Just be very insistent. FH started at a price and stayed at it without waivering. Finally they came down to $1/pp more than our price and we said yes! But he was very strong. Sometimes you even need to walk out...
It definitely depends on the hall. Some of them did not budge at all with anything. If you can pay cash, tell them that. They will definitely work with you. Or, like the previous poster said, go in with a number and stick with it.
Some halls are more willing to negotiate than others. One thing you should ask for no matter where you are is extras thrown in for free. Ask for an extra station at cocktail hour, an extra carving meat, chair covers (if applicable), a lower price on upgrades like Viennese Hour, etc. One thing I can say when you're talking about price per head or price for an upgrade is that you should name the price you want. I did a lot of 'how much can you come down on that' in the beginning, and that was far less effective than flat out saying 'I want X for this much $$.'
Yes I have to learn what to say before going in,lol!
