A Meeting Planner’s Guide to Catered Events Chapter Four On- and Off-Premise Caterers

On-premise catering Also called “on-site catering.” Any function – banquet, reception, or other event – held on the physical premises of the establishment or facility producing and serving the function.

Off-Premise catering Also called “off-site catering.” Food, beverage, equipment, and servers are transported to a remote location, such as a museum, park, natural attraction, or a private home. Items are transported to a location away from the caterer’s primary production facility.

On-premise caterers Hotels, convention centers, conference centers, and restaurants, etc. Usually have the advantage of offering many services under one roof. Can usually guarantee sufficient space to house the entire event. Can usually guarantee adequate parking.

Hotels Hotels often have advantages over other types of caterers because they can handle several types of events simultaneously and in the same location. Most meeting or convention attendees are usually housed at a host hotel.

Hotels Meeting planners will deal primarily with hotel caterers. Hotels are usually very good at servicing the particular market niche(s) they’ve identified as their strength.

Hotels Hotel catering departments are organized according to the needs of the particular property. In hotels, the primary profit center is its sleeping-rooms division, with the catering department usually being the second most profitable department. Therefore, hotel departments generally are organized and administered to maximize the sales and profits of sleeping rooms and catered events.

Two types of hotel structures The catering department is organized so all catering personnel are under the supervision of the hotel's food and beverage director. The catering department is organized so catering personnel are under the supervision of the hotel sales and marketing director, with other employees, including the convention service, banquet service and setup staff, still reporting to the food and beverage director.

F&B Model F&B director is responsible for the hotel's kitchens, restaurant outlets, and banquet operations as well as for client solicitation and service. The catering department must secure the right to sell function space from the sales department, which controls all meeting space. Sales managers are often reluctant to call their clients and ask them to release space that they are holding as part of a meeting they have booked. Meetings are often booked years in advance, and savvy meeting planners, not knowing all of their space needs that far in advance, will institute a "hold all space" clause in their contracts. Convention service managers usually report to the sales department and are primarily responsible for room setup, but not for food and beverage service.

Sales and Marketing Model Catering managers and convention service managers would be in the same department, both taking care of the food, beverage, and room setup needs. The convention service managers don’t sell the event, but take over client business booked by sales and marketing. They handle planning and logistics of meals and receptions and develop the appropriate service procedures. Any selling would be "upselling," or trying to get the meeting planner to purchase a more expensive meal, wine, or service. Catering managers sell short-term food and beverage events to the local market, or to functions without sleeping rooms, such as weddings, local banquets, etc. With catering sales revenue being the responsibility of the marketing director, rather than food and beverage, sales managers are more likely to call clients to get rooms released for local banquets.

Advantages of F&B Model Increased Efficiency Isolated Responsibility Job Enrichment Repeat Patronage Improved Communications

Disadvantages of F&B Model Excessive Workload Too Many Bosses Lack of Specialization Excessive Delegation

Sales and Marketing Model The advantages and disadvantages associated with the organizational form where marketing is in control are the opposites of those associated with the organizational format that places food and beverage in control.

There is no one single organizational form suitable for all hotels. The F&B model is the most typical organizational pattern. Catering and convention service staffs work together, each handling specific activities. Catering typically handles all food and beverage requirements while convention service handles all nonfood arrangements, such as room setups and audiovisual.

Convention Center Major advantage over hotel caterers is that it can handle much larger groups. Typical convention centers also have a wide selection of available space to suit the needs of very large groups. Most convention centers are public facilities. Catering is usually handled by contract food service companies that act as independent business entities.

Conference Centers Conference centers have sleeping rooms and meeting rooms, but do not offer exhibit space. Smaller meetings that do not have trade shows or other types of exhibits may find this more appealing. They offer a complete meeting package (CMP), which includes meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are generally available in a cafeteria-type setup.

Conference Centers A group can be served any time it decides to break. Keeps from having to break in the middle of a productive session just because it is noon. If more than one group is in the facility, they will each be assigned areas of the dining room. Refreshments are usually available at any time outside of the meeting rooms, allowing breaks at appropriate times. Conference centers can also provide banquets and receptions on request.

Restaurants Local restaurants are good choices with small groups. For example, Board of directors that require a small, private dinner. Breaks the monotony of eating several meals in large banquet facilities. Restaurants may be the only choice if you have to let attendees order off a regular menu. Most caterers will not consider an a la carte menu for a large group, as it would be nearly impossible to accommodate every taste and diet restriction . Well-run, full-service restaurant may be able to handle this challenge.

Off-Premise Caterers Can operate in just about any place you can think of, from parks, to museums, to yachts, to hot air balloons. Tents (also known as “portable rooms”) are often used, which allows the caterer to create almost any type of theme.

Off-Premise Most conventions and meetings will have at least one off-premise event, often the opening reception, closing gala, or a themed event. Attendees want to experience some of the flavor of the destination, and they often get “cabin fever” if they never leave the host hotel.

Off-Premise Events can be outsourced to a destination management company (DMC). DMCs are familiar with the location and have relationships established with the unique venues in the area. Almost every destination has distinctive spaces for parties: Southfork in Dallas, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, etc. In Las Vegas, the Liberace Mansion is available for parties.

Off-Premise Often you first select the site you want. Catering options may be limited. For instance, if you want to use the Orfila Winery in San Diego for an event, the owner will rent the facilities to you. Then you have to select a caterer from a list of caterers approved by the owner.