role of food & beverages in events

Excerpt from Event Management Simplified - Copyright © 2002 by Judy L. Anderson 0

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Judy L. Anderson

Excerpt from

Event Management Simplified: A Practical Approach to the

Complexities of Special Events

Copyright ©2002


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"I've learned there are two words that will always draw a crowd — free food."

Live and Learn and Pass It On, Volume VI

Rare is the event without a food or beverage element. Food is one of the major

motivators for people to attend events—unless, of course, it’s an event built around

beverages! Because of this, we want the food and/or beverage to make an impression

on our guests.

The food is often what people remember most about an event and is limited only by the

budget and your imagination. Look at food as an entertainment element and how it can

be incorporated into the theme. Add a new twist such as a chili cookoff or a barbecue

to an outdoor event.

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Keep the audience in mind. Be realistic about the type of foods and beverages that

are served. Keep the demographics of the group in mind. Are they a meat and potatoes

crowd or do they appreciate more trendy foods like sushi? Just as it’s unrealistic to

plan a four-course gourmet dinner when the budget is $5 per person, you wouldn’t

want to serve champagne to a beer-drinking crowd.

Men of all ages seem to prefer more substantial foods, and young men tend to eat more

than anyone. Women like to eat lighter foods or more vegetables. Young adults are

more likely to choose beer or wine over hard liquor. Older people usually appreciate

foods that are less rich or spicy and are more easily chewed. Teenagers like to nibble

on finger-type foods, while children like simple foods that aren’t fussy to serve or eat.

With the movement toward a healthier diet, vegetarian options should always be

available regardless of the event or venue.

Use common sense in selecting the menu. Don’t serve alcohol or give bottles of wine

as gifts if the audience is recovering alcoholics. Don’t serve several meat courses at an

event where most of the guests are vegetarians or vegans. An entree of chicken with

wine sauce would probably go untouched if served to a group of children. You get the

idea!

Ethnic, religious or group considerations are also important. The last thing an

event manager wants is for the guests to be mortified over the menu. Some cultures or


religions don’t eat meat (or only select types) while most do eat fish. If the group is

predominantly from another culture, be sure to include dishes they will enjoy.

Adapt the food to the circumstances. Events held at indoor facilities offer more

variety in the way food can be served than outdoor venues do. Will people sit down for

the meal or will they be required to carry the food around with them? If it’s hot

weather, you’ll need to provide more water, soft drinks or juice. Beer sales at outdoor

events are always greater in hot weather than cool.

For events that last all day, you’ll need to offer more than one meal. If the event is on a

weekend, offering brunch may be more cost effective than serving breakfast and lunch.

Serving lunch entrees for dinner can lighten up a meal, though you may be charged for

the “dinner” price. Meals are also priced differently depending on the day of the week or

the time of day. Many places will charge a higher price after 3:00 p.m. for exactly the

same menu item.

Try to be health conscious about the menu. Greasy foods like French fries or

hamburgers are expected at fairs or festivals, not at more upscale events. Lighter fare

should always be served for luncheons so that guests remain alert. Food should be

pleasing to the eye and colorful, as well as taste good.

Don’t forget about food for volunteers! Events using volunteers should provide food

and beverage in some form to the volunteers. This can be accomplished by making food

available at a volunteer “headquarters” location or by giving volunteers “meal tickets”

that can be used at independent food vendors (e.g. outdoor festivals). Volunteers

appreciate the added benefit of a meal, even if it’s only a sandwich and a soft drink.

Start planning early. You’ll need to start planning for food and beverage at least three

months in advance, and more if possible. This will allow time for researching options,

choosing menus, taste testing, making decisions and knowing what supplies are

needed.

Make use of available resources. Talk to the chef or caterer. Look at menus from

other events or recipes in cookbooks. Better yet, invent your own menu using a

combination of methods.

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Catering services are often available as a part of a facility rental package (in-house) or

you may need to hire an outside caterer. Either way, there are a number of points to

consider. Do-it-yourself catering is discussed at a later point in this chapter.


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Finding a suitable caterer works much like the venue selection process. You’ll start

with a larger group of possibilities, then screen them down to just a few.

Not all caterers are the same! Obtain information on catering companies through

friends, business associates, or do it the old-fashioned way by looking in the phone

book. If you attend a function where the food impresses you, get the business card of

the catering company. Make notations on the card about when and where you obtained

the caterer’s name, as well as remarks about the food, visual appearance or comments

made by other guests. It’s always helpful to have contact information for exceptional

caterers in the file even if you don’t use it immediately.

Full service caterers work with the event manager to prepare and serve the meal and

can provide other elements such as dishes, linens, decor, etc. Drop-off caterers prepare

the food in their own facility and deliver it to the event site (or it can be picked up at

their location) but do not provide service personnel or clean up. Partial caterers will

perform meal preparation at the event site but normally do not include shopping in

their services.

Develop a list of potential candidates. Make a list of potential caterers (no more than

ten) and conduct a preliminary screening. Call around and check on availability for the

dates of your event, the types of events they cater, etc. Based on this information,

narrow it down to three candidates.

