For catering services, event planning is an essential part of throwing up a buffet party.
If you are planning to start do a quick buffet party and invite your family members and friends. You can learn it by looking at the best practices followed by others who have successfully done the same thing.
In this post, we’ll talk about how many plates do you need for a buffet?
Let’s get started!
How Many Plates Do I Need For A Buffet?
The number of plates you need for a buffet depends on the amount of guests and their food preferences, but it can be calculated with math:
- Calculate the total length of the table in inches (L).
- Measure the average distance from one end of the table to another (D).
- Calculate how many plates you will need for each guest.
- When you get the total number of plates add 10% and divide them to small (for eating sweet) and large plates (for consuming main course).
3 Best Plates For Buffet
1) Calculate Total Number Of People
If you are in charge of the buffet, you need to calculate the number of people coming for the party. You can do this by calculating the total number of people who will be attending and multiply that by a number based on how many type of dishes you intend to do.
For example, are you looking to provide starters like nuggets. For main course, you’ll obviously need a larger plate and for dessert you’ll need a small plate or a bowl.
So this result showcases how much crockery you’ll need to setup your buffet.
Here’s a general formula for 100 guests and 3 types of dishes:
- Starter: 100 starter plates
- Main course: 100 large plates
- Dessert: 100 small plates or dessert bowls
2) Add 20% Extra
The table is set, the appetizers are out and you’re ready to welcome your guests. You’ve planned everything down to the last detail. Is there anything that could go wrong? Of course! Even with careful planning, disasters can strike at any time. The only way you can control your risk is by setting up a backup system for each step of the process.
You don’t want your party to be ruined because something went wrong; you don’t want it to fall apart in front of everyone if things don’t go as planned; and that’s why it’s really important to get 10% additional crockery to avoid in mishap.
3) Know Your Menu
You should always focus on creating the best menu items your buffet can offer. While you will be tempted to offer smaller plates or starter sized plates, it is usually better for overall sales if you go with larger dishes. The reason for this has to do with how people make their choices when they are out at restaurants.
When a customer goes into a restaurant, they are not exactly sure what they want. This means that they have to look over the menu and determine what feels right before ordering anything. If you create several dishes that all feel like large meals, chances are good that customers will order one of them instead
