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A Meeting Planner’s
Guide to Catered
Events
Chapter Three
Beverage Functions
Beverage Functions
These days it is very unusual for a
beverage function to offer only alcohol.
Most liquor laws will not allow alcohol to
be served unless food is available to slow
intoxication.
There will typically be at least a few hors
d’oeuvres and dry snacks.
Purpose of the beverage
function
A way for attendees to socialize and
network.
Provides a relaxed, leisurely setting.
A transition period from a long workday
to an enjoyable meal function.
Types of beverage
functions
Cocktail Reception
Hospitality Suite
Poured Wine Service
Cocktail Reception
One of the most common types of
beverage functions.
During week days it is usually scheduled
during the early evening hours, just after
the end of the normal business day.
On weekends there is more flexibility, but
as a general rule, a cocktail reception is
scheduled after 5:00 PM.
Cocktail Reception
A cocktail reception often precedes a
dinner function, in which case it will
usually be scheduled for about 45
minutes to an hour.
At least a few foods should be served.
Hospitality Suite
Normally opens after 10:00 in the
evening.
Some suites offer a full bar, some beer
and wine only.
Some have lots of food, some have only
dry snacks.
Some offer only desserts and specialty
coffees.
Hospitality Suite
Consider ordering more food, and
different types of foods, if the attendees
have had an open evening.
Some may have skipped going to dinner
and may be quite hungry.
Hospitality Suite
Hospitality suites are usually held in a suite on
a sleeping room floor, and are usually serviced
by the property’s room service department.
They may be sold by catering, but sometimes
you may deal directly with the room service
manager.
If they are held in a public function room, or
held in another public area (such as a hotel’s
front lobby area), they would be sold and
serviced by the catering department.
Hospitality Suite
Regardless of the location, do not allow people
to self-serve alcohol.
Do not leave your function unattended by a
staffer.
You run the risk of enormous cost overrun.
Unsupervised people may display unheard of
behavior.
People who don’t even belong to your group
may drop by.
Poured Wine Service
Poured wine beverage service is typically part
of a meal function.
Wines may be opened and preset on the
tables.
At elaborate meals, cocktail servers, or the
food servers, supervised by a sommelier, may
be in charge of the wine service.
This is more common when the meal includes
a rare and/or expensive wine served with each
course.
Poured Wine Service
Experience has taught us that for meals
with wine, you will need to have about 3
whites to every red.
For dinners, you can expect each
attendee to consume about 2 ½ glasses.
For lunch the average consumption will
be about 1 glass per person.
Menu Planning
It is relatively easy to develop a drink menu.
If a meeting planner wants a particular type of
drink, the caterer can usually provide it.
The equipment needed to handle normal
beverage service is sufficient to produce
almost any type of finished beverage.
If any unique brands or products are needed,
you must give the caterer sufficient time to
procure them.
Types of Beverages
Wine
Imported
Domestic
Varietals
Spirits
Imported
Domestic
Distilled
Blends
Neutral Beverages
Non-alcoholic
Water, soda, juice,
soda, coffee, etc.
Beer
Imported
Domestic
Bottles/Cans
Kegs/Pony Kegs
Spirits
Well Brands
Premium Well Brands
Call Brands
Premium Brands
Basic Drink Menu
Red Wine
White Wine
Domestic Light Beer
Domestic Regular
Beer
Soft Drinks
Drink Mixers
Scotch
Gin
Vodka
Bourbon
Rum
Tequila
Canadian Whiskey