CMM Food & Beverage Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the 'guarantee' in a food and beverage context?
- The number of attendees the venue guarantees will attend
- The final confirmed attendance number submitted by the planner for billing purposes (Correct answer)
- The minimum food quality rating promised by the chef
- The maximum number of guests the venue can accommodate
Correct answer: The final confirmed attendance number submitted by the planner for billing purposes
The guarantee is the final headcount confirmed by the meeting planner, typically 48–72 hours before the event, which the venue uses to prepare food and determines the billing basis.
Question 2: A meeting planner wants to reduce F&B costs without significantly impacting attendee experience. Which strategy is most effective?
- Eliminating all beverage service
- Reducing the number of menu courses while enhancing presentation (Correct answer)
- Ordering the minimum guarantee and hoping attendance is lower
- Switching from plated to vending machine service
Correct answer: Reducing the number of menu courses while enhancing presentation
Reducing courses while maintaining quality and presentation keeps costs down without sacrificing the perceived value of the dining experience for attendees.
Question 3: What is the standard industry practice for alcohol service liability at corporate events?
- The venue assumes all liability as the licensed server
- The meeting planner assumes full liability regardless of who serves
- Both the venue and the planner share liability; the planner should require the venue to carry liquor liability insurance (Correct answer)
- Alcohol liability is covered under the host's general event insurance automatically
Correct answer: Both the venue and the planner share liability; the planner should require the venue to carry liquor liability insurance
Best practice is shared responsibility: the licensed venue carries liquor liability insurance, and the planner verifies this coverage and may also carry event insurance.
Question 4: When reviewing a hotel's F&B proposal, a meeting planner notices the term 'plus-plus' (++). What does this mean?
- Prices include gratuity but not tax
- Prices are quoted before service charge and tax are added (Correct answer)
- An additional course is included at no extra charge
- Prices are negotiable and can be discounted twice
Correct answer: Prices are quoted before service charge and tax are added
The '++' notation means the listed price does not include service charges or taxes, which will be added on top of the quoted per-person price.
Question 5: A planner is organizing a continental breakfast for 200 attendees with a 90-minute service window. Which item is LEAST appropriate for this format?
- Assorted pastries and muffins
- Fresh fruit platters
- Made-to-order omelets (Correct answer)
- Yogurt parfait station
Correct answer: Made-to-order omelets
Made-to-order omelets require individual preparation time, creating long lines and slow service that is incompatible with a continental-style, self-serve breakfast format.
Question 6: What is 'consumption bar' pricing in F&B management?
- A per-drink pricing model where the host pays only for drinks actually consumed (Correct answer)
- A fixed package price for unlimited drinks during a set time period
- A bar setup where only non-alcoholic drinks are served
- A model where attendees pay for their own drinks individually
Correct answer: A per-drink pricing model where the host pays only for drinks actually consumed
A consumption bar charges the host based on the actual number of drinks served, making it cost-effective when consumption is uncertain or expected to be low.
Question 7: A meeting planner is negotiating F&B for a 3-day conference at a hotel. Which negotiation tactic typically yields the best result for overall savings?
- Negotiating each meal function price separately
- Offering to consolidate all F&B spend at one property in exchange for reduced pricing (Correct answer)
- Insisting on using an outside caterer for all functions
- Requiring the hotel to match a competitor's per-person price exactly
Correct answer: Offering to consolidate all F&B spend at one property in exchange for reduced pricing
Consolidating all F&B spend at one property increases the planner's leverage and gives the hotel incentive to offer better overall pricing as a package.
CMM Food & Beverage Management 2
Which of the following best describes the 'guarantee' in a food and beverage context?