Ask each of the three catering finalists if you can visit an upcoming event they

are catering. Regardless of whether it’s a plain or fancy affair, you’ll get a good idea

about the quality of food and service provided. It may also provide an opportunity to

speak with the host about their working relationship with the catering company.

At the very least, ask the caterer for references that you can call to gauge customer

satisfaction. Trust your instincts. If something seems amiss, hire someone else.

Menus and the budget. Most caterers operate from a “cost per person” perspective. To

calculate this for one-time meals such as dinners, divide the preliminary budget

allocated for the meal by the number of persons expected to attend. This gives you the

estimated “per person” amount.

Be sure to indicate whether or not the per person amount includes the gratuity and/or

tax. Most caterers will assume it does not unless you have specified this in advance.


Keep in mind that the catering company must factor its costs for food, equipment and

staff into the budget you have given them.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Event managers have a right to know exactly what is

being provided for the price quoted.

Based on the per person cost, the event manager can choose from among standardized

menus or can ask the caterer to create a customized menu for the event. Given

adequate lead time, most catering companies appreciate an opportunity to create

special menus.

Most caterers will allow a “tasting” of various food items on their menu prior to final

selection so that the client can make an educated choice. Just be aware that

sometimes the care they have taken in the presentation of the food at the tasting may

not be the way the food appears when served to a large group of people. Take a photo

at the time of tasting and compare it to how the food looks at the event. Let the caterer

know that you expect the item to look the same way it did at the tasting when it is

served to your guests.

Does the caterer offer other services? Events can often obtain “package deals”

through catering companies that include items such as table linens, decorations,

centerpieces, votive candles, party favors or other event needs. Since there is normally

a mark up by the caterer, you’ll want to compare whether it would be cheaper to obtain

these items separately through other sources. If the budget allows, the time saved in

shopping or carting supplies to the event may be well worth having the catering

company perform these functions.

Make the final selection based on a combination of menu and service. Contract

details should include information about the menu, beverages, guarantee dates,

number of wait staff, taxes, gratuities and payment schedule. Be sure to specify other

items to be provided by the caterer (e.g. linens, dishes, etc.). Do not sign the contract

until all details have been agreed upon.

Beware of hidden costs! When signing contracts with caterers, be sure to directly ask

them if all potential costs have been outlined. Some caterers do not list items such as

corkage, wait staff, or gratuity on the staff or other items as a way to increase their

earnings at the end. These things can be a budget bombshell if you are not expecting

them. Make it very clear to the caterer that you will not pay for charges that were not

included in the agreement, unless they have been separately discussed and agreed upon.

It is always a good idea to write this statement directly on the contract and initial it.


Follow up. Contact the caterer no less than two weeks in advance to confirm

arrangements. You’ll be required to give an attendance guarantee anywhere from 72

hours to 30 days in advance depending on the venue. Just remember that when the

guarantee is given, it should be a few less than expected. You can always increase the

guarantee; you cannot decrease it.

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Most of the larger venues such as hotels or convention centers have their own in-house

catering services or they contract with authorized food service providers which an event

may be required to use. Event managers work with banquet or catering personnel at

these sites in regard to catering functions. Options for standard or customized menus

are also available.

The advantage of using in-house catering is that it can be included in the “package

deal” for the use of the facility. There is usually no need to bring in dishes, linens, and

the like because they are owned by the venue. Another way to look at is “one stop

shopping.”

For a busy event manager, the opportunity to combine facility use and catering services

at one location can save a great deal of time and coordination.

Most facilities with their own on-site catering stipulate that the catering be only

provided by their facility due to liability issues. If you wish to bring in outside chefs or

vary standard services, check with the venue.

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The type of food service used at an event should be in keeping with the theme and the

desired atmosphere. Just as you choose the menu for an event, you can also select

from a number of standard serving styles—plated, preset, buffets, food stations,

cafeteria style, family style or receptions. Some events may use a combination of

several standard styles. More elegant affairs often use the higher level Russian or

French service styles. A description of various service styles follows.

Plated style. Normally used for seated dinners or conventions, plated service means

that food is assembled on the plate in the kitchen, then brought to the table by the

server and placed before the diner. An advantage of plated service is that it employs

portion control that may result in less cost per person than serve-yourself options.


Preset style. This term is just as it implies. Either all or a portion (such as a salad) of

the food is placed on the table prior to guests being seated. Items such as salt, pepper,

water, bread, butter, cream and others are standard preset items.

Buffet style. In this type of service, guests proceed along a line of tables serving

themselves from a number of foods, thereby reducing the number of service personnel.

Potlucks are a form of buffet style. A partial pre-set (such as the bread, salad and

dessert) can do much to save time, especially if the group is large.

To reduce the amount of time it takes for large groups to go through a buffet line, it’s

always helpful if guests can serve themselves from either side of the buffet tables, or to

have a separate buffet service in another part of the room. A good rule of thumb is one

double-sided buffet service for every 100 people.

Drawbacks to buffet service are that since guests serve themselves, they may take

larger portions or have extra helpings that can result in higher food costs than those for

portion-controlled styles of service. If the crowd tends to be heavy eaters, you’ll need to

increase the quantity. People also tend to move slowly through a buffet line because

they are talking to others or are making decisions about which food to choose.

