With the right balance of menu items and diners, buffets can be big money-makers for restaurants, clubs, and caterers.
But, planning a successful buffet offering requires more than piles of food and hungry guests. You’ll need to incorporate elements of good design into your buffet table, making it both attractive and functional for your diners.
One key feature of a successful buffet is a stylish buffet table, and you can create one in your dining room with the tips we’ve provided in this blog. We’ll walk you through the fundamental features of an irresistible buffet presentation so you can plan a buffet your guests will love.
Why you should host a buffet at your restaurant
Buffets are popular with restaurants and diners alike. Guests love the value-for-money ratio a buffet offers and the fun of choosing from a selection of foods they might not ordinarily order. For restaurants, the decision to host a buffet is more strategic.
Cater to a variety of food tastes
Buffets are a brilliant way to cater to a variety of food tastes. That’s why they’re a popular choice for a large gathering, like a wedding or conference, where guests may have very different tastes in food. No matter who you’re serving, they can usually find a food they like on a buffet table.
Serve more guests more efficiently
Buffets let you max out your dining room without maxing out your serving staff. Instead of offering one-on-one service, your waitstaff can help with tasks that assist everyone, like bringing out fresh plates or bussing dishes when guests finish their dinner.
When to schedule your restaurant buffet
When catering an event, you’ll serve the buffet whenever the event coordinator or client requests it. But if you’re planning to offer a buffet at your restaurant or club, consider these points before you decide on a date and time:
Start with a one-off event to test the market
Plan your first buffet meal as a one-time event. That will make it special for your guests and allow you to see if it will be popular with your customers.
Choose the date and time wisely
Once you decide to make buffets a regular feature of your dining room, you’ll want to schedule them at a time that makes sense for your business. Sunday brunch buffets are popular because they turn Sunday mornings – a typically quiet time in a restaurant –- into a busy one.
Extend your hours if needed
If your buffet line is long and patrons are getting disgruntled, consider extending your buffet hours. This will give guests a bigger window of time for the buffet, allowing more diners to attend.
8 buffet presentation ideas to make en masse serving a breeze
Create a gorgeous and functional buffet presentation with these 8 tips:
Choose elegant, durable dinnerware
You may be serving a crowd, but that doesn’t mean your dinnerware should be bland or generic. In fact, choosing beautiful dinnerware creates an attractive buffet presentation. And if you’ve cleverly chosen dishes that are as durable as they are appealing (like Ecos, Synergy, or our newest dinnerware collection, Onda), even better!
Your diners will love your dinnerware’s high-quality look and feel, and your staff will love working with dishes that don’t break or chip.
Onda, from Corby Hall, combines fascinating textures with proven functionality, making it ideal for buffets.
Accent with coordinated flatware
Elegant flatware, made from quality materials, lends an aura of luxury to your buffet presentation. We recommend the Troon, Portofino, and Millennium silverware collections for buffet tables. They’re the perfect combination of crowd-pleasing design and quality construction for a hardworking buffet meal.
The Millennium flatware collection from Corby Hall is a crowd-pleaser perfect for buffets.
Use tiered serving stands
Including different serving heights can add dimension and interest to any tablescape or buffet table. Tiered serving stands give your buffet table a focal point, and they’re great for displaying exciting or particularly pretty foods like dessert dishes, crudites, and other types of bite-sized food.
Punctuate with glassware
Your glassware adds a bit of sparkle to the buffet table. And don’t just stop at drinking vessels. Choose glassware serving bowls for offering single-serving condiments like jam or butter and vases for flowers or other accents.
Keep warm food warm with chafing dishes and warmers
When you’re serving a stream of many diners, keeping hot food hot can be challenging. You’ll need to invest in good chafing dishes or warmers to ensure guests aren’t disappointed by tepid food. No one likes lukewarm food when they’re expecting a piping hot main course.
Guide your diners with labels
A good buffet line moves quickly, and labeling every item on the table improves its flow. Label every dish, all utensils, and any specialized equipment or food items (like “gluten-free” or “vegan”).
Create visual balance with serving pieces
To round out your buffet presentation, you’ll need platters, pitchers, serving spoons, and tongs (there’s an ideal serving piece for everything at Corby Hall!). We recommend choosing a pattern that complements your flatware. The Las Palmas servingware collection from Corby Hall looks effortless beside most flatware designs. The Oslo servingware collection is another versatile design that’s never out of place.
The elegant Oslo servingware collection integrates seamlessly with your existing flatware.
Lift your buffet presentation with themed linens
Linens that support your buffet’s theme are a delightful way to take your tablescape from average to amazing. If you’re catering an event, your clients will likely have color and theme preferences. If you’re planning a buffet in your restaurant or club, choose napkins and tablecloths that reflect your dining room’s style.
An all-American diner might choose a classic red or blue gingham pattern. An upscale cafe might want something crisp and modern. They don’t have to be expensive items – a cohesive theme looks luxurious, even if your budget isn’t.
Talk to Corby Hall about stylish and durable food presentation
Make a lasting impression on your diners with fine cutlery and dinnerware from Corby Hall. We’ll help you determine which of our timeless patterns suits your restaurant or club.
Each piece is crafted from exceptional materials, so you can trust Corby Hall flatware and dinnerware to look great for years.
Talk to our sales team (you can email Mark Riley directly at Mark@Corbyhall.com) to begin creating your ideal tablescape.
