Strike (teardown).
Strike is the work done after an event to clear and reset the space — removing linens, breaking down tables and chairs, collecting rentals and décor, loading out vendor equipment and returning the room to its standard setup or the next booking's layout.
Also called break-down or tear-down, strike is the mirror image of setup and needs the same planning. Back-to-back bookings without enough strike window are the most common cause of late starts the next morning.
What happens during strike
Strike starts when the last guest leaves — sometimes earlier, as buffets and stations are often broken down during dancing. The room is cleared in order so nothing is damaged or lost: tables bussed, linen removed and counted, tables and chairs folded and stacked, rentals checked against the pack list, then the floor cleaned and the room reset. Outside vendors such as the band, florist and AV company strike their own equipment within the venue's load-out time.
For off-premise events strike is bigger: everything that came on the truck goes back on it, and the site is left as it was found.
| Task | Who usually does it | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Clear tables and service areas | Servers, bussers | Leftovers handled to food-safety rules |
| Remove and count linen | Banquet crew | Stains and burns noted for damage |
| Break down tables and chairs | Banquet crew | Stacking limits and trolley space |
| Collect rentals and décor | Catering or rental staff | Counts checked against the pack list |
| Vendor load-out | Each vendor | Load-out deadline in the contract |
| Clean and reset the room | Crew, housekeeping | Next event's setup diagram |
As a rough guide, a crew of six to eight strikes a 150–200 guest banquet in two to three hours.
How strike is planned and charged
Strike belongs on the run sheet and the BEO: who is on the crew, when they start, how the room must be left and when it is handed back. The contract should set the event end time and a separate load-out deadline, with an overtime charge if the client or their vendors overrun. Many venues fold strike labour into the setup fee or service charge; others itemise a teardown fee for complex décor.
Labour is the main cost, and crews are often booked on a three- or four-hour minimum call. In LightCater, the crew scheduling add-on puts strike shifts on the same schedule as the event, with timesheets and labour cost.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Booking the next event into the same room with no strike window in between.
- Leaving strike off the schedule, so the crew that served dinner is also expected to break down the room.
- No load-out deadline for outside vendors in the contract.
- Packing rentals without counting them, so missing items are only found at the warehouse.
Related terms
- Full banquet & catering glossary
- Setup fee — the labour charge strike is often bundled with
- Run sheet — where the strike timing and crew are written down
- Linens — the first items removed and counted at strike
- Damage deposit — what covers damage found at the walk-through
- Banquet captain — who usually runs the end of the night
Strike (teardown) — common questions.
What does strike mean in events?
How long does an event strike take?
Is strike included in the event price?
Who strikes rentals and vendor equipment?
Pack it out, pack it back.
LightCater builds prep sheets and pack lists from confirmed events, so the crew knows what went out and what has to come back. Add rental inventory to check items in by barcode, and crew scheduling for strike shifts and labour cost. Try it free for 14 days, no credit card to start.