Meeting planners know better than anyone else how to cut food and beverage costs.
Here are some tips from the inside – advice shared by fellow meeting planners in the “Stellar Tips” section of ConventionPlanit.com: 
1. Customize Menus
It’s no secret that food and beverage can be expensive. Customizing menus can allow for greater variety, fresher ingredients, and cut costs. Provide a total dollar amount to the chef or catering manager and request custom menus (keeping specific requirements in mind).
The chef is given flexibility to use seasonal or local specials, or piggyback other events being held that day, take advantage of specials offered by food suppliers – all while offering smaller and healthier portions and staying within budget.
2. Alter the Food Presentation
Pass or butler more expensive items at a reception to make them last longer and save money. Using napkins instead of plates, or asking the caterer to slice bakery items in half (bagels, muffins, croissants) allow for portion control.
3. Eliminate Individual Beverages
Replace cans of soda with a self-service fountain soda station situated near the break area, and use water pitchers or coolers instead of bottles. Attendees won’t be tempted to ‘take one for the road’. These options are more cost effective (one planner saved $1000 by switching to water coolers!) and are good for the environment, too.
4. Monitor a Beverage Manager
While doing the BEO, mention you would like to be present when the beverage manager tallies the bars and empties before they are finalized. (Liquor is counted by tenths of a bottle and then billed accordingly).
One count discrepancy resulting in a measurement change can equate to as many as 10-12 drinks! This keeps the beverage manager on his toes and can result in hundreds of dollars in savings.
5. Use a Voucher Program
Instead of preparing a traditional break time, ask the hotel to provide vouchers for the lobby snack shop. Attendees are given vouchers, each worth $3, for example. Each item in the snack shop is worth one voucher. The vouchers are then counted and charged to the master account – which can be significantly less costly than a large break time.
