Buffet Foods

The standard buffet ratio for events is one double-sided buffet per 100-150 guests. Meal service in rooms with more than 10 buffets is one double-sided buffet per 150-200 guests.

• Plates – Are in the first location on a buffet.
• Cold Foods – Breakfast (fruit tray followed by pastries).
• Lunch & Dinner – Cold Salads and/or other cold items.
• Salad Dressings – Placed directly adjacent to the salad it is paired with.
• Hot Foods – Placed after the cold items.
• Bread – If offered, follows the hot foods with Butter adjacent to the Bread.
• Desserts – Locate after the bread and hot food.
• Silverware Roll-ups w/ Napkins – Are located as the last item on a buffet.
• All Foods – Require menus cards and under liners placed next to the item for serving utensils to be located.

Buffet Replenishment

Build the Plan, Stick to the Plan

Ask the questions…

• Does a slotted serving spoon make sense for sauces or should it be a solid spoon?
• Should there be a serving spoon or ladle used for salad dressing?
• Does a spoon or tongs make sense for salad?
• Is there enough room at the beginning of the buffet for 10 guests to line up?
• Is there enough space between the buffets for guests to walk on both sides?
• Does the menu being served make sense with the time allotted for service? For example, if the group only has an hour for lunch, does it make sense to serve a build your own deli or make your own taco bar?
• Should a separate soup or dessert station be utilized to serve guests more efficiently and quicker? Can cakes be pre-sliced to make is easier and quicker for the guests to serve themselves?
• Can certain food and beverage items be preset on the dining tables?

Experience what your guests will experience. Walk the buffet line and put yourself in their shoes. Inspect what you expect!

Tricks of the Trade

• If a vegetarian hot food is being served, place that item as the last hot food so that not every guest takes some of that item.
• Know which foods on your buffet can be served to guests with dietary restrictions (gluten free, lactose intolerant, kosher, halal)
• If there are 3 proteins offered on the menu and you don’t have equal amounts of service vessels with each food, place the food you have most of as your first food.
• Control the pace of your lines. Each buffet should have a server stationed at the front of the line controlling the traffic. This server should never leave the front of the line. They are able to open and close buffets if multiple foods need to be replenished on the line, or direct the guests to the next available line without causing them inconvenience.
• Utilize a buffet runner for every buffet line. In addition, a floater should be utilized for every two buffets to support the runners and help them switch pans for the hot foods.
• Utilize rolling carts during service so runners can bring out more than one food item at a time. Rolling carts are to be clean and skirted or draped with a tablecloth.
• Review the menu the cold and hot foods with staff multiple times before the buffets open to ensure service staff can guide the guests to the right items.
• Ensure proper elevations are used to display foods on the buffet so that the flow makes sense and items can be set appropriately so they can be accessed from both sides.

You are the expert of your area. Manager the relationship with your client by ensuring your buffets are well organized, stocked and properly replenished.