FAQs

How does À La Carte Rentals work?

The Central Park Picnic Service À La Carte is an affordable way to take your picnic to the next level. You bring the food, we’ll bring the zhuzh! Choose one of three convenient Upper West Side locations to pick up your equipment. Our friendly picnic expert will meet you at the designated time & place to hand-off the equipment. Bring your equipment back to the same meeting spot three hours later to drop it off. Easy breezy lemon squeezy! For an additional fee, we can meet at your picnic spot in Central Park for the pick-up, saving you time and allowing you to get a jump-start on the next adventure. Add a food option to round out the perfect picnic!

How does Blanket for Two (or more!) work?

Choose one of our favorite Central Park picnic locations. Our team of picnic experts will scout out the area ahead of your arrival, pick the best available spot and set up your perfect picnic. 15 minutes before the designated start time, we will text you a pin of the exact location. Two hours later, we’ll arrive to begin breakdown. A delicious charcuterie board for two is included in your package and a curated “best of the best” NYC picnic fare is also available.

How can I reserve my picnic?

Please use the Contact Form to submit your requested day and time. Once confirmed via email, your picnic can be reserved with a NON-REFUNDABLE 50% deposit. We accept all major credit cards.

How is payment manged?

If your picnic is confirmed 7 days or less before the event, the FULL PAYMENT is required at the time of booking and is NON-REFUNDABLE. The only exception is if we cancel due to rain.

For bookings confirmed 8 days or more in advance, once your booking is confirmed via the Contact Us form, you will receive an invoice via email for a 50% deposit on your picnic. All of our picnics require a 50% retainer that is NON-REFUNDABLE unless we cancel due to rain. Payment is required to secure the date & time for your event. The remaining balance must be paid 7 days prior to your event date. If the remaining balance is not paid 7 days prior to the event, the picnic will be canceled and the deposit will be forfeited.

What happens if it rains?

Raindrops are like kisses from heaven - except when it rains on your picnic. We use The Weather Channel app, which updates the hourly rain forecast every 24 hours. We will make the call on whether or not to proceed with your picnic three hours in advance of your start time. At that time, if TWC shows a 30%+ chance of rain during your planned event, your reservation will be cancelled, you will be notified via email, and you will receive a full refund. If you are unsure, please check your email 3 hours prior to your picnic. No news is good news, so if you don’t receive an email, it means the picnic is on! For your convenience, we are also available via WhatsApp.

Can we bring our own food & beverages?

Absolutely! You are free to bring whatever you like to the picnic. However, please check out our “add-ons" list for a super-curated selection of some of NYC’s most delicious picnic fare.

What if we want to extend our time?

Life’s a picnic and should be fully enjoyed! Please inquire about extending the time of your package when you book. We are a small business on a tight schedule, and we have other clients to attend to, so please don’t ask to extend your time on the day of your picnic. We unfortunately, are not able to accommodate last-minute requests. Thank you for understanding.

What happens if we break or lose Something?

Please don’t (wink, smile, chuckle). At Central Park Picnic Service we only rent top-of-the-line equipment, in like-new condition. We’re a small business with the goal of spreading picnic joy. Please don’t kill the vibe by caring for our gear as if it were your own. Lost or damaged items will be charged at the replacement value to the card on file.