What is a BEO: How to Create a Banquet Event Order in Event Planning

Managing and planning an event involves hundreds of details, which means a centralized document like a Banquet Event Order helps keep items organized. Want to know what how to create a BEO? This article covers it. You’ll be able to create a basic BEO and learn a bit more about modern technology, like Tripleseat, a game-changing solution for building and managing customizable BEO documents that are easily managed through automation features.

What is the Meaning of BEO?

Some key details are crucial for everyone involved in the event, including venue staff, managers, event planners, outside vendors, and the clients themselves. To streamline the event process, venues such as restaurants, hotels, convention centers, wedding venues, banquet halls, and special event facilities created the banquet event order (BEO) many years ago. This crucial document is essential to the management systems and processes for events of all kinds. If you’re in hospitality, likely you are familiar with this important sheet filled with vital information. Let’s explore what makes up a BEO in more detail.

What Should a BEO Include?

Here are the key parts typically included in a BEO:

1. Event Information
   • Event Name
   • Event Date and Time
   • Location/Venue
   • Room Name or Number
2. Client Information
   • Client Name
   • Contact Person
   • Phone Number
   • Email Address
3. Event Details
   • Event Type (e.g., Wedding, Conference, Banquet)
   • Number of Guests
   • Agenda/Schedule of Activities
4. Food and Beverage
   • Menu Selection (Appetizers, Main Courses, Desserts)
   • Beverage Options (Alcoholic, Non-Alcoholic)
   • Special Dietary Requirements
   • Service Style (Buffet, Plated, Family-Style)
5. Setup and Equipment
   • Room Layout (Seating Arrangement, Table Setup)
   • Audio/Visual Requirements (Microphones, Projectors, Screens)
   • Decorations (Flowers, Centerpieces, Linens)
6. Staffing
   • Number of Servers, Bartenders, and Other Staff
   • Specific Duties and Timings
7. Timing and Logistics
   • Setup Start Time
   • Event Start and End Time
   • Breakdown/Cleanup Time
8. Special Instructions
   • Any Additional Notes or Instructions Specific to the Event
9. Cost Summary
   • Itemized List of Costs (Food, Beverage, Equipment, Staffing)
   • Taxes and Service Charges
   • Total Estimated Cost
10. Approval and Signatures
    • Client Signature
    • Venue/Event Manager Signature
    • Date of Approval

Is a BEO a Legally Binding Contract?

A quality BEO should be straightforward yet comprehensive since it serves as a contract outlining all the essential event details agreed upon by both A BEO riddled with errors is like a map with incorrect directions—it leads to a disastrous outcome. Inaccuracies can cause last-minute chaos, making it essential to double-check every detail, from guest counts to table arrangements. Be sure that your BEOs are accurate so your events are successful and you are able to meet the expectations for your clients.

A Free Basic Blueprint for a Banquet Event Order

Download a standard Microsoft Word Banquet Event Order template that we have designed as a gift to you as a basic BEO to get started. As you fill it out manually, keep in mind that it only takes 15 seconds to complete a digital BEO using the Tripleseat event management platform. On top of that, you can keep track of changes and you will improve your accuracy for all the event details.

Modern, Game-Changing Banquet Event Orders with Tripleseat

There is never enough time in the day, especially if you’re an event professional. One of the biggest time-wasters is creating new documents for each event, cutting and pasting from old Word documents, spreadsheets, or banquet event orders (BEOs). Then, you trade endless emails with the client with every change you make, sending a brand-new version of the BEO.

Tripleseat makes creating documents so easy that you might enjoy this part of the event management process. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can build your own custom BEO template that reflects your restaurant’s unique style. You can provide BEOs to your clients via Discussions and the Guest Portal, where they can view and comment on the BEO details. No more endless emails! You and your customers can make changes to documents seamlessly and communicate the changes in real-time. Streamline your planning process with Tripleseat’s banquet event order form templates that can vastly improve the experience of creating BEOs and their overall appearance.

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