1. Function Room Selection and Setup
Chapter Six

2. Major factors influencing the selection process
Function room's appearance
Location
Utilities
Amount of floor space.

3. Appearance
A function room's appearance is high on most clients' priority lists
Often a potential client is attracted to the facility primarily because of the ambience provided
View

4. Appearance Lighting Sound Colors Walls Temperature Smell Visibility
Layout

5. Other Considerations Room dimension Ceiling height Number of columns
Exits and entrances
Proximity, number and quality of restroom facilities
Colors and types of floor and wall coverings
Sound insulation
Lighting

6. Ceiling Height
The typical ceiling height in hotel or convention center function rooms is approximately eleven feet
In many local municipalities, the building code may require a higher ceiling
Some building codes stipulate 14-foot ceilings in public areas, such as restaurants, theaters, and shops.

7. A lectern or head table should not be located next to an entrance because the movement of those coming and going will disrupt the speaker
If a video or power point presentation is planned, try to have the room set up so the doors are off to the side so that a late-comer does not have to walk in front of the projector and interrupt the presentation.

8. Colors
The colors and types of floor and wall coverings are the first thing a client sees when viewing a function room
In addition to meeting building-code requirements, they should be free from stains and in good repair
They also should be in good taste and decorated with style.

9. Colors
Guests tend to eat and drink more in brightly lit, colorfully decorated surroundings
Vibrant colors, such as brilliant red, hot pink and bright yellow stimulate the appetite
Dark tones dull the appetite
Examples of colors that cool the appetite are dark green, navy blue, gray and black.

10. Colors
Some caterers consider how the clients are paying for receptions
If they are paying per person, it would benefit the facility to have the guests eat and drink less, hence locating them in a darker room would be a wiser choice
However, clients that are paying on a consumption basis would benefit the facility’s sales in a brighter room.

11. Table Placement Table placement at receptions affects food consumption
An hors d’oeuvre table placed against a wall only provides 180° access to the food
A rectangular table in the center of the room provides two open sides and 360° access to the food, and greater food consumption

12. Round Tables
A round table in the center of the room gives an appearance of a lavish presentation
But since there is no way for a line to form to circle the table, guests have to work their way in and out at various points for each item they wish to eat
Which decreases food consumption.

13. Location
If the function room is a great distance from the kitchen, the menu planner may be limited to only those foods that hold up well
The banquet staff also will need to use hot and cold transport equipment in order to preserve the foods' culinary quality en route
Without this equipment, food costs could increase as finished food items are vulnerable to quality deterioration when they must be pre- plated in advance and transported long distances
The extra effort also could increase labor costs.

14. Utilities Number, types, and locations of:
electrical outlets
electrical floor, wall, and ceiling strips
phone jacks
dimmer switches
vents and ducts
built-in speakers
doors (open in or out? single or double doors?)
If the event will be in an exhibit hall, the client may be concerned with the number, types, and locations of:
gas hookups
exhaust fans
drains
water connections
Data ports for computers
Types of electricity available in house
Types of electricity that can be brought in
Maximum wattage
Maximum lighting
Number of separate lighting controls
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) capacity.
Closed-circuit TV, radio, and VCR system.
Closed-circuit, audio- visual (AV) system
Paging system

15. Space Requirements Number of Guests Type of Dining Tables Aisle Space
Dance Floor Space
Bandstand
Other Entertainment
Head Tables
Bank Maze
Reception Needs
Buffet Table
Beverage Station/Bar
Side Stands
Action Stations
Staging Area
Cashier
Display Area
Landing Space
Meeting Activity
Style of Service
Audience Separation
Handicap Seating
Props, Décor, Plants

16. Number of Guests
Local fire code will dictate the maximum number of people who can be legally housed in a function room
This maximum is a good guide when planning a stand-up function, such as a cocktail reception
It can also be a good guide when planning theater or auditorium setups
Many events, such as banquet or classroom setups, will accommodate fewer persons
For most F&B, you would be unable to accommodate the maximum number of persons allowed by the local fire code
Room setups for these types of events will reduce the number of guests that can be handled efficiently and comfortably.

