests arrive.

I got the glasses at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Thanks everyone.

Edited April 15, 2005 by SethG (log)