Chapter 4: Banquet Service

 Banquet – Refers to any event that takes place in a function room of a hotel or a food
establishment

 Catering - Also pertains to services for an event but in a venue chosen by the client

Banquet Services cater to:

 Debut

 Weddings

 Anniversaries

 Social Events ( e.g. Parties )

 Conventions

 Conferences

 Meetings Seminars

 Trade Exhibits

Banquet Organizational Chart

Banquet Sales Section Responsibilities

 1. Attending to inquiries and provide information assistance

 2. Designing and executing sales and marketing strategies

 3. Assist the chef in developing banquet packages

 4. Attending to bookings and processing of event contracts

 5. Coordinating with Banquet Service and other departments for event preparations

Banquet Service Section Responsibilities

 1. Preparing the requirements for banquet functions – facilities and amenities required by
client

 2. Set up the function rooms or catering venue

 3. Serving food and beverage for banquet functions

 4. Coordinating very closely with Banquet Sales Office and other departments for the
requirements of the event

Job Descriptions for Banquet Personnel

 Banquet Sales Manager - Responsible for handling bookings, reservations, adjustments in

banquet and catering functions as well as in promoting banquet packages

 Banquet Sales Executive – Responsible for banquet sales and bookings

 Banquet Service Manager / Supervisor - Attends to service requirements and oversees

preparations for the event, delivery of service and proper closing of the event

 Banquet Captain - Oversees the set-up, service and clearing in the banquet functions
assigned to him

 Banquet Receptionist - Welcomes and greets guests at the entrance and escorts them to
their tables

 Banquet Custodian - Responsible for the proper safekeeping and issuance of banquet
supplies and equipment

 Banquet Waiter - Attends to mise-en-place preparations, set-up and service during

banquet functions
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Flow of Banquet Bookings and Service

Procedures for Attending to Event Inquiries and preparing a Proposal

 1. Warmly greet the client as he enter the office

 2. Present to the client the pre-designed and pre-costed menu packages and their
corresponding amenities

 3. If the client has objections, acknowledge but explain positive points

 4. Ask client’s preferred dates and time and check the logbook/booking chart if it is still
open and not fully booked

 5. If fully booked, suggest options like a different venue and date.

 6. Inform client of the billing arrangements, extra charges and other policies on Banquet
booking

 7. Get client’s decision on chosen menu and the attached amenities and special
arrangements

 8. make formal proposal mentioning the agreed upon menu, amenities and other
agreements, together with the price and billing arrangements

 9. If the booking includes room accommodation, have a separate room for booking and
coordinate with the front office for room arrangements.

 10. Present the draft of the proposal to the Banquet Manager for review and approval

 11. Send the proposal and make a follow up with client

 Handling Event Bookings and Finalizing Event Contracts

 1. Follow up client for confirmation of bookings.

 2. Once a banquet or event is booked, the booking officer shall record details in the
reservation form or in the reservation book.
Entries in reservation include:
- Name of client/group - Name of function organizer
- Client’s billing address - Name of Company Rep.
- Date of Reservation - Date/s of function
- Start and ending hours - Type of function
- Number of heads - Menu and covered amenities
- Banquet and function rooms assigned

 3. Draft a banquet agreement or contract then present it to the Operations manager or

Sales Manager.

 4. Present the contract to the client and brief him of the contract provisions. Elaborate on
critical terms like extra charges for:
- Corkage Fee of ____/bottle
- Utility cost for video/camera
- Overtime Charge
- Room Charge (if applied)
- Price per guests if exceeded minimum guarantee

 5. Negotiate for mutually satisfying options in case there are objections. Identify terms that
are negotiable and non negotiable

 6. If there are no objections or when objections have been settles through agreed upon
options, the contract can already be finalized and to be signed by contracting parties.

 7. Require the client to pay the required deposit upon signing of contract. The deposit
guarantees the honor of the booking

Terms and Policies Governing Events

1. Pricing Policy - Quoted prices are subject to applicable service charge and taxes

2. Deposit - A minimum deposit is required upon signing of contract. This can range from
30%-50%, depending on the establishment

3. Full Payment - The balance shall be settled in full, covering the cost of minimum
guarantee before the function.

4. Confirmations and Cancellations - A booking is considered confirmed only upon

payment of the required deposit and upon signing of a contract

5. Food Policy - The selected menu generally applies for all guests but special dietary
substitutes can be made available upon request in limited quantities
6. Minimum Guarantee - Client is required to set a minimum number of covers/settings to be
served.

7. Cancellations and Amendments - Events that are cancelled are subject to charges
depending on time of cancellation. If such cancellation is made much ahead of time, maybe
a minimum fee of 10% is charged; higher rate will be imposed (30%-50%) if cancellation is
done few days before the event.

