Director of catering vs banquet manager

The differences between directors of catering and banquet managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a director of catering and a banquet manager. Additionally, a director of catering has an average salary of $65,732, which is higher than the $53,423 average annual salary of a banquet manager.

The top three skills for a director of catering include booking, customer service and culinary. The most important skills for a banquet manager are wine, customer service, and guest satisfaction.

Director of catering vs banquet manager overview

	Director Of Catering	Banquet Manager
Yearly salary	$65,732	$53,423
Hourly rate	$31.60	$25.68
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	54,263	93,415
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	4	4

What does a director of catering do?

A director of catering spearheads and oversees catering services and programs, from planning to execution. They usually lead the hiring and training procedures, establishing goals and timelines, managing budgets and controlling costs, setting protocols and guidelines, coordinating managers and teams, and negotiating with suppliers, building positive relationships in the process. They may also participate in developing marketing plans, meeting with clients to identify their needs and preferences, monitoring inventories, solving issues and concerns, and supervising catering services to ensure operations run smoothly and efficiently.

What does a banquet manager do?

A banquet manager oversees the daily operations of banquet-hosting establishments, from planning to execution, ensuring events run smoothly and efficiently according to client requirements and preferences. They coordinate with the banquet director and head chef, working together to establish goals, guidelines, budgets, schedules, and strategies to meet the events' needs. They have the authority to delegate responsibilities among staff, communicate with clients, and liaise with external parties to secure supplies. It is also their responsibility to manage the venue, decorations, seat plans, and other services, resolving issues promptly and professionally to ensure client and guest satisfaction.

Director of catering vs banquet manager salary

Directors of catering and banquet managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Catering	Banquet Manager
Average salary	$65,732	$53,423
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $98,000	Between $39,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	J.F. Shea Co	Waverley Country Club
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Hospitality

Differences between director of catering and banquet manager education

There are a few differences between a director of catering and a banquet manager in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Catering	Banquet Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 68%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Cornell University	Cornell University

Director of catering vs banquet manager demographics

Here are the differences between directors of catering' and banquet managers' demographics:

	Director Of Catering	Banquet Manager
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%	Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.0% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between director of catering and banquet manager duties and responsibilities

Director of catering example responsibilities.

Manage and execute every aspect of the planning process, creating BEOs and managing banquet staff.
Prepare and manage BEOs to client specifications including auto-visual requirements.
Revamp BEO writing process with training.
Direct the catering, conference service and banquet departments for two five star, five diamond resorts and two country clubs.
Monitor daily activities to ensure quality food and cleanliness standards.
Foster a positive work/customer atmosphere by ensuring facility cleanliness and compliance with health department regulations.

Banquet manager example responsibilities.

Manage the hotel restaurant a few nights a week and assist with bartending.
Manage bar functions, as well as maintain inventory and train all bartending staff.
Manage department service standards, POS system, payroll, schedules and labor /beverage costs.
Develop specific plans with UN affiliate organizations to achieve their goals and to accommodate VIP and other special requirements.
Create BEO, menus and tracking forms.
Administer Delphi and POS system procedures to improve internal operations.

Director of catering vs banquet manager skills

Common director of catering skills

Booking, 10%
Customer Service, 10%
Culinary, 10%
Event Planning, 8%
Food Preparation, 6%
Menu Planning, 5%

Common banquet manager skills

Wine, 12%
Customer Service, 12%
Guest Satisfaction, 9%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Guest Service, 5%
Quality Service, 4%

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Director Of Catering
Director Of Catering vs Banquet Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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