Julie Lindsey
Senior Manager, Corporate Events, The Gap, Inc. San Francisco

I’ve had some wonderful F&B experiences at hotels like the Venetian and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. They never ran out of buffet food—and—most important, were never obtrusive about the replenishment process. Attendees didn’t have to watch servers lugging hot chaffing dishes through a crowd. Marriott’s Camelback Inn in Scottsdale is particularly memorable. Their people—even the bus people—were flawless in their service and extremely friendly, and attendees commented on that.

On the other side, we had a horrible time at a major chain property in San Francisco. They ran out of food every day of the three we were on site, and they blamed us, saying our people ate more than most. Together we checked guarantees and plate count, and sure enough, they ended up comping us for the number of meals they were short. Needless to say, we have put them on our last resort list. One of my concerns right now are all the surcharges that seem to pop up after the fact.

Lynne K. Tiras
President, International Meeting Managers, Inc., Houston

We have done a few chef’s cooking classes in the hotel kitchen. They are usually outstanding, especially when attendees get involved. The Ritz-Carlton in Cancun and the Loews Royal Pacific in Orlando stand out in my mind in this regard. When you work directly with the chef, you have a better chance of having an outstanding event. Also, I am a big fan of décor, but my budgets need to go into the food. So I value any hotel that shares their inhouse décor without charging me extra. I love chair covers. I would say variety in themed events is important. Attendees get tired of the same ol’ same ol’. One of the things we try to do is offer F&B items that reflect the area or city we are in. This gives attendees a new experience when at all possible.

I like what seems to be a trend in putting hard boiled eggs on continental breakfasts. That little bit of protein is important to many attendees. Also, if meetings run to late mornings, there’s a need for snacks like small bags of pretzels or whole fruit. I like what Hyatt is doing with its new practice of offering attendees entrée choices at banquets. This is a change that should be very well received.

Charles Massey
President/CEO, SYNAXIS Meetings & Events, Inc., West Hollywood, California

Flexibility is important. I like the way hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton in Pasadena and the Lodge at Rancho Mirage and Rancho Las Palmas Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Springs work. We give them a budget for F&B as opposed to working off the menu, and they are willing to do something for our price without sacrificing quality. At some urban hotels particularly, you meet with sales people and all they say is no, no, no. Happens a lot in New York and Chicago where things seems to be union driven.

We certainly pay attention to quality and quantity, and we don’t like to see food get plowed through in the first hour of an event. Hotels need to have backup, in case you have to switch to Plan B. I always appreciate hotels that go the extra mile with décor, hotels like the Renaissance Stanford Court in San Francisco. They decorate my buffet with the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, or some other local symbol, and return to them frequently. With some hotels, you have to fight to get a votive candle in the middle of the table.

Patricia Zollman
Regional Director, HelmsBriscoe, San Francisco

I find that our clients really like chef tastings. The JW Marriott in Orlando is incredibly creative, and I would work with them anytime. Once they did a tasting during a site inspection that was very impressive. The client saw preparations through a glassed area, saw how they serve, and got the look and feel of everything the staff could do. They booked and had a wonderful experience. Each meal was different.

When it comes to décor, I expect hotels to lead in this realm, especially for larger events or annual programs. At the least, they should have contacts to help the client. We had some memorable décor at the MGM Grand in Vegas when a client had a white-on-white party—beautiful white chairs and couches around a pool area. Included were little tents where chefs from major outlets in the hotel came and offered food samples—everything from Thai to ribs. Another occasion we had a Rat Pack theme—everything silver-and-black 1950s style. Dean Martin and other look alikes were on hand.

Menu variety is important to attendees, and more and more people are health conscious about their eating, starting with breakfast. People aren’t eating as many sugary pastries, and they like more than one type of juice.

Janet R. Pickover
President, JR Associates, Princeton, New Jersey

I look for good service. Good banquet managers, captains, and waitstaff can save the day when convention services or some other department doesn’t perform well. These are people who anticipate needs. I recall doing a garden event once and they had all the umbrellas sitting nearby because they knew the sun would be hot. They put them out without my requesting them. Personally, I want to speak with the chef early in the planning and negotiating.

Of course, if the kitchen doesn’t have their act together and service is late, this throws the entire day’s schedule off. This is a very big no no for me—and it can come down to money, especially if there is a contract clause that says all meals will be on time. Another hot button is overpriced food items like a gallon of coffee ... unlike a fancy dessert or swan carvings, which certainly require a lot of labor. New York and Chicago are awful about this. Above all, I don’t want to feel gouged, even in this seller’s market.

Ruth A. Hill is a Virginia-based writer.