A Meeting Planner's Guide to Catered Events

Food and beverage is the largest portion of a meeting budget, but most meeting and event planners have no formal background in purchasing and managing this expense. This guide helps event, meeting, and convention planners save money, negotiate contracts, deal with catering managers, and successfully manage the food and beverage aspect of their event. Covering everything from styles of service to on-premise and off-premise considerations to food and beverage contract negotiation, this book is a comprehensive and accessible reference for event planners and students.

Table of Contents:
Preface vii Chapter 1 The World of Catering 1 TYPICAL CATERERS YOU WILL DEAL WITH 5 CATERING STAFF YOU WILL GET TO KNOW 6 HOW CATERERS PRICE FOOD AND BEVERAGE EVENTS 9 CATERERS’ OBJECTIVES 16 HOW CATERERS EVALUATE IF THEY ARE ACHIEVING THEIR OBJECTIVES 17 CREATIVITY 18 SCAMPER 20 WHICH CATERER IS RIGHT FOR YOU? 22 Chapter 2 Meal Functions 25 PURPOSE OF THE MEAL FUNCTION 26 MENU PLANNING 26 STYLE OF SERVICE 43 TYPES OF MEAL FUNCTIONS 49 Chapter 3 Beverage Functions 66 PURPOSE OF THE BEVERAGE FUNCTION 67 TYPES OF BEVERAGE FUNCTIONS 67 MENU PLANNING 70 ESTIMATING THE AMOUNT OF BEVERAGE ALCOHOL NEEDED 73 HOW MOST BEVERAGE FUNCTIONS ARE SOLD 75 BEVERAGE FUNCTION CHARGES 76 LABOR CHARGES 79 Chapter 4 On-Premise and Off-Premise Catering 83 ON-PREMISE CATERERS 84 OFF-PREMISE CATERERS 90 Chapter 5 Room Setups 103 APPEARANCE 104 LOCATION 106 UTILITIES 106 SPACE REQUIREMENTS 107 PLANNING THE FUNCTION ROOM SETUP 120 DINING ROOM LAYOUT 123 BAR LAYOUT 128 COFFEE STATION AND REFRESHMENT BREAK LAYOUT 130 BUFFET LAYOUT 131 TABLESCAPES: THE TABLETOP LAYOUT AND DECOR 139 WALL AND CEILING TREATMENTS 145 EMPLOYEE UNIFORMS 146 ROOM TEMPERATURE 146 ROOM SCENT 147 LECTERN OR PODIUM? 147 FLAG PLACEMENT 147 RESTROOM FACILITIES 148 PROPS AND OTHER DÉCOR 148 TENTS 149 Chapter 6 Staffing the Events 154 PAYROLL EXPENSE 156 FOOD PRODUCTION PLANNING 157 SERVICE PLANNING 160 DEPARTMENTS THAT SUPPORT THE CATERER 172 Chapter 7 Low-Cost Events 192 MARKET SEGMENTS 193 BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS 195 OTHER BUDGET OPTIONS 197 Chapter 8 Deep-Market Events 211 ELABORATE THEME PARTIES 212 ELABORATE THEMED REFRESHMENT BREAKS 222 ELABORATE OUTDOOR PARTIES 224 Chapter 9 Using Outside Suppliers 228 PROVIDING OTHER CLIENT SERVICES 229 AUDIOVISUAL 234 ENTERTAINMENT 239 LIGHTING 241 GROUND TRANSPORTATION 243 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES 244 COOPERATING WITH OTHER CATERERS 245 RENTAL COMPANIES 245 Chapter 10 Contracts and Negotiations 248 BANQUET EVENT ORDER 250 RÉSUMÉ 254 CONTRACT 255 NEGOTIATIONS 279 Appendix 285 Glossary 291 Index 305

About the Author :
Patti J. Shock is a Professor in the Tourism and Convention Administration Department of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. John M. Stefanelli is a Professor in the Food and Beverage Department of the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.