25 Nov 09 Tips to Save on Food and Beverage
One of the largest expenses for a group event is food and beverage. Here are some tips to help you minimize your F&B expenses:
- CONTROL WHAT IS SERVED. Open one bottle of red and white per table and fill glasses only on request. If a table requests more wine, have servers check with the planner before opening another bottle. There may be half-empty bottles at other tables.
-
SKIP THE TOP SHELF. Use house-brand cocktails and wine instead of premium brands.
-
NEGOTIATE BARTENDER FEES. If you agree to a beverage minimum, negotiate to eliminate the bartender fees if you meet the minimum.
-
USE STAND-UP TABLES FOR COCKTAIL RECEPTIONS. That way, people are more likely to network and less likely to hang around and drink and eat all night.
-
LINES ARE OK, TO A POINT. At cocktail receptions, don't be afraid of having medium-size lines at the bar. Long lines are a no-no, but lines that are five or six deep encourage networking and discourage over-indulging on cocktails.
-
ASK THE CHEF. Meet with the chef or catering personnel to see if you can use the same menu as another group that is meeting at your facility at the same time. Having the chef prepare more of the same food in advance can result in cost savings. Also, check with the chef for seasonal or regional specialties, which might be less expensive.
-
LOCK IN MENU PRICES. If the hotel will not provide a specific menu in advance, at least agree that menu prices will not increase more than a fixed percentage per year.
-
ORDER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE “BY CONSUMPTION.” Uneaten food and drink can be returned and not charged. This works well with soda and packaged foods, such as potato chips, but also can be done with perishables.
-
USE SIT-DOWN MEALS. This can cut food preparation labor costs as much as 20 percent.
-
SKIP THE DESSERT, SALAD, OR SOUP. Attendees won't miss the courses, and dessert can be served at breaks.
-
TRY STAFFED FOOD STATIONS SUCH AS STIR-FRY STATIONS AND PASTA TABLES.
-
FIND A SPONSOR. A local winery or microbrewery might pick up your liquor costs.
-
USE A CONTROLLED-POUR SYSTEM. Make sure that bartenders measure what they pour. If you are being charged per drink, you may find a “liberal ice” policy and weaker drinks. If you are being charged by the bottle, the mixed drinks might be too strong.
-
ASK THE HOTELIER FOR A DISCONTINUED WINE LABEL. These often cost less.
-
RE-USE OPENED BOTTLES OF LIQUOR AND WINE. One logical place would be your hospitality or VIP suite.
-
USE SMALLER PLATES.
-
RE-USE CENTERPIECES. Or ask attendees to bring something related to the meeting's theme that can be used in centerpieces. The items later can be donated to a charity.
Tags: Amp Nbsp, Bartender, Beverage Minimum, Cocktail Receptions, Cocktails, Dessert Salad, Empty Bottles, Food And Beverage, Food And Drink, Food Preparation, Food Stations, Group Event, House Brand, Medium Size, Menu Prices, Perishables, Potato Chips, Premium Brands, Regional Specialties, Top Shelf
16 Nov 09 Event and Meeting Planning Tools
Marriott offers some good event and meeting planning tools on their Web site, including:
Budget Calculator
What will be the cost of your event… for hotel rooms… for food and beverage service… for each attendee?
Event Space Calculator
How much space do you need to host a banquet or reception for 150 people? Get the answer with Marriott's Event Space Calculators:
Checklists
Invite speakers. Check. Notify guests. Check. Schedule your meeting at Marriott and relax. Check and double check. Use the downloadable checklists and check off every important detail.
Tags: Amp, Attendee, Budget Calculator, Calculators, Downloadable Checklists, Exhibits, Food And Beverage, Food And Beverage Service, Hellip, Hotel Rooms, Marriott, Meeting Planning, Negotiation Techniques, Planning Tools, Publicity, Sessions, Site Selection, Space Calculator, Speakers, Square Footage
26 Jun 09 Ordering Break Beverages for the Stressed Out Planner
Here’s a quick multiple choice quiz: If you have 100 people attending an event, how much coffee should you order for a morning break?
A. Lots! People drink more than one cup.
B. 1 cup for around 90% of the expected attendance
C. Tear out hair and close event planner business
The correct answer may be C depending on how panicked you are about ordering food and beverage for your meetings, and A used to be the answer. However, if you want to save your client money and do your reputation a favor, choose B. Why? Not everyone drinks coffee, and coffee is much more expensive per pound than it used to be, so plan on anywhere between 80% and 90%. (more…)
Tags: Attendance, Attendees, Beverages, Choice Quiz, Client Money, Coffee, Correct Answer, Diligence, Event Planner, Food And Beverage, Homework, Little Bit, Multiple Choice, Participant, Price Per Gallon, Reputation, Sake, Soft Drinks, T Pay, Venue
Advertisement
Corporate Meeting Planner Resources
- What Makes Travel Events and Meetings Amazing?The act of hosting a meeting in an exclusive or interesting location can be made more impressive with a little planning or can be ruined as a gesture with carelessness. Here is what you need to think about in order to keep your travel events purely amazing: Events – Going to an exotic destination and failing [...] […]
- Best Plan for Meetings at SeaPlanning a meeting at sea is not as difficult or as different as it might sound on the surface but there are still a few key differences to be aware of. Some of the best meeting planners keep the following advice in mind: Equipment and space for equipment is at a premium – It might be [...] […]
- Factors to Consider When Shopping For a Cruise EventAnyone planning on hosting a cruise event should certainly check to see which cruise companies can get the job done at the best price, but there is often more to consider than just the bottom line. In fact, some customers that have not given a lot of thought to the logistics and organizational side of [...] […]