8. Alcoholic Beverages - No alcoholic beverages shall be served to minors below 21 years

of age.

9. Extended Hours - For parties or events that do not end as scheduled, additional surcharge
per hour shall be imposed

10. Clients Liability for Damages - Customers/clients shall be accountable for damages
incurred by its organizers and guests

11. Company’s Liability for Damages – The hotel/caterer shall not in any way be
responsible or liable to the client for any loss and/or damages or of injuries caused to or
sustained by the CLIENT, his or her guests by reason of causes beyond the company’s
control, including but not limited to robbery, theft, pilferage or any contingency of
whatsoever kind of nature.

12. Electrical Equipments - Power requirements will be handled by the company’s in house
electrical provider.

13. Lost and Found - The hotel/catering establishment will not be responsible for the damage
or loss of any merchandise or article left in the hotel/venue prior to, during and after the
function

14. Contractual Liability - The hotel/resort or catering establishment shall not be liable to the
client for her failure to perform its obligations in the banquet contract

15. Liability of Organizer/Signatory to Contract - In cases where the client is a corporation,

government or non-government organization, the person signing for and in behalf of the
company or organization shall be personally liable for the payment of the obligations under
the even contract.
 Preparation of an Event Order

 1. After finalizing negotiations for the party, prepare and Event Order ( EO )

 2. In preparing an event Order, write all the details regarding the event particularly:
- Name of organizer, address and contact number
- Type/name of function, date, time and venue
- Minimum guarantee with 10%-20% allowance for overflow
- Menu and Package rates
- Amenities covered by the package
- Charges – rate per person; other charges
- Billing arrangement and amount of deposit made. Indicate also the date of deposit

 3. Indicate specific instructions to concerned units of individuals like:

- Required facilities to be set up ( registration table, dance floor, etc. )
- Whether one way or 2 way buffet will be set up
- Set up of presidential table, number of persons to be seated and their names
- What inscription to write on the cake
- What audio visual facilities will be set up
- Time for serving meals
- Whether beverage will be hosted or a cash bar
- others

 4. Circulate the event order to all concerned units/staff, namely:

- Main Kitchen
- Supervisor/Captain in charge of the function
- Operations/Banquet Manager
- Finance
- Outlet supervisor if the event will be in the outlet
- File

 5. Make sure that all receiving parties will acknowledge and sign upon receipt of the event
Order.
 Handling Amendments to Events

1. Get details of the amendment from client. If it involves cancellation of function, the
applicable surcharge shall be applied, taking from the deposit

2. If the adjustment involves change of date, time or venue, get the details as to the new
venue, time and date.

3. If the adjustment will be in terms of increase in number of persons, check first if the
required number can be accommodated in the function area

4. If the adjustment will be a reduction in the number of persons, find out if the number is
within the minimum required, otherwise charges for the minimum number of persons will be
applied.

5. Get the details of changes in arrangements, amenities and other adjustments in the
event order using the prescribed amendments to Event Order form.

6. Review and sign the adjustments in the form

7. Proceed to circulate the Amendments Memo to all concerned units and make sure that
they will acknowledge and sign the memo upon receipt

Preparation for Banquet Events

* Supervisor’s checklist

1. Review manpower requirements and request for service staff

2. Double check the preparation of mise-en-place requirements

- Set-up a service area for mise-en-place preparation

- Make requisition of banquet supplies needed to set up and service

- Check whether all glasses, china wares and flat wares are clean and wiped-dry

- Coordinate with the Housekeeping Unit for the cleaning of the social Hall or function room

- Check availability of audio-visual and other requirements

- Check physical arrangements and table formation

- Check conditions of tables and chairs, linens and etc.

- Check availability of required amenities – doves, bells, etc.

3. Lead the waiters in doing the physical arrangements and table formation

- Prepare a floor plan as a guide for table formation and set-up

- Check the condition of the tables and chairs

- Supervise the set-up of presidential table, insuring there are enough chairs for the
sponsors and VIP guests

- Supervise set up of buffet and guest’s tables

- Supervise the bar set-up

- Check the availability of required amenities – doves, bells, etc.

- Check tent cards and signage’s, double check accuracy of information

- Instruct waiters to lay down all other facilities, amenities like:

- Presidential table, cake table, registration table

- Audio-visual facilities

- Flower arrangement and others

4. Check with the kitchen if the food to be served is ready and coordinate with them regarding
serving time, serving containers, etc.

