Planning a Commercial Buffet Display

Types of food buffet

It's a misconception to think that the term 'buffet' can be used as a blanket definition – there are several types of buffet, from the all-you-can-eat variety to more sophisticated offerings:

• All-You-Can-Eat Buffet - This buffet style is particularly popular in the United States, and has essentially become the symbol of the archetypal buffet restaurant. It is literally 'what you see is what you get' with a set price giving you access to as much food as you can handle.
• Cafeteria Buffet - This style of buffet is a little less common and generally isn't a free-for-all. You pick up what you want and pay per item at the till. Alternatively, you can pick from a selection of products and pay a set price according to your grouped choices.
• Buffets for the Special Occasion - Some a la carte restaurants will do the occasional buffet as part of a promotion or special occasion. For example, a Christmas package for local companies and organisations, or perhaps a brunch for Mother's Day.
• The Catered Affair - Restaurants don’t always need to serve on the premises. Catered buffets are a great way to generate additional business for your establishment. They’re particularly popular with firms organising staff events, and with big private parties such as weddings or birthdays. If you can become the go-to caterer for just a few firms, it’s possible to create a very healthy profit indeed.
• Breakfast Buffet - The breakfast buffet has become a hugely popular dining option among hotels and cafes. Whether it is a continental breakfast buffet service featuring a variety of pastries, yoghurts, meats and cheeses or a more traditional hot cooked breakfast, guests love being able to create their own morning meal.

Designing Your Buffet Display

If any of the above food buffet styles sound like something you want to use in your restaurant or café, the next step is to find the best buffet catering equipment and plan the ideal layout to suit your venue. Aside from delicious food, the key to any great buffet is the design. Guests don't want to be greeted by the sight of long queues, or stand for too long with an empty plate in their hands.

If you are laying on a buffet at an event or function, good practice is to call guests up a table at a time so you can control the flow of traffic. That strategy is not always possible at a restaurant or cafe when guests are constantly arriving, so you need to make sure your buffet food is presented in the most efficient and customer-friendly way.

Assess what buffet food you are serving, and then arrange it to help guests avoid changing direction or going backwards and forwards. For example, group all your salad dishes and dressings together so customers can fill their salad bowl in one go. Create a logical order for your food buffet display that helps guests load their plates in the neatest way.

It’s not always easy to get things right, so you need to give the planning stage a lot of thought and choose the right buffet equipment to ensure it looks as good as it tastes.

Buffet Display Trays

There is a huge choice of dishes, trays and serving platters available to suit any surroundings. For heavy duty use, consider a melamine buffet display if you want virtually unbreakable dishes that are highly resistant to chipping or stains. These dishes look fantastic too, with a variety of designs made to mimic slate, porcelain and wood.

Choosing a ceramic buffet display is a great time-saving choice if you're serving a lot of hot food. The ceramic material means you can cook your food in the oven and take it straight to the buffet table, eliminating the need for replating. If you're expecting a large number of guests, using serving platters and trays will help you display bigger quantities of buffet food or, for something different, you could try some quirky food boards.

Buffet Display Risers and Stands

Displaying your party food on various levels is a great way of enhancing presentation while saving valuable table space. A buffet riser will layer your display and add some height, while a cake stand is perfect for displaying cupcakes, muffins and other sweet treats.

Table Linen

Let's face it, food buffets aren't always the tidiest of affairs. That’s why you should use table toppers and skirts to both decorate your tables and keep them protected. Keep in mind that you’re going to need table linen that is made of durable materials so they can endure the inevitable battering. Stick to suppliers that have experience delivering to restaurants and cafes, or you may find yourself needing to replace items on a regular basis.

Buffet Signs and Labels

Simple signs that you use with your table numbering system can also be implemented with your buffet. Using buffet labels can help guests easily identify contents, and are also extremely helpful if you want to inform them of ingredients or allergens.

Managing Your Food Buffet

With your food buffet in full swing, it's important to monitor levels constantly and replenish dishes when they run low. You don't want to disappoint your guests by having them queue up for food, only to see their favourite bites run out just before they get there.

Chafing Dishes

Keeping hot food at the right temperature is also essential to ensure your guests get maximum enjoyment. Using chafing dishes is a great way of doing this. These dishes can keep food hot for anywhere between two and six hours and, because they use liquid chafing fuel, they don't need a mains electricity supply.

Serving Utensils

You also need to make sure your guests are able to serve themselves quickly and safely. Choosing the right buffet utensils make it easier to load plates tidily and efficiently, while protecting customers from burning their hands.

Disposable Plates and Cutlery

Using disposable plates and cutlery is a great way of cutting down on washing and cleaning times when working in fast-paced buffet catering environments, as well as the risk of smashes caused by accidental drops. There is also a huge choice of eco-friendly disposables from plates, bowls and cutlery to paper cups and straws.

Waste Disposal

Strategically placing rubbish bins around your venue will help encourage guests to dispose of their waste easily and save you valuable time when it comes to tidying up. This is particularly useful if you're using disposable plates and cutlery, but remember to clearly identify bins for any recyclable or biodegradable products.

Calculating the Right Size

Many cafe and restaurant owners struggle with the problem of correct sizing and measures, essentially when thinking of food preparation for buffets. While this is indeed a relevant question, it’s akin to asking about the length of the piece of string. Even if you can predict how many customers you’re going to have, portion sizes can vary greatly.

Often, the best course to take is simply preparing much of the food shortly before buffet time, and continuing to prepare during that period (hence the prevalence of lunch-time and happy hour buffets). It is also helpful to prepare food that can be preserved easily, or can be prepared quickly. Plenty of sauces, fried foods, and cheap consumables like rice, pasta, and bread-based dishes work superbly for many buffets.

Start small and build up as necessary. Learn from experience and you’ll find the right formula over time. The key is keeping track of how your establishment runs under each configuration and responding appropriately.

Read more catering news and information here:

• What is a Chafing Dish?
• Caring for cutlery