Food station style. This is a variation of buffet style service where food is placed on

smaller tables at various locations. Service personnel may stand at these stations to

directly prepare foods (e.g. omelets or meat carving) at the request of the guest. This

cuts down on the buffet lines and attendees are able to more freely socialize.

Cafeteria style. Cafeteria style is like a buffet line except the service staff dishes the

food onto the plate according to choices made by the guest. The guest then takes the

food to their table.

Family style. Seated guests serve themselves from common dishes that are placed on

the table by wait staff.

Receptions. Receptions (also known as “butler passed hors d’oeuvres”) are often

replacing traditional sit down dinners because they offer guests a chance to mingle and

carry on conversations while sampling a variety of foods. Hors d’oeuvres and

champagne are traditionally served in this manner.

Cocktail receptions generally refer to the serving of cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres.

Dinner receptions usually serve heavier hors d’oeuvres or slightly larger portions. Hors

d’oeuvres should be able to be eaten in two bites. Another option might be to have food

stations in conjunction with a reception.


Russian style. More elegant sit-down dinners may use this form of service that

features diners helping themselves to food presented by wait staff. More room must be

allowed for wait staff to operate and this practice is often used by smaller specialty

restaurants.

French style. Small, exclusive restaurants or VIP dinners sometimes use this service

style in which the wait person places each food item on every diner’s plate.

Pick the style, or combination of styles, that best fits the event.

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Industry standards for table seating are normally based on “rounds” (round tables)

seating from 2-12 people depending on size, or at “banquet tables” (rectangular shaped

6-8’ tables) providing seating on both sides and the ability to seat between 6-8 people.

Don’t try to squeeze too many people at a table. Add more tables rather than making

guests feel crowded.

Head table. The use of a head table is usually for the purpose of recognition. At an

event like a conference, the keynote speaker or VIPs are included in the seating. The

type of event and the food being served are also determining factors. If the event is a

simple affair, you can probably do without a head table.

Head tables are usually set on an elevated platform or stage so that those attending the

event are able to see the people seated there. If the event uses a head table, especially if

it is on a raised dais or stage, be sure the table is skirted for privacy’s sake.

Use of seating charts and floor plans. These are “mini” versions of a site plan that

serve a multitude of uses for food functions. Larger venues like hotels and convention

centers have computer software to generate seating charts indicating various ways

tables can be arranged in the room. This software has been pre-programmed to factor

requirements stipulated by the fire marshal or others in relation to aisleways, number

of persons at a table, etc.

If you don’t have the luxury of a computer program, you’ll need a scale drawing of the

room on which to plot the seating chart using graph paper. Keep in mind that

aisleways between tables need to be a minimum of 4’ wide (6’ is better because it allows

space for seated guests to push their chairs back a little and for servers to pass

through. At the table, a minimum of 2’ per person is required (3’ is better because it

allows for more “elbow room”).


Number the tables, especially for large groups. Seating assignments can then be made

by table number. Most event planning software includes this feature and allows

information to be changed or sorted in a number of ways. A limited version of an event

management database can be found in more recent releases of Microsoft Access.

On the flip side, if you have planned for a table of eight and six of them cancel at the

last minute, move the remaining two people to another table so they aren’t sitting by

themselves and have the empty table removed from the room.

An option for a nearly full table that is missing guests is to remove place settings and

the additional chairs from the table to allow more room (just be sure the missing guests

will not be arriving later!).

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Event managers should be aware of the ratios of service personnel to guests. At a sit-

down meal, there should be at least one waiter for every 25 guests at breakfast, and one

for every 20 guests at lunch and dinner. For buffets, the desired ratio is 1-to-40 for

breakfast and 1-to-30 for lunch or dinner. If using a venue’s service personnel, clarify

that there will be no extra charge for these service ratios. Depending on the venue, they

may have an even better ratio than what is stated here.

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Since food is such an elemental part of events it should not only taste good, but look

good as well. Presentation is important because it shows guests that someone has not

only thought about the nutritional value of the food, but has taken the time to ensure

that it is pleasing to the eye.

Ask any chef about the importance of presentation and they will tell you it is critical to

the dining experience. The way the food looks affects the way it tastes. When dining, if

presented with a beautiful plate of food combining color, texture, artful arrangement

and perhaps a little garnish, don’t you immediately just know it’s going to taste

fantastic? That’s the ultimate.

Of course, presentation is a little harder to achieve at a banquet, but event managers

should always strive to showcase the food in the best manner possible. Even banquets

find creative ways to decorate tables or the food itself to enhance presentation.


Table linens, dishes, flatware, glassware, decorations and other ambiance enhancers

should lend themselves to the presentation. Candlelight is flattering to food as well as

people. There’s no excuse for guests to have a boring dining experience when so much

can be done to enhance it with little effort.

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When it comes to creating menus, the sky’s the limit. Just because a caterer or

banquet manager may present a standardized menu doesn’t mean you have to use it.

Base your food choices on the type of event, who will attend and the per-person cost.

This frees you to be creative in the menu selection.