17. Type of Dining Table
Allocate 10 sq ft per guest at rectangular banquet tables
Round tables require about 12 ½ sq ft per guest
These estimates will suffice if you are using standard chairs whose chair seats measure 20” by 20”
Adjust your estimates if you use smaller chairs
seats measuring 18” by 18” or larger armchairs, which usually have a minimum width of 24”
Round tables are the easiest for the staff to service and they maximize interaction among guests
Chair backs should be placed from two to three feet apart.

18. Aisle Space
Aisles are needed for server access and customer maneuverability
Aisles between tables and around food and beverage stations should be at least 48 inches wide
Leave enough entry and exit room for guests
Allocate sufficient cross-aisle space
aisles used for guests to collect and funnel in and out of the function areas
cross-aisles should be approx. six feet wide.

19. Dance Floors Allocate 3 sq ft of dance floor per guest
Lay-out squares for portable dance floors come in 3’ by 3’ sections
9 sq ft
Use one section for every three guests
A 24’ by 24’ dance floor covers approximately 600 sq ft of floor space.

20. Bandstand Estimate about 10 sq ft per band member
Drum sets usually require about 20 sq ft
Large pianos, synthesizers, runways, and so forth need additional space
Disc jockeys may need considerably more space to hold their equipment and music collection
Check the entertainment contract as it may set forth the floor-space specifications.

21. Risers Bandstands are often elevated on risers
Risers come in many shapes and sizes
The are used to elevate speakers, other entertainers, or audio-visual (AV) equipment so that a large audience can see what is taking place at one end of the function room
Most are 4’ by 4’ or 4’ by 8’ folding risers that can be adjusted to several heights
Set up with steps with attached hand and light strips
A lawsuit can occur if a guest falls from an improperly set stage.

22. Other Entertainment
You may need to allocate additional floor space for strolling musicians, and other similar entertainment
Check the entertainers' contracts for exact space requirements.

23. Head Tables 25 to 100 % more floor space than regular dining tables
If tables on risers, increase space estimate to include platform area, steps, and to spread the table-and-guest weight properly over the stage
If using platform sections 4’ x 4’ and 4’ x 8’, connect a 4’ x 4’ and a 4’ x 8’ to have enough space for a dining table measuring 3’ x 8’
You need 48 sq ft of platform space for approx 24 sq ft of dining-table space
48 sq ft will seat four guests at 24” intervals
12 sq ft pp is the minimum amount for head-table guests.
A raised head table for twelve people, plus a lectern should be a minimum of 26’ long
The rule of thumb is 2’ pp, plus 2.5’ for the podium
For more comfortable seating, allow 2.5’ to 3’ pp.

24. Bank Maze
A bank maze consists of posts (stanchions) and ropes set up to control guest traffic
You may want to use bank mazes to control traffic around cashier and ticket-taker stations
Allocate more floor space to accommodate them.

25. Reception Needs Plan about 6 to 10 sq ft of floor space per guest
With 6 sq ft, guests will feel a bit tight; they also will have a bit less ease getting to the food and beverage stations
Consequently, they may eat and drink less
If a budget client is paying on a per-person basis, where guests can eat and drink as much as they want for one price, you might consider allocating only about 6 sq ft pp to keep the price low and your food and beverage costs under control.

26. Reception Needs
7 ½ sq ft pp is considered to be a "comfortably- crowded" arrangement
It is thought to be the ideal amount of floor space per guest for receptions and other similar functions
10 sq ft provides more than ample space for guests to mingle and visit easily the food and beverage stations
It is an appropriate amount of floor space for a luxury- type reception
It is an appropriate setup if the client is paying according to the amount of food and beverage consumed
You want guests to have enough room to eat and drink as much as they want so that your revenues are maximized.

27. Buffet Table Number of guests expected. Length of dining time.
Food stations need enough floor space for the tables and aisles
An 8’ rectangular banquet table needs 24 sq ft for the table, and 60 sq ft for aisle space (if the table is against the wall); about 100 sq ft for aisle space if the table is accessible from all sides.
When determining the number of buffet tables needed, as well as the number of buffet lines required, consider:
Number of guests expected.
Length of dining time.
Amount of service equipment required.
Type of service equipment required.
Type of menu.
Style of service.
Amount of decor desired on the buffet line.
Amount of total floor space available in the function room.

