How to budget your food requirements while planning conferences and other events

• How many meals will be included in the registration price and how many are attendees expected to take care of on their own?
• What's the total cost of food and beverages? Remember to include tea, snacks, soft drinks, etc served while the conference is underway.
• Do attendees have access to other reasonably priced, quality restaurants within walking distance of the venue? This might not be the case at resorts.
• How much time will you budget for meals and breaks?
• Remember that meals at the end of the event usually have fewer people attending than those during the event.
• A useful rule of thumb is to find out what the buffet costs at the hotel and add a bit to it because yours will be a catered event.
• Another way out is to give the hotel a budget and ask them to work out a menu to fit that. They'll usually do it. But you've to be doubly careful you don't get shortchanged, particularly at some resorts.