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Thursday, October 16, 2014

Banquet Guests Choose Most Expensive Items

Dear Joe,
I hope this finds you well.

Please tell me, what happens when you offer a banquet package for a flat price and the clients consume only the most expensive item?

You have no right to stop them because the package is quoted with a specific time (1 hour, 2 hours).  Also, what do you consider when you cost from 1 hour to 2 hours?

Regards,
Jean Claude

A great number of banquet packages are offered to guests on an all you can eat basis for a time period specified in the contract.  There are ways to control your costs without bringing attention to your tactics.

Many caterers offer a package with a high profile protein item.  In order to restrict access to this item, for example Prime Rib, many give each guest a token or a ticket to hand in when they order their serving from the carving station.

I have worked on cost control for steak night in an operation at a construction camp.  Our guests consumed over 5,000 calories daily.  We expected each guest to consume 2 steaks.  Most guests ate exactly 2 steaks, there were almost an equal number who ordered either 1 or 3 steaks.  We did not have anyone who ordered a 4th steak.

In our contract, the cost of this steak night was weighted highly in our estimates. 

For your operation, it is essential to forecast the number of portions consumed by guests as accurately as possible.  As the meal service goes on for the second hour, your consumption experience will change.  During the first hour, you will have greater consumption than in the second hour.  If the service continues, this trend will continue.

Some tips from my clients include:
Creating a portion size which matches the guest behavior.  For example, you may want to offer a smaller portion size if you believe most guests will return for a second portion.

Budget around 70% of the typical male portion size for the female portion size.

Create a special station for the key item and stage displays of top quality pastry items along the path to this station.

Offer an absolutely irresistible second choice.  Many guests will try each entree and will be satisfied.

You can structure your event differently when you go beyond 2 hours.

For years, I partnered with a restaurant owner to offer traditional Clam Steams in Upstate New York.  These events are pretty standard in the New York Capital District.  Guests are offered a steak or chicken option.  Often, the steak price is $2 to $3 higher than the chicken.  Other than the entree, the event is entirely all you can eat.

At the start of a 5 to 6 hour event, the guests are offered clam chowder, hot dogs, Italian sausage with peppers, and burgers.  In addition, a selection of salads, baked beans, rolls and salty snacks are available.

Around one hour later, raw clams are available to guests.  They shuck their own clams.  Traditional condiments are offered.  The raw clams are available for around 90 minutes and the other items are available all day.

Generally, there are activities and games to break up the food service as the day progresses.  Either a band or a DJ provide music for dancers.

Later in the day, the guests line up for their steamer basket which consists of one dozen clams, one potato, 2 links of breakfast sausage, and an ear of corn.  Guests are encouraged to enjoy unlimited clam broth straight from the steamer.

The grill station is limited to guests with tickets.  They present the grill master with their chicken and steak orders.  This service is restricted to one steak or one half chicken per guest.  Very few people have room for dessert.

The secret to success is an awesome Manhattan Clam Chowder.

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