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There’s nothing wrong with using standardized menus for those who want a no-hassle

way to make a selection. The information is most often listed according to the per

person price based on various entrees and accompanying side dishes. You may be able

to mix and match the side dishes, change sauces and the like within the established

price structure for entrees. Desserts are normally priced separately.

Another method of menu development is to state the established per-person budget

with a few guidelines (e.g. “I’d like chicken, fish, pasta and a chocolate dessert”) and let

the caterer come up with the specifics. This allows the chef or caterer to be creative in

developing a specialized menu while operating within the parameters you have

established. You'll often get a more creative menu than the standardized one for the

same or less cost!

For entrees, a good rule of thumb is to plan on 5-7 ounce portions. This includes

boneless meat, poultry or fish as well as pasta or other meat substitutes. If serving

bone-in meats, you need to allow for two small cuts or one larger cut. Buffets require

smaller portions than sit-down meals.

Think about the entire meal when determining portion size. What is a reasonable

portion size for a menu of salad, bread, entree, side dishes and dessert? This provides

a good starting point.

Don’t overlook simple dishes in planning the menu. Everything doesn’t have to have a

fancy sauce or elaborate name. Simple dishes with beautiful presentation can often be

as just as impressive as those with a high price tag attached. Keep the clientele in

mind when considering this option.


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With today’s emphasis on a more healthy lifestyle, we need to pay attention to what

we’re asking our guests to eat. Event managers should attempt to provide health

conscious food choices regardless of the venue.

In the movie When Harry Met Sally, one of Sally’s mandatory dining rules was that

accompanying sauces, butter and so forth be served “on the side.” We can take a

lesson from this. To keep it light, we may want to offer our guests the option of adding

sauces, salad dressings or other accompaniments according to their own individual

choice. It’s even better if the sauces and dressings are low in fat and cholesterol, but

big on taste. Just make sure there is enough of whatever is offered "on the side" to

serve everyone at the table.

Keep lunch meals on the light side, especially at conferences or conventions. No

speaker wants their audience to go to sleep in the middle of their presentation due to

a heavy meal. Another way to lighten up the dinner meal is to serve luncheon-type

entrees because they are usually less heavy than dinner entrees.

Vegetarian and vegan options. A great number of folks these days are vegetarians or

vegans, and even people who aren’t may enjoy these menu options. In addition to

vegetables, some of the tastiest entrees can include such things as pasta, potatoes, rice,

tofu or fruit. Event managers should always include a vegetarian option in the menu.

Take care to ensure that what is claimed to be vegetarian actually is. Rice prepared with

chicken broth is not vegetarian. Dishes that include dairy products are not vegan. If in

doubt, request an ingredients list for the dish.

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In selecting beverages, event managers need to keep in mind those that best fit the

event and the site. Some sites do not allow alcoholic beverages or require special

permits for alcohol service. A mix of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is the

most common.

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As a general rule, people drink more non-alcoholic than alcoholic beverages. At the

very least, water and other beverages such as coffee, tea or soft drinks should be

offered. If conducting beverage service outside a standard venue, don’t forget the ice!


If you are serving coffee, order it by the gallon rather than by the cup. It costs much

less that way. One pound of coffee grounds makes about 60 cups of brewed coffee. A

gallon of brewed coffee equals approximately 20 8-ounce cups. Cream and sugar

should also be made available, as well as milk and sugar substitute.

By ordering bottled beverages on consumption, you save money in paying only for what

is used as compared to the per-person price. Depending on the level of trust with the

venue, make sure to discuss with the staff how to account for how much has been

consumed.

A gallon of prepared punch will serve about 24 people. You can purchase punch mix in

powdered or concentrate form, or mix your own concoction. Add sparkling soda, fruit

or ice cream for a different taste. Keep in mind that some people are allergic to

bananas, strawberries or other fruit if you opt to add them.

Bottle deposits. Some states charge deposits on bottles and cans for soft drinks and

some alcoholic beverages such as beer. If the event purchases a keg of beer, you will be

required to pay a deposit to ensure the safe return of the keg. Return clean bottles and

cans to recoup a little of the beverage expense.

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The serving of alcoholic beverages at any event is serious business and your event may

be required to obtain a special event permit through the state alcohol jurisdiction.

Since alcoholic beverages are considered to be controlled substances, events must

conform to laws which basically state that those who provide alcoholic beverages may

be held liable for damages caused by intoxicated patrons. This applies whether the

event is a sit-down dinner or an outdoor festival.

The legal drinking age for most states in the U.S. is 21 years old. If minors are

attending the event, make sure that alcohol is monitored. Events held on college

campuses should be especially careful in this regard. For outdoor events, be sure that

adults aren’t purchasing alcohol and passing it off to minors.

These cautionary statements don’t mean that an event shouldn’t serve alcohol, as long

as other non-alcoholic beverages are available. Plan the event so that the alcoholic

beverages are not the sole focus or primary activity. Knowing your clientele and

understanding that people behave differently when drinking alcohol is important in

planning the event. The best bet is to use trained servers who know what to watch for

when serving guests.


Wine. It used to be that serving wine with a meal was a real treat. Changing times

have caused a shift to more sophisticated tastes and wine is now considered an added

accompaniment to everyday life.