5. Gather all waiters/service crew for briefing and distribution of side duties. Also check their
attendance and grooming

Conducting Staff Briefing and Delegating Side Duties

1. The briefing is intended to familiarize staff with important information and to relay
instructions so that they are properly guided and operational problems can be avoided

2. Making reference to the event order, start the briefing and provide the following information:
- Type of event, organizers, celebrants and honorees
- Food to be served and serving instructions, serving time
- Layout of the function room – mention the designated service area, bussing
station, bar counter
- Bar arrangements – if cash, hosted or combination
- Billing Arrangements
- Covered Amenities, beverage that are hosted or part of the package
- Service Reminders – service sequence and procedures
Mise-en-Place Preparation and Table Formation
 1. Set up a service station for gathering and preparing mise-en-place
 2. Pick up the requested items and supplies using a cart or trolley and bring them to the
service station
 3. Observe the following guidelines in transporting the requested items:
China Wares – must be piled by tens to avoid breakage
Glass Wares are to be placed in a glass rack
Flat Wares must be in a cutlery rack or utility plastic box container
 4. Wipe – dry all equipment with a clean wiping cloth
 5. Fold paper napkins and place them in a clean, covered container
 6. Place clean items in a container
 7. List down in a breakage/damage report any damage noted and have the supervisor
check it and sign
 8. Fill the condiments – salt and pepper shaker etc.
 9. Gather the needed hollowware – trays, water pitcher, coffee/tea pots, others to be used
for service
Table Set up Procedures
 1. Lay down all the tables, do the alignment maing reference to the floor plan
 2. Lay down the table cloth. Make sure the cloths are wel pressed and not wrinkled
 3. Do skirting when necessary
 4. Fold the cloth napkin and place them at the center of the cover. If paper napkin is used,
fold it and place on the left side, underlining the fork.
 5. Pick up cutleries on a tray and place them on each table, following set up standards as
follows:
- Knife, soup spoon and glasses on the right side of the cover
- Fork, bread plate ( if used ) on the left side
- Teaspoon for coffee and for dessert on top of the cover
- Flower vase and condiments on the center of the cover
- Glasses on the right side of the cover
- Wine glasses, if used, on the right side, beside the water glass
Standards of Mise-en-Place Preparation and Banquet Set up
 1. Glasses are to be set up upside down and inverted before the party starts
 2. Appropriate trays must be used for carrying utensils during the set-up
 3. All condiments are to be fully filled before service
 4. Tent cards should be set-up facing the entrance
 5. There must uniformity in set-up and alignment of all tables
 6. Presidential, buffet and cake tables should be skirted and the folds must be evenly
spaced, no protruding pins or thumbtacks
 7. There must be an attractive center piece at the buffet table
 8. Flowers and/or candelabra are to be set up to add appeal to the tables
 9. The must be appropriate blending of colors for the linen used. The selected color has to
fit the motif of the occasion.
 10. All utensils, chinaware and glassware must be clean ad sanitized, free of finger marks
and stains and without chips or damage
 11. All linen and napkins should be free of spots and dirt, not crumpled nor spoiled or
damaged
 12. Smoking and non-smoking areas must be segregated with a sign
 13. Set up of the tables and the function rooms must be completed on time – atleast one
hour prior to the start of the function.

Control Policies Governing Banquet Equipment/Supplies

o The captain –in- charge shall endorse his requisition copy to one of his waiters who will
pick up the equipment.

o Assigned custodian shall issue banquet supplies only upon presentation of a duty signed
requisition form

o The issuing and the receiving party shall acknowledge receipt of the equipment with their
signature.

o In case of outside catering, the loading of equipment to the catering side shall be
supervised by the Supervisor or a Captain.

o After the end of each function, an inventory of equipment/supplies shall be immediately

undertaken, taking note of damages and losses.

o The staff on duty shall be made liable for losses and damages to equipment

o Dried dishes must be cleared as soon as possible to avoid losses.

o All equipment that are issue from the storeroom should be immediately returned to the
property custodian, who will conduct a physical count of returned items, witnessed by the
returning party.

o Losses and damages should be reported to the Banquet Manager who will conduct an
investigation.

o Borrowed equipment must be logged down and promptly returned

o Waiters must be on alert for cutleries, china wares or other service equipment that are
brought outside the designated function area

o Retrieval of service equipment and facilities must be done by the banquet staff before
leaving the function area.

o Gather cloth napkins, remove the crumbs and bundle them by 10’s

o Remove linen toppings and skirting, put thumbtacks and pins inappropriate containers.

o Gather soiled utensils and separate spoon, fork, teaspoon, etc.

o Fold stackable tables and chairs and place them on one side

o Bring condiment containers together

o Gather china wares and separate bowls, plates, platters, etc.

