Tag: food and beverage
A survey conducted by PKF Hospitality Research shows most meeting planners expect to organize the same number of events this year as they did last year, with almost half planning to spend more. Budgets may be bigger, but planners are still focused on costs, and will still negotiate on meeting rooms, food and beverage, fees and miscellaneous charges. [...] Read more
The all-out, no-holds-barred, straightforward, fundamental, carefully chosen, feverishly compiled, complete list of useful meeting planning advice. [...] Read more
Planners at MPI’s MeetDifferent conference in Atlanta February 7-10 said frugality is the biggest trend of this economy and they shared these budget-stretching tips:
• Cut breakfast and do a more lavish dinner. Or cancel lunch and encourage attendees to experience the community or the venue’s on-site restaurants.
• Downsize meals. Serve lunch portions for dinner. Everyone is cutting back and calorie conscious these days anyway.
• One planner suggested talking to the behind-the-scenes hotel staff for some [...] Read more
Comfort food makes the South even more hospitable for meetings. So taking a plated tour is an extra-like adding gravy to biscuits, sugar to iced tea, and vinegar to greens. [...] Read more
The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers opened two new dining venues in March. LB Bistro & Patisserie and the Link@Sheraton Café provide a swanky hub for meeting planners and convention attendees to start their day with a gourmet breakfast, Starbucks coffee, and cutting-edge technology.
LB Bistro & Patisserie is the first restaurant from pastry chef Laurent Branland and features an a la carte buffet items with fresh ingredients and unique combinations of flavors. Adjacent is the [...] Read more
Let’s face it…you cannot plan any meeting or gathering without paying attention to the meals. Reunions and social events are often geared around the meals themselves, which provide the primary time for the attendees to enjoy personal interaction. [...] Read more
“There’s been a trend towards rising food and beverage minimums in terms of money spent as well as some hotels requiring higher numbers of people at functions,” says John S. Foster, Esq., CHME, an attorney whose Atlanta-based firm, Foster, Jensen & Gulley, LLC, specializes in the legal aspects of meetings and conventions. Before you sign anything, Foster advises looking at the language used in the following areas. If you’re not happy with it, negotiate.
Attrition: “Once [...] Read more
Complimentary beverages are returning to coach cabins on all US Airways and US Airways Express Flights March 1, 2009. Passengers will once again be offered free soda, juice, tea, water and coffee. Beer, wine and liquor will be sold for $7.
“US Airways was the only large network carrier to charge for dinks, and that put us at a disadvantage,” says Doug Parker, US Airways’ chairman and CEO.
Parker believes beverage charges distracted from the airline’s improvements [...] Read more