28. Buffet
Allocate approx two running feet of buffet table for each food container
Tp display three hot offerings, three cold offerings, and a condiment basket, you should set up a buffet table about 14’ to 16’ long
With two 8’ rectangular banquet tables, you will need 48 sq ft of floor space for the buffet table and approx 150 sq ft of standard 3’ aisle space surrounding the buffet table
The total allocation for this setup is 200 sq ft.

29. Beverages
For self-service, nonalcoholic beverage stations, setups are similar to buffet-table setups
A hot-beverage station will need about as much space as a buffet table laden with foods
Bars need more floor space because you need room to store back-up stock, ice, and coolers to hold beer and some wines
Allocate enough working space for bartenders and, if applicable, cocktail servers
The smallest portable bar measures approximately 6’ x 7’ or about 42 sq ft
Taking account of aisle and other space needed, you need to allocate at least 150 sq ft for the typical portable banquet-bar setup.

30. Equipment
Side stands, tray jacks and bus carts
Three square feet each

31. Action Stations Also called Performance or Exhibition Stations
Allocate a bit more floor space than for a buffet, so guests can gather and view the chefs' performance
Your floor-space estimate also must be increased if the action station is elevated on a riser.

32. Staging Areas
If you anticipate any of these needs, you will need to allocate sufficient space to accommodate them
temporary serving line in the function room
band or disc jockey equipment storage
A client may need space to store convention materials, party favors, and other similar items
Floor space for lighting and sound equipment
A temporary service corridor to store hot carts
If you allocate floor space for a staging area, you should block it off with pipe and draping so that it does not interfere with the appearance and ambience of the catered event.

33. Cashier
Some functions, particularly beverage functions, may require floor space for one or more cashiers
The catered event might include a cash bar
The typical facility will require the client to use cashiers to sell drink tickets.
Plan at least 25 to 30 sq ft for one cashier station
If a security guard will be stationed at the cashier area, you will need additional floor space to accommodate this person.

34. Display Area
.Sometimes clients need space to set up their own cashier stations, registration/information tables, kiosks, booths, and so forth
A client may need a cashier station in order to sell meal tickets to guests who have not prepaid, but who decided at the last minute to attend the event.

35. Landing Space
Where guests can discard empty plates, glasses, soiled napery, and waste
A tray on a folding tray jack stand located next to a bar or against a wall
Allow 4 sq ft for each of landing space area
Cocktail or tuxedo tables can also accommodate this need
You can reduce the amount of landing space if attendants remove the discards quickly and often during the event
Landing space should be allocated on the buffet tables between and in front of food containers
Guests will need some place to set their drinks while putting food on their plates
They may need room on the table to set their plates temporarily while deciding what foods to take.

36. Meeting Activity
A client may want to have a business meeting and the meal or reception in the same function room

37. Style of Service
This is important if you are planning to use French or Russian service, as these service styles require up to twice as much floor space
Some buffets, especially those where beautiful displays and several tables are used, may also need extra space
Instead of the typical buffet floor-space estimate, you may want to increase it by 50 to 100 % if the function is very elaborate and you want to provide a luxury amount of space for all guests.

38. Handicapped Seating
If you expect to have a physically handicapped guest, you will need to allocate additional floor space
A wheelchair-bound guest will need a bit more space at the dining table as well as a wider aisle in which to navigate.

39. Function Room Setup
Using facility floor plans and other schematic drawings that show square footage, dimensions, doors, and other factors that may be important to the client, several visual plans can be developed using a basic template with graph paper
Many facilities have software that will correlate the room's dimensions, location, doorways, service corridors, columns, protrusions, dead space, permanent service installations (such as a permanent bandstand, bar, and/or dance floor), and other limitations, with the client's desires and draw out several suggested layouts for consideration.

40. Software Layout
Software programs will draw a layout using industry standards as defaults (which can be changed) for such things as distances between rows of chairs or tables, aisle space needed, and the optimal angles that should be set to accommodate video presentations
Most of these software packages also will automatically generate standard seating styles
MeetingMatrix, Vivien, RoomViewer

41. When scheduling, consider:
Function Room Status
Timing of Events
Setup Difficulty
Function Room Layout and Design
Décor
Pre-movement
Tear Down
Lighting and AV
Outside Service Contractors

42. Tables
Should be 30” high
60” round – typically called a round of 8, or 8-top
It is usually used to seat between 6 to 10 guests.
72” round – typically called a round of 10, or 10-top
It is usually used to seat between 8 to 12 guests.
66” round -- a more recent compromise table size, it is designed to take the place of the 60” and the 72” rounds
It can seat between 8 to 10 guests

43. Tables
Banquet 6 -- a rectangular table, measuring 30” wide by 6’ long.
Banquet 8 -- similar to the banquet 6, measuring 30’ wide by 8’ long.
Rounds are the most popular style of dining tables, except where U-shaped, hollow- square, or conference-room setups are required.

