CMP Food & Beverage Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A planner is coordinating a conference in a dry county. What is the most important first step regarding alcohol service?
- Assume a special event permit can always be obtained
- Verify local ordinances and licensing requirements before contracting (Correct answer)
- Inform guests that no alcohol will be served
- Source alcohol from a neighboring county without permits
Correct answer: Verify local ordinances and licensing requirements before contracting
Planners must verify local alcohol laws and licensing requirements before making any commitments about alcohol service.
Question 2: What does the term 'guarantee' mean in F&B event planning?
- The maximum number of guests the venue will serve
- The confirmed guest count submitted to the caterer by the deadline (Correct answer)
- The minimum quality standard for food items
- The deposit amount required to hold the event space
Correct answer: The confirmed guest count submitted to the caterer by the deadline
The guarantee is the confirmed attendance number provided to the caterer by a set deadline, which determines billing.
Question 3: For a 500-person gala dinner with a 3-hour open bar, approximately how many bartenders should be staffed?
- 2–3 bartenders
- 5–6 bartenders
- 10–12 bartenders (Correct answer)
- 20–25 bartenders
Correct answer: 10–12 bartenders
The standard ratio is one bartender per 50 guests, so 500 guests require approximately 10 bartenders.
Question 4: A planner discovers the venue's in-house caterer cannot accommodate a vegan menu for 20% of attendees. What is the best approach?
- Cancel the venue contract immediately
- Negotiate with the caterer to bring in an outside vegan vendor (Correct answer)
- Tell vegan guests to eat before arriving
- Ignore the dietary needs since it's a small percentage
Correct answer: Negotiate with the caterer to bring in an outside vegan vendor
Negotiating to bring in a specialty vendor or working with the caterer to develop compliant options addresses the dietary need.
Question 5: Which factor MOST directly affects the per-person cost difference between a plated dinner and a buffet for 300 guests?
- Tablecloth color
- Labor costs for service staff (Correct answer)
- Length of the event program
- Room temperature
Correct answer: Labor costs for service staff
Plated dinners require more service staff per guest, significantly increasing labor costs compared to buffet service.
Question 6: When planning outdoor F&B for a summer event in a hot climate, which food safety practice is MOST critical?
- Using decorative serving dishes
- Maintaining hot foods above 140°F and cold foods below 40°F (Correct answer)
- Serving all items at room temperature for consistency
- Limiting the menu to only dry snacks
Correct answer: Maintaining hot foods above 140°F and cold foods below 40°F
The temperature danger zone (40–140°F) promotes bacterial growth, making proper hot and cold holding essential for food safety.
Question 7: A planner receives the final invoice showing the venue charged for 320 covers but the guarantee was 300. What is the MOST likely explanation?
- The venue made a billing error
- The venue served the guarantee plus the standard 5% overset (Correct answer)
- Guests invited additional people without notice
- The caterer added a penalty clause
Correct answer: The venue served the guarantee plus the standard 5% overset
Venues typically prepare 5% over the guarantee as a buffer, and some contracts allow billing for the higher actual count.
CMP Food & Beverage Planning 3
A planner is coordinating a conference in a dry county.
What is the most important first step regarding alcohol service?