12 WAYS TO SAVE ON FOOD & BEVERAGE

1. Know your history

   Chances are, not everyone who registers for a meeting is going to eat every meal. To avoid paying for unconsumed meals and drinks, look at historical patterns of how many people actually attend food functions, and how much they consume at breaks and at cocktail parties.

2. Control what's served

   On breaks, food service workers will often refill empty coffee urns to the top, even if there are only five minutes left in the break period. At some $90 a gallon, that's a lot of money going down the drain. Make sure they check with planning staff first before refilling, particularly in the last few minutes of the break. Same thing with wine. Tell food service personnel to open one bottle of red and white per table and fill glasses only on request.

3. Order bulk breakfasts

   For continental breakfasts, order in bulk, not per-person packages. The packages often include more food than is necessary. By ordering in bulk, you can cut it in half. And if it's a full breakfast, offer buffet meals, not plated.

4. Use house brands of wine and cocktails

   This can save you a lot over the cost of premium brands.

5. Negotiate bartender fees

   If you agree to a beverage minimum, negotiate to eliminate the bartender fees if you meet the minimum.

6. Use stand-up tables

   For cocktail receptions, use stand-up tables instead of sit-down tables. People are more likely to network, and they are less likely to hang around and drink and eat all night — saving you money.

7. Know that lines are OK

   At cocktail receptions, don't be afraid of having medium-sized lines at the bar. Long lines are a no-no, but lines that are five or six deep encourage networking and discourage overindulging on cocktails.

8. Ask the chef

   Meet with the chef to see if you can use the same menu as another group that was meeting in the facility. Asking the chef to preparing more of the same food in advance can result in cost savings. Also, check with the chef for seasonal or regional specialties, which may be less expensive.

9. Don't pay more for drinks

   Whether it's a cash or a hosted bar, don't pay more for drinks than you pay in the hotel outlets (bars and restaurants).

10. Lock in the menu prices

    If the hotel will not provide a specific menu in advance, at least agree that the menu prices will not increase more than a fixed percentage per year.

11. Order as much as possible “on consumption.”

    Uneaten food and drink can be returned and not charged. This works well with soda and packaged foods like potato chips, but can also be done with perishables.

12. Ask about discontinued wine labels

    If available, a discontinued label often can be a bargain compared to what's on the current wine list.

1. Leave the rate alone

   In a seller's market, hotels are reluctant to budge on the room rate because that is where the biggest profit comes from. If you leave the rate alone, hoteliers may be more willing to give concessions in other areas — ancillary fees (resort fees, Internet fees, etc.), comp rooms, additional staff rooms, airport transfers, even food and beverage.

2. Avoid attrition

   Knowing your history is paramount in avoiding attrition costs. If you know how many rooms you typically use, you'll be less prone to make room-block promises you can't keep. Being ultra-conservative with the block is a surefire way to avoid attrition, but then you run into the risk of not having enough rooms.

3. Know the total value of your meeting

   When negotiating for hotel rooms, planners should come armed with data on how much the group spends in total, not just on space, rooms, and food and beverage. Try to get historical data on how much the group spends in hotel restaurants, bars, spa, golf, Internet usage, gift shops — in other words, track every dollar spent. This will, of course, require the assistance of hoteliers, but planners should request this information for future use. It will give the hotel a better picture of how much your business is really worth.

4. Use second-tier cities

   Moving downmarket to second- and third-tier destinations will usually result in more availability and better room rates, depending on the city. In general, the lower the demand, the lower the rates. It may also be easier to negotiate meeting space at convention centers in second tiers.

5. Use universities

   If there are no sleeping rooms involved, universities are an inexpensive alternative for meeting space. Many allow groups to rent space for smaller meetings; but you do have to provide your own food and beverage.

6. Negotiate multi-year deals

   Planners can negotiate better deals on hotel rooms if they book multiple meetings at a hotel over a period of years. Some planners have found that hoteliers who wouldn't budge on rates for a single meeting commitment were willing to reduce their rates if the planner booked two or more meetings at a time. Signing long-term agreements with contractors and vendors is another way to save money over time.

7. Be flexible on dates/patterns

   In a seller's market, deals can be found in top-tier cities by simply being flexible on dates and patterns. Filling holes in a hotel's calendar will give you more negotiating leverage; even changing your day-of-week patterns can result in lower rates.