Meeting Planner's Guide to Catered Events

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.

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