A food & beverage (F&B) minimum is the minimum dollar amount you’re required to spend on food and drinks when using a venue’s event space. Instead of charging you separately for the meeting room, many venues offer it for free or at a reduced rate—as long as you meet this F&B minimum. It’s a standard part of many hotel and venue contracts, especially when booking space for a corporate event or offsite.
How F&B Minimums Work
It’s a spending threshold: If your F&B minimum is $5,000, you’re expected to spend at least that much on meals, snacks, drinks, or catering through the venue.
It’s not a cost estimate: At the same time, food & beverage minimum is not a prediction of what you’ll spend. You’ll still want to calculate your expected per-person meal costs to make sure you’re meeting the minimum and capturing the full scope of actual costs.
It doesn’t include tax and service fees: You’ll still need to pay additional charges (often 20–30%) on top of the minimum.
It’s not an extra fee: You’re not paying more—it’s just a commitment to spend a certain amount.
If you don’t meet it, you pay the difference: For example, if your actual spend is $4,500 on a $5,000 minimum, you still owe the remaining $500.
It’s often tied to access: A venue may offer complimentary meeting space or AV equipment if the minimum is met.
Pro Tips:
Ask what counts toward the minimum: Confirm if coffee breaks, snacks, or bar service are included.
Use your guest count to estimate spend: A group of 20 people eating three meals at ~$150+ per person per day quickly adds up.
Negotiate based on your schedule: If your agenda is light on meals, ask for a lower minimum or more flexibility.
Watch for overages: Once you meet the minimum, you still pay for any additional F&B ordered, so track consumption throughout the event.
Use pre-orders when possible: Set menus and headcounts help you plan more accurately and avoid surprise overages or shortages.
F&B minimums are a standard way venues bundle space and service—but they don’t have to be intimidating. With a little planning and clear communication, you can meet your minimum and keep your event on budget.