Function and events revenue is one of the most underused opportunities in Australian hospitality. Many venues have the space, the kitchen capacity, and the team to run a profitable events business and never properly develop it.
Decide What Kind of Events You Actually Want
Not every venue should chase every kind of function. Decide what size and type of event suits your space, your kitchen, and your team, and build your offering around that rather than saying yes to everything that calls.
Build Set Packages With Pre-Calculated Margins
Custom quoting for every enquiry is slow and inconsistent. Build two or three set packages at different price points with menus and inclusions already costed. Our menu engineering service includes building costed function packages as part of a broader menu review.
Price for the Disruption, Not Just the Food
A function takes up space that would otherwise generate revenue from regular trade, requires additional staffing, and often involves extra setup time. Price your packages to reflect this, not just the cost of the food and beverage.
Make Booking Easy
A simple enquiry form on your website that captures the key details, a fast response time, and a clear path to deposit and confirmation removes the friction that costs you business.
Train Your Team to Upsell Within the Function
Beverage packages, additional canapes, or a late finish extension are all opportunities to increase the value of a booking that has already been won.
Follow Up After Every Event
A function client who has a great experience is one of your best sources of future bookings, both from them directly and from referrals.
If you want help building a proper events offering for your venue, talk to Pestle and Mortar. We work with venues across Australia to turn occasional functions into a consistent, profitable revenue stream.
About the Author
Wayne Farmer is the founder and chief consultant at Pestle and Mortar, Australia’s hands-on hospitality consultancy. With experience running hotel kitchens, boutique dining venues, and a successful catering business, Wayne has spent his career helping Australian restaurant, cafe, and catering operators build more profitable, better-run businesses. Learn more about Wayne and how Pestle and Mortar works.