For events on a tight budget, even a relatively inexpensive wine can be a luxury item if

it needs to be purchased in large quantities. Serving a wine punch can stretch the

servings for a bottle of wine by adding juice, sparkling soda or other ingredients.

Matching wine with food is another consideration. While serving the proper wine with

the proper food is no longer so relevant (unless it’s a food and wine event), you should

plan to offer both white and red wine for a sit-down meal.

Wine stewards at wine shops or grocery outlets selling wine can offer excellent and cost-

effective selections. For large quantities of wine, work with a local wine distributor to

obtain the best price or a significant discount. If you want a specific brand of wine,

you’ll need to make inquiries about which local distributor handles that brand.

Wine comes in 750 ml bottles and often in magnums (1.5 liter bottles). A standard wine

pour is 5 ounces which equates to 4-5 glasses of wine per 750 ml bottle. A magnum

provides 8-10 glasses depending on the size of the pour.

Beer. The serving of beer lends itself extremely well to outdoor events, but is also a

good choice for indoor venues, especially those that are sports-related.

It’s cheaper to buy beer in kegs than in bottles but kegs are more difficult to handle

than bottled beer. Kegs are hard to maneuver if you’re trying to transport them

yourself. They’re bulky, they tend to roll, and, they are very heavy! Kegs are a good

choice if they can remain stationary on a table, barrel or other solid surface at the event

site. Many venues will not let you take what is left in the keg with you once the event is

over due to liquor laws.

Be sure to monitor guests if the keg setup is a serve-yourself affair. At the very least, a

trained volunteer should be stationed at the service area both to provide assistance and

to monitor alcohol consumption (think company picnics). For large groups of people,

you’ll need more than one keg to avoid long lines waiting to be served.

Keep the keg service on a “by-the-glass” basis. It is not a good practice to allow guests

to have pitchers of beer because they tend to over-consume at the event’s expense. The

by-the-glass approach also helps in monitoring guests and their behavior.


A full keg of beer is 15 gallons (half-barrel). A quarter-barrel, or “pony keg,” is half that.

A standard pour of beer is 12 ounces. A full keg of beer would equal 160 glasses at 12

ounces each (15 gallons times 128 ounces per gallon divided by 12 ounces). Bottled

beer comes in 12-ounce bottles eliminating the need to measure.

Hard liquor. Also known as distilled spirits, most hard liquor is 80 proof or more in

potency. Proof is a measurement used in determining the strength of distilled spirits

based on a number that is twice the percent by volume of alcohol present. In other

words, a bottle of 90 proof liquor is actually 45% alcohol by volume. The higher the

proof, the more potent the liquor. By comparison, most beer and wine runs from 7-13%

in alcoholic content.

Unless the event has a hefty alcohol budget, no-host (cash) bars are recommended.

This simply means that guests pay for their own drinks. Hosted bars feature drinks

made at the customer’s request for which the event pays the tab. One way to control

liquor consumption for hosted bars is to provide each guest with a set number of “drink

tickets.” Once the allocated tickets have been used, guests must purchase their own

drinks.

A standard pour of hard liquor is 1-1.5 ounces. Most distilled spirits come in bottles

called “fifths,” but some come in quarts. A fifth is 25.6 ounces while a quart is the

standard 32-ounce measurement. The number of pours in the bottle is determined by

the number of ounces used in the pour. It is a good idea to set a policy that only one

standard drink at a time will be served.

Most venues charge per drink. There should be cash register tapes or tickets to

account for the number of drinks served. This system provides an accounting and

avoids any questions or surprises when presented with the bill. .

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Mark ups. Hotels and other venues that provide alcohol service take a large mark up

on sales of these beverages. In fact, there is a far larger mark up on alcohol than on

food in any venue be it a restaurant, bar, hotel, convention center, etc.

Corkage fees. If an event opts to provide its own alcohol (bringing alcohol in from the

outside) as opposed to using the venue’s alcohol service, it may be charged a corkage

fee, ranging from $7-15 per bottle. What this means is that the venue will charge the

event a corkage fee (usually for wine, hence the name) on every bottle opened.


When negotiating the contract with the venue, be sure to inquire about corkage fees or

you may get a very unpleasant surprise on the bill! The good news is that an event can

often negotiate a lesser (or waived) corkage fee in the price package, especially for non-

profit organizations when the product is donated.

Use trained servers! This greatly reduces the risk of persons over-indulging on the

alcohol because servers are trained to watch for potential problems.

Inebriated guests. Under no circumstances should an intoxicated guest be allowed to

drive. Send the guest home in a taxi, even if the event has to pay for it. In the long

run, it will cost far less less than a lawsuit filed against the event.

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Before signing a food and beverage contract, be sure that you understand what is or is

not included and the level of service that will be received.

Guarantees. Whether using in-house catering services at a venue, or an outside

caterer, you’ll be required to give a guarantee for the number of meals ordered. The

required timeframe may be anywhere from 48 hours to 30 days out. Keep in mind that

once the guarantee has been given, the event will be charged for the stated number of

meals. You will be allowed to increase the guarantee number, but not to decrease it.