o Do physical count of each item and write the count in the requisition form 4.4) under the
column damaged

o Write down in the form quality of losses, This is computed as borrowed minus returned.

o Separate damaged wares and count them. Record in the same form under the column
damaged.

o Write down in the form quality of losses, This is computed as borrowed minus returned.

o Take efforts to retrieve and locate missing items – check under the table, and rrefers to
logbook for items brought out of the function area.

o Make follow up of borrowed items that have not been returned.

o Investigate causes of losses and damages. Staff responsible for such losses should be
given disciplinary action.
 Types of Banquet Service

1. Buffet
– In a buffet, food are pre arranged in a buffet table and guests get food for themselves.
Usually, the waiters only serve drinks and attend to service requests like serving soup.
With buffet service, less waiters are needed with a ratio of 1 waiter per 20-25 guests.
But there must be waiters to be assigned as food dispatcher and buffet runner.

2. Sit down – Plated Service

- In this type of service, guests are individually which foods that have been plated in the
kitchen. Control in the volume of food served is more guaranteed than buffet and the
food cost is lower.

3. Family Service or Lauriat Style

- This service consumes less time for preparation and service compared to the plate
service. The foods are placed on platters, with sufficient portions for the numbers of
guests per table.

4. Cocktail Style (some call it reception)

- This type of service is used in a cocktail party or any gathering where guests would
like to freely mill around and interact while eating and chatting with other guests. That is
why limited chairs and tables are provided so that there is sufficient space to move
around. Instead of dining tables, only small cocktail tables are set up, with finger foods
on it.

5. Food Station (sometimes called Action Station)

- Food stations are set up with a variety of courses and offerings to guests. Many times
these stations are manned by chefs who cook or prepare food in front of guests

Bar Arrangements for Events

 Hosted Bar

- Meaning the drinks served or ordered by the guests shall be to the account of the host and
will be part of the bill to be settled at the end of the event.

 Cash Bar

- Means that drinks ordered by guests shall be paid by the guests himself in cash or valid
credit card.

 Combined Cash and Hosted

- In this arrangement, the host agrees to pay drinks served to specific guests- usually those
seated in the presidential table or their VIP guests. Other guests shall pay for their drink
orders.

 Part of the Package

 - Drinks served are among the inclusions in the chosen menu.

Service Guidelines

 Since food for banquets is pre ordered, it is expected that the table set up is complete with
the required cutleries, chinawares and glasses, arranged in proper sequence and placed
on the appropriate side of the cover. Set up must always provide allowance for overflow
(between 10-20% of minimum guarantee)

 If buffet service is used, food must be arranged according to sequence, starting with cold
items, then hot items and lastly dessert.

 If there are more than 100 guests, a two way buffet maybe necessary to minimize waiting
time for guests who line up to get their food.

 Before the start of the event, the duty captain must get feedback from the organizer about
the set- up and also ask him if there are other requirements and concerns that need
attention.

 Set up and all other event requirements must be ready in no less than an hour before the
function starts.

 The duty of the captain is expected to:

 Position himself at the entrance to receive and welcome the guests.

 In case of overflow, coordinate with the organizer for additional orders and the kitchen for
additional food to be prepared. Have additional tables and chairs set-up.

 Make rounds to check each table ensuring that everyone is properly served and that
serving instructions are followed by waiters;

 for cash bar, check whether all ordered drinks are covered by and order slip and whether
they are properly settled.

 Strictly monitor the service of food, insuring compliance to service standards.

 Food and materials brought into function by the organizer or client should be properly
endorsed to the captain, duly signed by organizer and captain.

 There must be a receptionist who will guide the guests towards their assigned table and get
them seated.

 Service waiters must position themselves in their designated area of assignment at the
start of an event.

 Food must be served on time as stated in the function order.

Closing the Function

 As the function closes, the Captain must:

 Get a final count of the number of persons served. Confirm count with the organizer

 Prepare billing for additional charges – extra persons (from minimum guarantee),
extra hours, power consumption, corkage fees, rentals if any, cost of hosted drinks,
etc.

 Present the bill to the organizer, with supporting vouchers and documents.

 Get feedback from the organizer and apologize of there are deficiencies in the
service.

 Thank them for the patronage

 Ask organizer if they want to bring home left over foods from the buffet and have
them packed and disposed properly

 Log down and report to superior all critical incidents, losses, complaints, etc.

Clearing Procedures

 Once the guests have left the function room, start the cleaning operations captain must
supervise the cleaning operations.

 Check it crumbs are removed from all liven.

 Check whether all tables are chairs are properly stackled and stored.

 Check whether all electrical equipment are switched off and properly stored,.

 Supervise the inventory of equipment; prepare and submit inventory report.

Types of tables and their sizes