Wedding Cakes & Food Forum

Should I order more food? Opinions needed please!

We're having a serve yourself buffet and I've order enough food for 60, and we're basically feed 45 people (about 1.3 servings per person). A coworker saw one item that we'll have and said her boyfriend (another coworker) could eat half of it. I would just laugh it off and just take it as he really loves this specific item but at a store meeting we had enough doughnuts for everyone to have at least 2, but not 3 each. Before everyone was able to grab one, he picked up 6 for himself. Comments were made and his response was "Doughnuts are good!" I can see this person being hungry, running to the front of the line, piling his plate full of this food, and not thinking twice about how much he's taking or other guests.

If he does take half that only reduces it down to 1.2 servings per person, but I know people tend to take more than just 1 serving. I also don't want other guests to be left with just salad to eat. Our parents have said not to worry about it and let him look like an ass (he would look like one but definitely not feel like one) but I'd rather have too much than not enough. 12 additional servings of food will only cost $55 and will bring it up to 1.5 servings per person. Should I go ahead and get the extra 12 servings to be on the safe side?

Re: Should I order more food? Opinions needed please!

  • jacques27jacques27 member
    First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited November 2014
    My general answer is if it's only $55 and will give you peace of mind about being a good hostess and not running out, then it's worth it.  Chances are though, it will be fine without the extra.  We just did a family potluck with about 40 people.  We had a crockpot of sliced ham (feeds 20), a crock pot of turkey (feeds 15-20), a wild rice casserole, a cheesy potato casserole, and then veggies, bread, small crocks of cooked veggies, and plenty of sweets.  The only thing we ran out of was the cheesy potatoes in the 9x13 pan and it wasn't like we ran out way early.  There is a tendency to overestimate how much people are going to eat and catering calculators are designed to make sure there is enough without running out but also without having too much.

    If you want a more specific answer, I think it depends on the item and the menu at large.  For instance, if the item is ham and you're serving both ham and fried chicken, most will take probably take less than a full serving* of both.  But if the item is mashed potatoes and they are basically your only side dish and carb item, then I would definitely order more.

    *By full serving, I don't mean the food plate guidelines of 3oz. of protein, but rather the catering guidelines where they say to allow .5 pounds of meat per person.


  • I really like buffets, but I think this is the problem with serve yourself buffets.  If people really like one item, they are going to take a bigger serving of it.  You will probably be completely out of some items and have some of left of others unless you just over buy everything. 
  • Thanks for the input. I don't mind running out of some items but I don't want to run out of food overall.

  • I'm sorry but I still can't get past the fact that this dude took SIX donuts!  I mean, I love donuts, but when you are at a work or social gathering you need to pull back a little on how much food you take. There is a thing about really liking one item, but to look like a glutenous ass is a bit much.

    Where are you getting your food from?  Have you asked whoever is providing the food how much you should be ordering?

    Also, if I knew how this guy was I would be very tempted to put him at the table that will be called last to the buffet.

  • We're doing to-go (our favorite restaurant doesn't actually cater). As far as his table being last, I really don't see that stopping him from just jumping in line because he's hungry and other people are getting food. The boy's 19 so I understand appetite and not really having social skills/etiquette/common sense, or whatever you want to call it, but it's still frustrating.

    After ordering more food and talking with my parents, I have now switched my concern to my Aunt and Uncle showing up and bringing their adult children and their families (I didn't invite any of them but my parents so kindly text-invited my Aunt and Uncle without telling me) - but that's another story for another time. :( Oh, and FI and I are paying for our wedding, not our parents.

  • This sounds like a "just order the extra food" type situations.  Glutenous @$$ not withstanding I'd have probably recommended the same to get the extra food.

    Truly being 19 isn't an excuse.  I known plenty of individuals that age who were perfect gentleman and knew how to behave in social settings.  That said - nothing worse than not ordering enough food - a friend of mine just posted the other day about being at an event with 10 others and the planner only ordered ONE pizza for lunch to feed the entire group!  Now THAT is one that puts people into an odd predicament...

  • For that price, I personally would go ahead and order more food.  It would be worth it for my peace of mind.  



  • At 19 he should have the appropriate social skills and the ability to not act like a greedy ass.

  • I'd order more.  I over ordered for my rehearsal dinner, and everyone who stayed to party after the wedding was making plates of BBQ at 1 a.m.  It all was gone by morning.

    Have you hired staff to clean up plates, etc. at your wedding?  If so, you could use them to serve guests at the buffet before they're clearing plates.  I really dislike buffets, but if I'm somewhere that plated food isn't served, I like it when wait staff is serving the hot items.  That way I don't have to touch handles to tongs/etc. that 50 other people have touched, and don't have to worry about dripping, the utensil being sticky/gravy covered, etc.  I can just walk up to the station with what I want and extend my plate, and someone else puts the food on it.
  • I searched for a few months trying to find help that fit within budget but came up empty-handed. The majority of us are family and friends, who do the whole passing around and eat after each other thing, so it's not too big of a deal in that aspect. As far as dripping - black table cloths. I refused to save a few dollars to get silver or white.

    I think I'm good with the 12 extra servings, as long as there are no unexpected guests that randomly show up and turn it into a good ol' family reunion.

  • I would have more than two "servings" per person. Even with the additional amount, I don't think you'll have enough. Have you ever read "serving sizes" on packaged food? I am not a huge eater and I usually eat 2x the "serving size" on a product.

    Also, he might look like an ass to whoever sees his plate but presumably most people will not see his plate and YOU will look like an ass for running out of food. I'd order way more.

  • I think people in general tend to over-serve themselves at self-serve buffet. So even people other than this greedy ass might accidentally take 2 portions and not leave enough for the last guests in line. I'd be inclined to order a lot of extra. 
  • lc07 said:
    I would have more than two "servings" per person. Even with the additional amount, I don't think you'll have enough. Have you ever read "serving sizes" on packaged food? I am not a huge eater and I usually eat 2x the "serving size" on a product.


    Also, he might look like an ass to whoever sees his plate but presumably most people will not see his plate and YOU will look like an ass for running out of food. I'd order way more.

    Ditto.  Unless you have someone dishing out each "serving", you will need most likely need more.  I'd much rather err on the side of ordering too much than not enough!
  • Order extra food.

     
  • Sorry but 6 donuts where does he put it.

     
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