TABLE OF CONTENTS Receptions, banquets, breakfasts, luncheons, refreshment breaks, and hospitality suites are an important part of any meeting. They serve as a focus for social interaction to meet new associates, renew old acquaintances, exchange ideas, and develop positive attitudes for the overall meeting experience. Costs of food and beverage functions can have a major impact on a meeting budget. The facility's catering and/or convention services departments usually start working on arrangements for the food functions of large events from 12 to 18 months prior to the meeting. Smaller meetings may start with arrangements 3 months in advance.
A banquet event order should include all of the details of each particular event from set-up to teardown, including who is responsible for what. The caterer needs to know the history of each group, as well as current requirements and special needs. The history of past events, including attendance patterns and meal selections, is important information for the facility and the planner. For example, if historically only 50% of attendees eat breakfast the guarantee should be adjusted accordingly. The facility staff should provide preliminary information on local laws and regulations that may affect the function. An example would be the legal hours in the locality for liquor consumption. Another critical area is union work regulations that can limit the number of guests that wait staff can serve at a banquet or the number of musicians you must hire for a particular sized event. Another consideration...