When giving the guarantee, it’s often better to give a number slightly less than what you

expect (which you can later increase) than to be charged for meals that aren’t used

because you over-guaranteed. For events holding multi-meal functions, a guarantee is

required for each meal.

The purpose of guarantees is to give the caterer time to order food, schedule staff and

do advance preparation. If the event has selected a customized menu this advance

notice is doubly important because standard food preparation has been altered.

Overset. Most caterers and venues factor in an “overset” amount that is a percentage

of the guarantee number, but don’t expect this to be the case unless you have verified

this practice. Event planners need to keep this in mind when giving the guarantee.

The current average for overset is 3-5%. This means that if a guarantee of 100 meals is

given, the caterer will prepare 3-5 extra meals to cover unexpected guests. The event is

not charged for these meals unless they are used.


Note: This is not always the case in regard to overset. There may be exceptions with

special orders or split menus since they are outside the standardized preparation.

If the meals go unused, this is obviously a financial loss to the caterer, so every attempt

should be made to accurately forecast the guarantee number. On the other hand, if the

guarantee is too low and more guests are present than the overset can cover, some

guests may have to dine on alternate courses or be left waiting for additional meals to

be prepared.

Attrition clauses. Most venues include attrition clauses in their contracts. This

means the venue pre-determines (based on your attendance estimate) the space and

meal requirements for the event. This may be tricky if you’re trying to a book venue a

year or more in advance since attendance figures are strictly estimates at that point.

Estimating attendance will be easier for events with a history than for those that are

brand new.

Event managers should pay attention to—and negotiate terms for— attrition clauses

because the event is essentially agreeing to a guaranteed attendance long before the

event happens, and for which the event may be required to pay. Best advice: Be

realistic, but cautious, in providing projected attendance estimates!

The venue looks at the type and size of the functions planned for the event and puts a

price tag on each one. The numbers are then totalled and a factor of about 80-85% is

applied (allowing for less than estimated). The revised number indicates to the venue

the space requirements and amount of revenue anticipated to be generated by the

event.

What this all boils down to is that the attrition clause is a projected amount on which a

hotel or other large venue can base their ability to accommodate other events in

addition to (or instead of) yours.

Gratuities. It used to be that gratuities (or tips) were given as a gift for good service.

These days, gratutities are automatically added to the bill (whether you receive good

service or not). When it comes time to pay the bill, in the event of poor service, the

gratuity charge should be re-negotiated.

At the current time most venues, caterers and restaurants are charging a gratuity rate

of plus or minus 20%. This means that at a 20% rate, for every $100 the event spends

on items subject to the gratuity, an additional charge of $20 will result.

Clarify which items in the contract are subject to a gratuity charge. Gratuities are

normally charged on food and beverage amounts, but be sure to ask about whether


room rental, parking, audio visual or other items are subject to the charge. Ask to have

gratuity charges itemized in the bill as well.

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Food and beverage costs are normally one of the largest expenses in an event budget.

Food focused events typically spend 60-75% of their total budget on food and beverage

costs. In comparing this to minimal (or no) costs for events in which food and beverage

are not predominant factors, you can readily see the budget impact.

The average margin of profit for catered food functions is 30-40%. The good news is

that while occupying a large percentage of the event budget, food costs are often some

of the most flexible.

The average profit margin for beverage-only functions runs between 80-85%. This

explains why liquor sales generate such tremendous revenue. The profit margin on

beverages also applies to soft drinks, coffee, etc. Movie houses are a good example

because they make more money on soft drinks than on any other food item sold.

Here are a few ways to save money on food and beverage costs:

Provide smaller portions Less quantity, less expense

Serve cultural cuisine Many choices for inexpensive,

tasty foods

Substitute menu items Serve fish or chicken instead of

beef, pasta instead of meat

Beverage purchases Coffee by the gallon, liquor by

the opened bottle, sodas on

consumption using a soda

machine instead of by the bottle

Eliminate courses Soup or salad instead of soup

and salad or a similar course

Bar service No-host (cash) bars as opposed

to hosted bars

Keep it light Serve luncheon items for dinner

Accurate guarantees Develop the art of estimation

Sponsors Find a sponsor to cover the cost

These are but a few examples of ways to save money on catering costs. Examine your

event closely to come up with your own!


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Many of the considerations relating to food and beverage contracts have been discussed

elsewhere in this chapter. The best advice still remains—know what is involved, and

even more importantly, understand it before signing a catering sales agreement.

The catering contract/agreement is a legally binding document. If you have

questions, obtain clarification. Don’t hesitate to ask about any paragraph, sentence or

word that you don’t understand.

Negotiate. Then negotiate some more. Most caterers or facilities are willing to

negotiate for food and beverage functions, especially if large numbers are involved,

because it benefits them to do so. Event managers are often able to get the best deals

on functions involving liquor sales because the profit margin on liquor is greater than

than on food. The venue or caterer has more negotiating room.

Don’t sign a contract with a guaranteed minimum in revenue. Most venues or caterers

are willing to work with you to meet your budget depending on the level of flexibility.

Know how much you have to spend (including gratuity). Juggle the menu to include

less expensive options. If hotel rooms are involved, leverage that against food and

beverage prices.

