Set Up a Buffet

A buffet is a great idea if you’re having a lot of guests over for a meal. This type of meal allows the guests to line up and choose which foods they would like to eat, as they move from one end of the serving station to the other. Setting up a buffet is not overwhelming if you take it step-by-step and do a little planning. To set up a buffet, prepare the space, set up the table, and put out food for the guests.

Steps

Preparing the Space

1. Consider your budget. Decide how much you want to spend altogether, including food, silverware, plates, and drinks. Reduce the amount you want to spend by 15%. Try to spend 85% percent of the full amount. The extra 15% allows you some extra money for unexpected costs and things like taxes, tips, and potential emergencies.
   • Keep track of what you’re spending by keeping all of the receipts spent on the buffet together.
2. Begin planning your buffet table in advance. This is so that you are not making last minute decisions and preparations. Gather all of your serving dishes together the night before the event and place them on the table. Attach sticky notes to remind you which food goes in which dish.
3. Choose a spot with plenty of space. Choose a room with a lot of potential open space. Ten square feet is an ideal amount of room to fit all guests comfortably with room for getting food and mingling. Eight square feet allows for some seating, seven and a half square feet can be comfortable for smaller crowds, and six square feet should be the minimum amount of room that you designate for the buffet.
   • It is also a choice to have seating in an entirely separate room.
4. Arrange the room for the best flow. Begin with clearing the room you plan to use for your event. Make sure all clutter and excess furniture and/or decorations are put away. Place the serving table in the middle of the room. This allows guests access to the food from both sides of the buffet table and will keep the line moving quickly.
   • An eight-foot table will hold enough food for twenty to thirty people. You will need to put multiple tables together if you are having more people than that over.
5. Plan a separate table for beverages. By situating the beverage table away from the food table, you give your guests a chance to choose their food and put the plates down before pouring a drink. This minimizes the potential for spills. This is another way to ensure that your guests can maneuver the lines with ease.
6. Plan traffic flow. Designate an entrance and exit to the buffet. You can do this by simply letting people know as they walk up to the table, or by making a sign for each end of the table. Leave plenty of space in front of and on the sides of the table, just in case people decide to pause for a moment. This reduces the chance of crowding.
   • Keep the types of food as separated as possible. For example, keep dessert far from the first course of the meal.

Setting up the Table

1. Think about the difficulties you’ve experienced with past buffets. Consider what was annoying or difficult the last time you went to a buffet. Perhaps you needed to set your plate down for a moment, but didn’t have enough room. Leave enough extra space on the table for people to set things down momentarily. This will prevent spills and accidents. Think about what you would have liked during a buffet and plan your table around that idea.
   • Leave toothpicks or little spoons next to the dishes for your guests to have the option of trying food before putting it on their plates.
2. Have a nice presentation. Think about what type of plates, cups, utensils, containers, and tablecloth you would like to use for your table. You don’t have to use your fine china, but a table is more appetizing if the set up looks nice. It’s okay to use plastic silverware, plates, and cups, as long as it is all new and clean. Don’t put your food out in greasy, cardboard boxes. Instead, use plastic or metal containers. You will also need a tablecloth. An expensive tablecloth will potentially get ruined by the mess, but look for one that adds cheer to the table.
   • Decide on a color or a theme when putting out everything on the table. This will bring the look of the table together and make the meal look more appealing.
3. Place the plates at the start of the line. Your guests can’t access the food well without first having plates available. If you are planning an event with a lot of people, it is a good idea to set up a buffet with two or three stacks of plates of about ten plates each. You don't, however, want to pile the plates too high, or they will be in danger of tipping over.
   • Put condiments near the type of food they belong with.
4. Put silverware at the end of the table. Finish the table with the utensils and napkins. A common mistake made by many hosts when planning an event is to place utensils and napkins at the front of the table. It can be cumbersome to try to hold on to knives, forks, spoons and linens along with a plate while your guests are trying to serve themselves.
   • Make sure you put out all types of silverware that will be needed. For example, don’t forget spoons if there will be soup.
5. Make labels. Prepare labels for each dish ahead of time. This can be on small pieces of paper, sticky notes, or cardboard. Put the labels next to each dish once all of the food is out on the table. This will allow guests to know what the dish is before they put it on their plate, which helps eliminate a lot of uneaten and thrown away food.
   • Make sure the labels are written in bold, large, and clear writing that all guests will be able to read with ease.

Putting Out Food

1. Provide a balanced meal. Plan a meal with a salad, protein, vegetable, starch, carbohydrate and dessert, unless you are throwing a cocktail party. Buffet meals can feel scattered and uneven. Sometimes there are too many appetizers, side dishes, or main plates. Planning a balanced meal will help you avoid this problem. If you are having a cocktail party, it is okay to only serve a variety of appetizers and desserts.
   • You can rarely go wrong by including a vegetable and fruit tray.
   • Make sure to put out a vegetarian option.
2. Plan the food according to the season. The type of food we eat for meals often changes with the seasons. During summer, it feels tiring to eat a heavy meal filled with potatoes and meats. While during the winter, a light salad and lean fish may feel too light.
   • Fruits that contain a lot of water are great for summer buffets, like watermelon.
   • Rich foods, like cheesy mash potatoes, are good for winter meals.
3. Choose six to eight items. You don’t want to have too few or too many items to choose from. Too few items can leave some guests without food or choice if they don’t like everything you’ve served. Too many choices may cause a more convoluted line with too much leftover food. Six to eight items is a good amount to give every one enough choices. The serving size depends on the amount of people you are expecting.
   • You can send out a list of ideas for dishes and ask for feedback a week or two before the buffet.
4. Line up the food according to temperature. The first stop on the food line should be the hot foods. You want the guests to get to these first before they cool down too much. This way, your guests won't be dining on cold main courses when they find their seats. The cold foods should be at the end of the table. If possible, it is best to choose room temperature.
   • Put out chafing dishes to keep foods hot, and ice platters to keep food cold.
5. Arrange the food strategically. Put the cheapest and the food you have the most of at the beginning of the table. Put the most expensive and scarce food at the end of the table. It is a good idea to set it up this way because the food at the beginning of the table typically goes the fastest.
   • Consider switching foods during the course of the buffet. If the carrots aren’t being eaten enough, switch them out with a food that is going fast.
6. Add decorations. Once the table is set up, add decorations to amp up the appeal of the table. Don’t choose anything that will get in the way or block people. Large candles on candlesticks may not be a good idea, but placing small ribbons or bows around the table won’t get in the way of anyone reaching for food.
   • If you’re having a buffet for a holiday, choose decorations that correspond with that holiday. Saint Patrick’s Day decorations could be green, white, and gold. A Fourth of July buffet can be decked out in red, white, and blue.

Tips

• Plan your menu with your guests in mind, choosing foods that are easy to serve and easy to eat either standing up or sitting down and do not require a lot of work.
• Wrap up the utensils in a napkin so that your guests don't drop the silverware. For an added decorative touch, tie the napkin with a colorful ribbon.
• For an outside buffet, put candles out to repel bugs. Put a cover over the table or food if necessary.

Warnings

• Keep sharp objects out of reach of children. Don’t make keep knives near the edge of the table where people may accidentally cut themselves.
• If possible, check with the guests before choosing the menu. Some guests may have serious allergies to certain foods. If you are not able to check, warn guests about potential allergies and ask if anyone has allergies before beginning the meal. Keep foods that are common in allergies, like nuts, dairy, and shellfish, placed in a section of the table away from the main dishes. Or, have small table next to the main table with these foods kept in separate, closed containers.

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