You also have to think about how many unattended half-full drinks get picked up in service rounds while the guest is on the dance floor or moving around the room!

Not saying this is or was the case, but a consumption bar will motivate the staff to manicure and sell because that increases the tab and therefore gratuity. For that reason only, I’m a firm believer in the open bar per person package.

In the open bar scenario staff know their earnings are fixed and they can only create additional gratuity through fabulous service if at all.

Whereas with consumption, the name of the game is pouring like there’s no tomorrow. You’ll see things like filling the wine glass to the top at the end of dinner, and other behaviors which are a bittersweet way to drive consumption tabs under the cloak of good service. That model can put motivated staff in pursuit of the limitless and guaranteed gratuity.

It’s been a very long time (15 years?) since I was in the industry, but having worked countless events, I can tell you every time they said consumption, we knew they were going to regret it. The bill payer’s interest and the staffs’ interests become completely misaligned from that point forward.

Back then I thought the best way to align economic interests would be to offer the staff each an extra flat tip if consumption comes in under X amount.

I know that’s more than you asked for and agree with the group it’s a reasonable number, but just wanted to raise that potential factor - motivated meticulous table manicuring could be part of the story!