Be specific. Clarify the timeframe for guarantees as well as the percentage of overset.

Ask that the service ratio of wait staff to guests be spelled out and make it clear there is

to be no extra charge. Clarify on which items the gratuity will be charged. Are there

corkage fees or taxes? Specify whether liquor sales are to be conducted on a “bottle

basis” or “per drink” basis.

Cancellation. If the event is cancelled within a specific timeframe, try to negotiate a

“lost profit” as opposed to “lost revenue” scenario. Profit is defined as 30-40% of

anticipated food and beverage revenue. The venue is technically only losing the profit,

not the total revenue, because they didn’t have to pay out expenses for staff, food costs,

and the like to conduct the event. Another method is to use a “per person” basis to

calculate lost profit based on the food function (e.g. $5 per person for breakfast, $7.50

for lunch, etc.).

Miscellaneous items. Don’t assume that table linens, decor, votive candles, upgraded

china, centerpieces and the like are included as part of the deal. Ask what is included

in the package price and what isn’t. Based on the value of your event, you may be able

to negotiate some of these items into the contract for no additional charge.


Banquet Event Orders. Hotels or large venues such as convention centers use

banquet event orders (BEOs) in addition to the original contract or agreement. Banquet

event orders are usually broken out by date and time and present a very detailed

schedule of what happens when, how many and other pertinent information. Event

managers are normally required to sign off on these documents because they are much

more detailed than the general contract. Examine each BEO carefully. You’ll

sometimes find mistakes or need to clarify items in these documents.

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Not all events choose to use contracted catering services and many opt to do it

themselves. With this choice come various needs that may or may not be available at

the event site. Outdoor events are particularly subject to these variables and present

their own unique challenges.

It may seem like a superhuman effort to produce great volumes of food but if adequate

facilities and volunteers are available it may be extremely cost efficient. Working in the

kitchen or helping to serve the food are often jobs highly prized by volunteers. While it’s

most certainly a lot of hard work, they enjoy the camaraderie of working as a team with

fellow volunteers to meet the challenges that quantity cooking presents.

Check into legal requirements or permits. Doing it yourself may require obtaining

special permits from the local jurisdiction’s health department (especially for outdoor

events). It may also be necessary for those involved to hold current food and beverage

handler cards (verification they have trained through the health department).

Checking into food service requirements in advance may save much time and

frustration at a later date trying to obtain needed permits a few days (or less) in

advance. Information relating to local health regulations is readily available from the

local jurisdiction.

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Develop a menu. Determine the types of foods and/or courses to be served. Strive for

a balance of color, nutrition, and food groups. Don’t forget the vegetarians in the

crowd!

Be creative in naming menu dishes but use understandable terms in describing them.

If it’s really meat and potatoes, don’t describe it in a way that no one will be able to


understand what the heck it is. If using fancy course titles, you may want to list the

main ingredients in parenthesis—Surf & Turf (sirloin steak and lobster).

Develop the recipes and ingredients lists. Keep it simple. Use recipes with as few

ingredients and steps for preparation as possible. Make sure they can be easily

understood by those responsible for their preparation. The object is for the food to look

and taste good with as little fuss as possible. Recipes for complicated sauces or

desserts may be more trouble than they are worth.

Avoid labor intensive foods. Keep in mind that some recipes do not lend themselves

well to quantity cooking because of the labor involved. “Stirring constantly” means

someone must devote their complete attention to the dish rather than being free to do

other tasks. Carving vegetables into fancy shapes may be desirable, but julienne or

diagonal cuts may look just as nice and take a fraction of the time.

Increasing quantities also increases cooking and preparation times. Bringing five

gallons of liquid to a boil in an institutional sized kettle takes up to five times longer

than boiling a gallon of liquid in a smaller pan at home. It takes more time and oven

space to bake a casserole dish for 50 people than a casserole dish for two. Frosting a

dozen cookies at home is much different than frosting a thousand. Cracking dozens of

eggs for omelettes for a hundred people takes far more time than the few it takes to feed

your family, let alone separating, scrambling or preparing them.

Time saving hints. Use convenience foods or prepared ingredients where possible.

These can save hours of preparation time and free up helping hands that are needed

elsewhere. Use frozen vegetables, commercial butter pats, pre-sliced meats, frozen pie

crusts or doughs, fresh or dried pasta, concentrates, etc.

Warehouse food suppliers often have many already prepared (and surprisingly tasty!)

foods than can be unthawed or warmed up with minimal effort.

Weigh the time, inconvenience and slightly lesser cost of having to do everything

yourself against the slightly higher cost for the convenience of using prepared foods.

Prepare or freeze as much of the food in advance as possible. Fresh foods should be

prepared the day before and kept in the refrigerator. Choose foods that will hold up

well.

Label and package everything so when transported to the event site that it winds up in

its proper place and is easy to use. The more detailed the instructions on the label, the

better (e.g. chopped vegetables for beef stew recipe).


