- Most hotels are reluctant to quote/guarantee food prices more than 6 months in advance. Be sure and include a % increase in your budget over the current food/beverage pricing
- Don't forget to include tax and service charge in your budget!
- When signing banquet event orders read terms and make sure they are the same as your contract…if not, mark through them and put something like "see contract"
- Once guarantee is given you will be charged for the guarantee or actual number, whichever is higher
- Once guarantee is given, you cannot decrease the guarantee - but you can increase
- Hotel will typically set room and prepare for 3-5% over your guarantee
- Request that all food/beverage set up be complete 15 minutes prior to scheduled serving time
- Make sure beverages served in individual bottles/containers are charged on consumption
- The larger the attendance the more flexibility (and options you can offer) with your order
- To control cost & depending on size of item (cookie, Danish, brownies, bagels, etc.) - request they be cut in half/smaller sizes for serving
- For small meetings - many hotels will charge a service fee for groups under 25/30 people
- Methods for determining actual attendance for buffets will vary by hotel - ask the hotel what their policy is. Some base the fee on seats occupied, plates used, etc….
Timeline for Ordering Food and Beverages
| Contract Stage | Provide hotel with F&B estimates/history; Give them the big picture for your event |
| Planning Stage | Keep hotel updated with changes and estimated attendance |
| 1-2 Months Prior | Send food/beverage order to hotel (can specify quantities 1-2 weeks prior). Hotel will then send you Event Orders to sign & return |
| 48-72 Hours Prior | Provide hotel with your final guarantee for food/beverage events |
Timeline for Ordering Food and Beverages
| Contract Stage | Provide hotel with F&B estimates/history; Give them the big picture for your event |
| Planning Stage | Keep hotel updated with changes and estimated attendance |
| 1-2 Months Prior | Send food/beverage order to hotel (can specify quantities 1-2 weeks prior). Hotel will then send you Event Orders to sign & return |
| 48-72 Hours Prior | Provide hotel with your final guarantee for food/beverage events |
Hotel Terms
| Sales Manager | Hotel contracts |
| Convention Sales Manager (CSM) | Contact person throughout planning process and on-site |
| Banquet Manager | Contact person that is assigned to oversee your event & hotel staff |
| Banquet Staff | Hotel staff actually working your event |
| Set up Staff/Facilities | Hotel staff responsible for setting up tables, chairs, etc. |
| Event Orders (EO) | Banquet Event Orders (BEO's) or Banquet Prospectus (BP)- event sheets hotel staff works from; includes your F&B orders, timing of events, etc. |
| F&B | Food and beverage |
| Host Bar | Drinks paid for by the "host" organization |
| Cash Bar | Drinks paid for by the individuals **Can have a bar that is a combination of cash and host |
| Charged on Consumption | Only charged for items consumed (soda, indiv. wrapped snacks, etc.) |
| Beverages and Coffee Breaks |
| Morning | Regular Coffee: | Attendance x 60% |
| Decaf Coffee: | Attendance x 25% | |
| Tea: | Attendance x 10% | |
| Soda: | Attendance x 25% |
| Afternoon | Regular Coffee: | Attendance x 35% |
| Decaf Coffee: | Attendance x 20% | |
| Tea: | Attendance x 15% | |
| Soda: | Attendance x 70% |
| Coffee: | 12-20 cups per gallon (check with hotel to see what size coffee cups they use….8oz, 10oz, etc) 128 oz in a gallon, so if coffee cups are 8 oz then you will get 16 cups per gallon. |
| EXAMPLE: | 500 people | × | 75% = | 375 people |
| 375 cups | / | 16 cups = | 23.5 gallons | |
| 23.5 gallons | × | $75/gal = | $1762.50 | |
| $1762.50 | × | 27% = | $ 475.88 |
$2238.38 for morning coffee break
Tips:
- When in doubt - order a smaller amount and increase beverage order when you are on-site
- If you are meeting multiple days - check with hotel staff to see how much you used on day 1 and increase/decrease* your order accordingly for the following days (*if hotel allows you to decrease)
- If limited budget - you can place a minimum order and let the staff know they can continue to replenish up to a specific amount and to check with you before replenishing anything over the set amount
***Based on example above - order 8 gal regular, 6 gal decaf, 2 gal hot water/tea & hotel can add up to 7 gal as needed - Ordering by the gallon or by the dozen is usually more cost effective than paying per person - use a comparison to see how it prices out (costs can increase quickly if ordering per person!)
- If ordering per person check on any stipulations (limited to 30 minutes of service, etc.)
Receptions
- 50% of attendees will stay for cash bar after a meeting
- Consumption per attendee typically averages 1.5 drinks per person for a 1-hour cash bar
- 80% of attendees will stay for a host bar
- Consumption per attendee typically averages 2.5 drinks per person for a 1-hour host bar
- WINE = Estimate 5 glasses of wine per bottle
- WINE = Estimate 3 glasses of wine per person for a 2 hour reception
- WINE = Estimate ½ bottle of wine per guest at a seated dinner
- These numbers might be different for you -know your audience & your group history!
Tips for Food
- Foods that require the use of plates, forks, etc. tend to be more expensive - true "finger foods" are usually less expensive
- People tend to eat less if they don't have plates to load up!
- Butler Service is where servers are passing trays of food - another way to control consumption (if people have to ask what each item is before they choose it also slows consumption a little)
- Have trays/food set out on a time schedule rather than all at once - also decreases consumption
- If reception is scheduled right after a meeting - consumption tends to be less
- If people have an opportunity to go back to their room, change clothes and rest - they are more relaxed and will enjoy the food/beverage more (and consume more)
- The tighter the space for the reception - the less people consume
- Salty, greasy, spicy and sweet foods create thirst that guests will quench with additional drinks
- Seating for 20%-25% of the guests is optimal (if you don't want to encourage guests to sit and eat)
Tips for Bars:
- Bartender fees are standard costs and are usually based on a set amount of time per bartender
- Bartender fees will sometimes be waived based on a minimum dollar amount in sales at the bar
Guidelines
On average, guests will eat seven hors d'oeuvres during the first hour of a reception. Additional Guidelines:
Type of Reception
|
Type of Eaters
|
# Hors d’oeuvres per person
|
2 hours or less
(dinner following) |
Light
|
3-4 pieces
|
Moderate
|
5-7 pieces
| |
Heavy
|
8+ pieces
| |
2 hours or less
(no dinner following) |
Light
|
6-8 pieces
|
Moderate
|
10-12 pieces
| |
Heavy
|
12+ pieces
| |
2-3 hours
(no dinner) |
Light
|
8-10 pieces
|
Moderate
|
10-12 pieces
| |
Heavy
|
16+ pieces
|
Bars (Host and Cash) Guidelines
Number of Drinks per Bottle:
Number of Drinks per Bottle:
| 1 ounce | 1 ¼ ounce | 1 ½ ounce | ||
| Liter | 33.8 ounces | 33 | 27 | 22 |
| 750 milliliters | 25.4 ounces | 25 | 20 | 16 |
Food and Beverage Tips
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Oleh
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