44. Tables
Schoolroom or classroom table -- similar to the banquet 6 and banquet 8
It can be 18” or 24” wide and 6’ to 8’ long
Used for business meetings where classroom presentations are made
Seating is usually on one side only
Can also be used as one-half of a buffet table.
Serpentine table -- a crescent-shaped table
Typical size used is 1/4 of a hollowed-out round table
Can be used to make a snake-shaped buffet line

46. Tables Half-moon table -- a half-round table
Quarter-moon table -- a quarter-round table
Cocktail table -- a small, round table
Usually available in 18”, 24”, 30-inch, and 36” diameters
You can use 30” heights (for sit-down service), shorter tables (for displays), or Tuxedo (bar height) for stand-up.

48. Chairs
The seat height of the chairs used should measure 17” from the floor
The most common seat-cushion dimension is 20” x 20”
Typical banquet stacking chairs meet these specifications
Folding chairs usually do not; they are usually lower (15” high) and less comfortable
Folding chairs should only be used for outside events or for emergency backup.

49. Bar Layout Bar setups are easier to plan than food events
Unlike food, alcoholic-beverage service tends to be very standardized
Also, you do not normally set up portable bars with the wide array of equipment needed to prepare and serve a complete line of specialty drinks
Simple mixed drinks, wines, and beers are more commonly served
Unique specialty drinks are not commonly available.

50. Portable Bars Must serve all function needs
Provide sufficient working space
Have sufficient storage space
Enhance cost control procedures
Prevent access by minors
Allow space for other items
Accommodate special requests
Allow for proper accounting of drinks served
Enhance security

51. Coffee Stations & Refreshment Breaks
Coffee may be the simplest and most profitable service you provide
There are more compulsive coffee drinkers in the US than there are compulsive liquor drinkers, and they need coffee throughout the day
Coffee drinkers are generally impatient and want their coffee right away, especially in the morning
The setup must be easy to understand
You must make access easy
Traffic must flow smoothly with no backtracking.

52. Coffee
Attendees can draw 5 gallons of coffee from a single urn in 15 minutes
You can anticipate 20 6-ounce cups of coffee per gallon.
It takes twice as long to add cream and sugar as it does to pour coffee, so cream and sugar should never be placed directly in front of the coffee urns
By placing these items away from the urn, the line will move much faster.

53. Setup order for good flow
From left to right:
Cups
Regular coffee
Decaffeinated coffee
Hot water for tea
Teabags, Sugar, Sweetener, Cream, Lemon Slices
Spoons
Food

54. Buffet Layout
Buffets are generally faster and more efficient than table-service, assuming there are enough buffet lines to accommodate the guests quickly and efficiently
Some clients are under the impression that buffets are less expensive to implement than table-service styles
While labor costs may be a bit lower, there is no portion control and you must provide surplus food to insure an ample supply of each item.

55. Buffets
Lower cost food items, such as salads and breads, should be placed first on the table so that the guests' plates will be full by the time they reach the main course
You can also cut down on consumption by using a 9” plate instead of a 10” one.
Put small portion sizes on buffets
Instead of serving whole chicken breasts, or even half-breasts, you should cut them into three or four pieces each
Guests who want to eat another meat on the buffet, but also want to sample the chicken, will not have to take a large piece of chicken,

56. Buffets
If the buffet line will be longer than 16’, it should be two tables wide, i.e., about 4’ to 6’ wide
A long, narrow line is unattractive
A wider line allows you to spread out the foods, create a more aesthetically pleasing depth perception, and enhance the set up with decorations and food displays
If you must use long, narrow lines, you should use a combination of straight tables and curved ones to eliminate the "skinny" look.

57. Buffets
If floor space is at a premium, you should use double-sided buffet tables
They can save as much as 20% of your available floor space
They also tend to reduce leftovers because, when service slows near the end of the meal, you can close one side of the line and consolidate all foods on the open side.

