Newly
Revised (#202)
Profitability In The Banquet Industry
By Lloyd Gordon - $59.95
 Running a banquet hall in today's ever changing and competitive environment
is much more complicated than it has been in past years. It is a fact that more
than sixty percent of new independent banquet halls end up in failure within
one to three years.
The material in this book has been developed over the years both from practical
and educational experiences with the intent to organize the details an independent
operator needs to know as well as to provide information for larger organizations
entering the banquet business. The author, Lloyd Gordon, has had more than twenty
years experience in planning, developing, and marketing and the operation of
all types of banquet facilities.
The author believes there are sixteen qualities that are required to run a
successful banquet business. He also lists ten warnings that you should heed
and explains each of them in detail and spells out how they can be turned to
your advantage to boost the success of any banquet facility. The author has
taken a common sense approach and provided "to the point" material
that will help increase the productivity of both new and existing foodservice
operations.
This book comes in loose leaflet form so you may add, remove, or copy pages
as you require. It is set up so you may easily begin to accumulate your own
information as you prepare to open your own facility, maintain a record of your
activities and begin to build a library of important trade publications and
other information sources.
Format: Three ring binder, loose leaf, 62 pages
List of Topics
I. Basic Differences Between a Catering
and a Restaurant Banquet Business
- Catering Versus Restaurants
- Eight Types of Catering Services
- On Premise
- Off Premise
- Home Delivery
- Corporate Catering
- Mobile Catering
- Nouvelle
- Itinerant
- Bar Service
II. How To Build A Banquet Enterprise
- Evaluating Potential Markets For Your Catering
- Practical Suggestions for Getting Started
- Other Advantages of Catering As A Business Opportunity
- Getting Your "Toe in the Water" or Actually Starting
- Requirements for a Successful Caterer
- Your Menu Is Your Window To Your Target Market
- Your Menu As A Marketing Tool
- Funds You Need To Begin
- Nine Important Catering Tips
- Ten Catering Caveats (Warnings)
- Who Uses Catering?
- Health Concerns You Must Address
- Build Up Your Staff Carefully
- Caterers Do The Impossible To Make Clients’ Dreams Come True
- Getting Off The Rubber-Chicken Circuit
- Serve It Hot, All At Once
- Trends In Catering
- Tantalize with Hors D’oeuvres and Instant Appetizers
- Showmanship Techniques in Catering
- Keeping Within the Law While Catering
- Filling Your Insurance Needs
III. How To Develop A Physical Banquet Presence
- From Established Restaurants
- Corporate Marketing
IV. Specialized Equipment Needed For Catering/Banquets
- Successful Banquet Business Requires a Proper Equipment Lineup
- Insulated Food & Beverage Containers
V. Standard Equipment Needed For Catering/Banquets
- Catering Vans, To Rent or To Buy
- The "Dry" Truck
- Refrigeration Options
- Consider A Used Vehicle
- VI. Making Catering Events A Better Guest Experience
- Catering As An Art
- Make Catering Events More Attractive
VII. Maintain Food Safety
- Food Borne Illnesses Which Can Occur Frequently
- What You Can Do To Reduce Danger of Food Borne Illnesses.
VIII. Contracts, Marketing and Controls
- Contracts
- List of Basic Elements
- Marketing
- Controls
- Success Still Comes From Attention To The Details
- Make Sure That Your Food Arrives In Optimum Condition
- Use Your Personnel For Their Maximum Effectiveness
IX. Pricing Your Catering and Banquets Correctly
How To Make Money From
Your Catering
X. Closing The Catering Sale And Making The Sales Contract
XI. Record Keeping Requirements
XII. The Need For An Attorney
XIII. How To Collect For Your Services
XIV. Forms
- Form 101 - Job Inquiry Check List
Instructions on How to Use Form 101- Job
Inquiry Check List
- Form 102 - Work Assignments
Instructions on How to Use Form 102 - Work Assignments
- Form 103 - Sample of Catering Contract
Instructions on How to Use Form 103
- Sample of Catering Contract
- Form 104 - Employee Work Schedule
Instructions on How to Use Form 104 -
Employee Work Schedule
- Form 105 - Daily Production Check List for Kitchen
Instructions on How to
Use Form 105 - Daily Production Check List for Kitchen
Take a quick look at some solid advice
found in the initial section of this
book. . .
"Even if you were the world's greatest chef, if the community in which
you intend to operate can't support the service you wish to offer, then
you must examine the market and deride if its for you. Note that competition
is a good sign. If there are many caterers, it means that there is a good market
for catering services. If there are no caterers find out why. It may be that
your community has no need or desire for such services."
Here are some guidelines
to follow in checking out a good potential market for catering services:
- Community is fairly affluent.
- There is a high level of social activity taking place.
- A large number of clubs and organizations.
- A wide diversity in age groups.
- A sizeable number of young marrieds.
- Many professionals.
- Extended areas of corporate businesses facilities.
- Condo areas of older people retired and living there.
- College areas are good too.
Following are practical suggestions for getting started.
This is not for the
faint hearted.
- What are you going to offer customers?
- Are you going traditional or will you be new-wave?
- Are you going to serve or not serve?
These are questions that you must answer in your Business Plan of Action.
Yes, your initial activity should be to write out a Business Plan of Action
which is a detailed scheme of what you want to do and the methods you should
take to achieve the stated results. Things to be included in any good plan are:
- What do you wish to sell in the food line?
- What types of service do you wish to offer?
- What will be your business location?
- Will you do this full or part-time?
- How many jobs can you handle a week?
- How much money are you willing to invest?
- Are you going it alone or with a partner?
- Do you have an auto or station wagon for your own use?
- How will you let people know you̓re in business?
- Will you get practical experience or learn as you do it?"
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