Fundamentals of Food and Beverage

Most of these notes are adapted from UC Davis Event Planning Staff Development & Professional Services Certificate Series, Instructor, Lina Layiktez, CEVS

• If possible try to pay by consumption instead of per person.
  
• Serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic punch instead of an open bar. If there is a bartender charge, see if you can negotiate for a minimum amount of liquor sales.
  
• Don't announce last call.
  
• If possible, use drink tickets at your bar and limit them to 2/per as complimentary. Have attendees pay after that. Have bartenders count drink tickets.
  
• Know the standards for bartenders-one bartender for every 100 guests.
  
• If you are purchasing liquor by the bottle, do it on a consumption basis. Do not have the bartenders open bottles prior to the first request for that type of liquor. Make sure you are credited for unopened bottles. Inventory both hard and soft drinks before and after the event. Pay only for empty bottles saved by the bartenders.
  
• There are three types of alcohol: standard or well brands, call and premium. Know your guests' preference and adjust accordingly. Don't invest in premium drinks if you don't have to.
  
• Know the rules for taxing and gratuities in the state where the meeting is taking place. If you don't have to pay taxes on gratuity, you will save money.
  
• Depending upon liquor laws in the state of reception, and if you are buying liquor by the bottle, open bottles of liquor may be brought to the hospitality suites or carried over to the next night's reception.
  
• Inquire about the caterer's dead stock of wine. This is usually the last house wine, or one which was not regularly sold or recorded and may represent a better value...
  
• At receptions, serve hors d'oeuvres with tooth picks and napkins and if you must use plates, use the smallest you can get away with. It is awkward to pile up food on a napkin!
  
• Cut the reception to 45 minutes especially if there is a meal which follows. Adjust to light hors d'oeuvres if a meal follows.
  
• Discourage gluttony by having food stations attended by server. People tend to eat less when they are being watched. (Factor in the cost of having a server, though)
  
• Avoid salted snacks as they make people drink more
  
• Put the expensive food in the back of the room and the cheaper food near the door.
  
• Don't make your attendees too comfortable-keep tables and chairs to a minimum. Five square feet is too tight for a reception. Seven to eight is about right, while ten square feet is too loose.
  
• Have a server pass the expensive hors d'oeuvres rather than placing them on a buffet table.
  
• Know your crowd. Higher level executives tend to eat less since they have usually been to many receptions.
  
• If you are serving large baked goods at the continental breakfast, half them.
  
• Sometimes large baked goods are less expensive than the mini version
  
• Track the history of the event so you can give accurate guarantees.
  
• Reduce the guarantee at breakfast a few percentage points since fewer people show up, especially if the meetings are longer.
  
• For buffets, have servers dole out portions of expensive foods.
  
• Plated meals are less expensive and less wasteful than buffet service.
  
• Instead of a reception followed by a sit down dinner, throw a cocktail party with substantial hors d'oeuvres and stations like a pasta bar. This will cost more than a regular reception, but less than a reception and dinner
  
• When setting a room for a reception, place the serving table against the wall with 180 degrees of access. Double sided buffets (360 degree access) make people consume lmore.
  
• Entertainment draws peoples' attention away from the food.
  
• Consider pasta stations as they look elegant and are less expensive.
  
• Breaks do not have to be expensive. Try popcorn instead of cookies. Lemonade instead of sodas.
  
• Have all your breaks in the meeting room so you do not feed grazers in the building.
  
• Try to use local products
  
• Do not accept a clause such as "F&B subject to change", once prices are agrees upon. This is usually less than 6 months prior to the event. (normal inflation of food cost is around 5-8%/year)
  
• Request a list of the hotel's inventory-not only of tables, chairs and linens-but also decorations. They will be cheaper to rent than using an outside company.