58. Buffets Use small containers of food on the buffet line
Try to use containers that hold no more than 25 to 30 servings
They will be more attractive than large, elaborately garnished containers
Only the first few guests through the line will see the beautifully garnished large presentations before they are disturbed
Small containers will need frequent replacement
Experience shows that guests will take smaller portions from smaller containers, and larger servings from bigger containers
The result: you save more on food cost than you spend for any extra labor
Smaller containers usually mean fresher, more attractive presentations.

59. Buffets
Most meal buffets are usually set with one line for every 100 guests
One line is one side of a buffet table, if you are using two sides, that is considered two lines
The maximum amount you can serve efficiently with one line is 120 guests
The break point, therefore, is 120 guests
You should have one line for every 100 guests, but you should have two lines if the number of guests ranges from 120 to 200.

60. Buffets
If you set one buffet line for every 50 guests, you can feed the entire group in about 15 minutes
The first guest will take about 5 minutes to go through the line
After that, there will be about 4 guests passing through the line every minute
For some luncheons, it might be a good idea to set one line for every 50 guests.

61. Tablescapes The top of the dining table is 'the stage.'
Once guests are seated they will spend the rest of the meal function looking at the table
The table presentation sets expectations for the meal and should reflect the theme
The colors of the napery should not clash with the carpet or wall treatments
Each place setting is referred to as a cover
The cover should never be empty, or what is called a "naked cover."
A show plate, folded napkin, menu or preset first course should be placed between the flatware.

62. Napery
When ordering napery, or requisitioning it from a “linen” room, you will need to specify the exact measurements needed
For round tables, for most functions, the size of the tablecloth should be approximately 18” wider than the table diameter so that about 9” of cloth will drape over the sides
If the tabletop diameter is 60”, use a cloth 78” square. A 72” diameter table should be fitted with a 90” round cloth
If you use rectangular dining tables, the tablecloth should also drape about 9” over the table's sides.

63. Tablecloths
Since the standard table measures 30” from the floor, and the standard chair seat measures 17” from the floor, a tablecloth with a 9” hem will not touch the chair seats
If this tablecloth is fitted correctly on the dining table, it will not interfere with guest comfort
Hems should just barely touch the front edges of the chair seats.

64. Floor Length Tablecloths
At formal dinners, if floor length tablecloths are desired, allow 29” on each side
for a 72” round, you would order a 130” round tablecloth
When using floor length tablecloths, be sure that the setup crew does not push the chairs in so far that the cloth is not hanging straight down to the floor.

65. Cover/Place Setting
The standard cover includes a plate set in the center with flatware placed on either side
Forks are placed to the left of the cover, knifes and spoons to the right
Flatware is placed in the order in which it will be used by the guest, from the outside in
The soup spoon would be on the outside and far right, as soup is usually an early course
The knife would be closest to the center plate, with the blade edge facing the rim of the plate
The smaller salad fork would be set to the left of the dinner fork on the left side of the plate.

66. Cover Some dessert flatware may be placed above the center plate
Dessert pieces set above the plate would have the bowl of the spoon facing the guest’s left, and the tines of the fork facing the guest’s right
The exact place setting depends primarily on the menu and style of service selected by the client
Coffee cups should not be preset at a formal dinner
They should be placed on the table after dinner when coffee service begins.

67. Centerpieces
Floral arrangements of cut flowers, potted plants or foliage combined with candles, lights, and ice carvings are excellent centerpieces
Consider how the flowers will look on the day you will be using them
If you want flowers in full bloom, you should purchase them a few days early to allow them to open fully
If you are going to use roses on the same day as purchased, order "funeral roses," which are at their peak of bloom
Store flowers between 38 and 45 degrees F.

68. Centerpieces
Strongly scented flowers, such as tiger lilies, can interfere with the palate, i.e., taste of the food
Centerpieces on dining tables should never be at eye level
The centerpiece should not interfere with guests‘ sight lines, they should be placed under or over these sight lines
You do not want guests peering under, over, or around them trying to see the person on the other side
Guests should not have to have a conversation with a disembodied voice
For height, use an "epergne," a container with a slender center portion that does not obstruct the view across the table
A centerpiece should not overpower a table.