Check equipment needs. If the kitchen facilities at the site consist of a stove with two

working burners and one oven, don’t expect to prepare a four-course dinner for 100

people. Be sure that there is enough cooking equipment, counter space, refrigerator or

freezer capacity, sinks, small appliances, cooking utensils, dishes, glassware and other

needs to accommodate the food preparation and service. For large groups, you may

need to rent or borrow much of this equipment.

Identify jobs and schedules. Break the entire food preparation process into individual

areas such as menu development, shopping, kitchen management, service, clean up,

etc. Then break each of those areas into individual jobs to be performed.

For example, kitchen management could be divided into organization of supplies, hot or

cold food preparation, dishwashing or other functions that take place in the kitchen.

These functions would then be further refined into individual jobs and shifts within the

broader category.

It also helps to think through the step-by-step process of food preparation and service.

For example, foods with longer preparation times need to be started first, followed in a

descending order of time required for other dishes.

Dinner tables can be set with dishes and condiments in advance of the time food is

served. How many wine glasses will be needed? How long will it take to reheat the

baked beans or grill the steaks? This planning is a lot like the process of preparing

dinner for the family, only on a much larger scale.

Shopping. If purchasing large quantities, don’t take a Volkswagen if you’ll need a

moving truck to haul the groceries! Don’t go alone to buy supplies to feed an army.

You’ll need all the help (not to mention extra hands and strong backs) you can get.

Buying supplies for a recipe that calls for 4 cups of flour, 4 eggs,

4 cups of sugar and 4 cups of milk takes on a whole new meaning when multiplied a

hundred-fold. Don’t forget about cleaning and other supplies such as paper towels,

dish soap, plastic products and the like which will probably need to be purchased in

bulk.

High dollar amounts resulting from your purchases may be a concern for the business

where you make those purchases if you want to write a check or use a credit card.

Always ask about volume sale discounts or employ other means (such as going through

an affiliated sponsor or vendor) to save money.

Estimating amounts. Recipe amounts usually specify “serves XX number of people.”

You’ll need to divide the recipe by the number it serves to obtain a “per serving” amount


for each ingredient. The “per serving” amount can then be multiplied by the total

number of persons expected to consume the dish to come up with the total amount

needed of that particular ingredient.

Don’t forget about the need to use the ingredient in other capacities. For example, if

four of the recipes need salt, combine the totals for each of the recipes, plus the amount

needed for salt service on the guest tables, to come up with the amount to purchase.

Make all your calculations before going to the store. Don’t attempt to figure it out while

you’re shopping! Know how many, what size and so forth prior to making your

purchases. If ordering from a supplier, be very specific (and have them read it back) or

you may not wind up with what you thought you ordered!

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Do as much of the preparation in advance as possible. Maintain order in transporting

foods/ingredients and assembling them at the event site. Keep things together that

belong together. Label ingredients, dishes or pans so they don’t get used for something

else.

Use an assembly line approach if possible to avoid congestion in the kitchen. Bring

itemized lists for each recipe being prepared (ingredients, how to, who is preparing,

cooking time, etc.)

Prepare each food and conduct a taste testing before the day of the event.

Determine how complicated it is or how much time it takes to prepare one dish; then

consider the number of times it will need to be multiplied. Is there a simpler or

healthier way to prepare the dish? Does it taste good? Is it too sweet or too salty?

These questions and more should be answered well in advance.

Post numerous copies of schedules, floor plans or seating charts. Schedules help

everyone to know in what order and at what time things happen. Floor plans help to

identify traffic flow and locations of other importance (bars, buffet tables, stage, etc.)

Seating charts help to identify table numbers/who sits where, but can also be color-

coded to identify “special attention” tables such as sponsors.

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Leftovers. You’ll want to be careful in packaging up leftover foods. Some events like to

send extra food to nursing homes or to organizations that feed the homeless.

Determine in advance what will be done with any leftover food and ask about how it

should be packaged for delivery.


Health concerns should also be a consideration. Be sure that foods needing

refrigeration are kept cold and that hot food doesn’t sit around in containers for long

periods of time because bacteria will grow in foods that are not properly handled. The

local health department provides guidelines regarding food storage and proper

temperatures for safety.

Clean as you go. If possible, clean to whatever degree possible during food preparation

and service time. This provides for clean dishes or work space if needed and saves a

considerable amount of time at the end of the event when everyone is tired and wants to

go home.

If doing your own cleanup, be sure to leave the venue in the same (or better) condition

than you found it—clean kitchen, floors mopped or swept, trash removed, restrooms

clean, etc. Not only will those involved feel good about the job they have done, the

venue will have no trouble allowing you to use the facilities in the future.

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√ Determine the type of catering desired

√ Match the budget to the menu

√ Develop a list of potential caterers

√ Narrow the choices down to three

√ Make a final selection based on price, quality and service

√ Designate the style of service

√ Choose a menu based on the audience

√ Select the beverages

√ Negotiate a contract

√ Check into permits required for self-catered events

√ Develop a menu, recipes and ingredients lists

√ Check equipment needs

√ Identify volunteer jobs and schedules

√ Recruit enough help

√ Do the shopping

√ Prepare the food

√ Design a floor plan and/or seating chart

Use the information in this document to aid in making food and beverage decisions for

your event.

role of food & beverages in events

Documents