As end-of-the-year banquets are completed and plans for summer programs on the UA campus are made, the Student Union's catering manager said he expects catering sales this year to approach $1.5 million.

Dan Adams, Student Union director, said this time of year is busy because of all the end-of-the-year banquets being held.

The catering service, one of the largest in the country, does about 20 banquets a month, he said, but in April, it held about 30.

Catering Manager Mike Wetzel said the catering service does deliveries and catering ranging from a $40 platter of refreshments for a meeting to a $25 per person black-tie dinner.

June is usually the highest month in sales because of all the summer camps and programs going on, he said.

Wetzel said they have the kitchen facilities and staff to cater anything that any group on campus would need.

"There is really nothing that we can't do," he said.

The catering service employs about 50 students during the year as banquet servers, set-up persons, deliverers, dishwashers and kitchen help, Wetzel said.

However, he said around the end of the year, the number of students employed dwindles because everyone is cramming for finals.

Adams said catering services does an oustanding job. He said the service runs a very smooth operation and makes few mistakes.

"Anytime you are dealing with food, there are a lot of things that can go wrong," he said.

Wetzel said miscommunications about the time or the number of guests often account for problems.

"It almost puts us in a position where we're bound to fail," he said.

In late March, the service catered a black-tie dinner in the Union Club. Wetzel said they decided to use their own cook for the first time. The cook got sick at the last minute and the caterers were stuck without a cook three hours before dinner.

"It was the most nerve-racking three or four hours I've ever had here," he said.

Wetzel said the service also had problems at the "Evening of Excellence" banquet last month.

He said they were expecting 325 guests, but about 375 people showed up.

"There's nothing you can do in a situation like that to come away looking good."

He said he felt that situation reflected on the catering service when it should have been a reflection on the customers.