Quick question: when a venue’s F&B minimum jumps mid-cycle (ours went from $60k to $72k for Q1), how are you pushing back while keeping the relationship intact? I’m juggling a flat budget and considering bundling AV with the room to offset, but I don’t want to trigger higher service charges…
I’d go back with a short amendment that “excludes AV from the minimum and service charge” and convert the $12k hike into hard concessions (comp room rental, power drops, bartender fees) rather than dollars — like trading upgrades instead of cash. If they balk, ask to tie the minimum to guaranteed headcount with a per‑cap cap and allow pre/post spend (staff meals, load‑in day coffee) to count toward it.
Shift the jump into a pickup-based F&B escalator — e.g., $X per actual room‑night — so the minimum scales with attendance instead of locking at $72k (think dimmer, not switch). Alongside @adams37’s carve‑out, ask for a written cap on service charge applied to items counted toward the minimum, or trade the delta for comped breaks/power to keep goodwill.
Quick example: I kept the headline $72k but added a ‘rollover credit’ — any shortfall converts 1:1 to a master credit usable within 12 months (banquets + outlets), and I traded a soft hold on Q2 dates to make it painless; kept spend flat. Would your venue bite on that?
Trade pattern instead of dollars: ask them to keep Q1 at $60k if you add a Sunday shoulder or sign a small rebook, and lock it with, “maintain prior minimum with +1 shoulder night and 12‑month rebook clause.” I’ve had two hotels bite when weekday pacing was soft; they’ll flex the headline if you help their need dates. Would that fly with your block, @Jamal?