Does my menu need more crowd-pleasers?

koriemo

We're having a brunch reception. The ceremonng is at 10:00, and will only be 10-15 minutes long. We will serve brunch at 10:30, and expect the event to wrap up around 1-1:30.

My parents are extremely picky eaters. My dad would probably only eat one thing on this menu. They are pressuring me to add some more plain, bland dishes. I think that it's reasonable to expect adults to find something to eat off of this menu. I intentionally chose items that were slightly more upscale, even though they are more distinct. We're having 50 guests with no allergies, no vegans, and several vegetarians.

- individual sized crustless vegetable quiche with roasted red peppers, spinach, mushrooms, and Parmesan.
- individual sized quiche with sharp cheddar and cherrywood bacon
- French toast with raspberry purée, bittersweet chocolate drizzle, and English cream
- lemon pancakes with blueberries, vanilla, and maple syrup
- Sweet potato gratin
- carved ham
- smoked salmon with toasted pumpernickel, boiled eggs, dill cream and capers all on the side
- fresh berries with vanilla yogurt

For dessert, we are sticking with the breakfast theme and having cinnamon roll cupcakes and maple pecan cupcakes

Thoughts? To me, it sounds delicious, and if someone doesn't like it much they can just wait... It's not a 6 hour long affair.

vulpiepop

That all sounds delicious! I wouldn't expect people to just wait to eat it they don't like the food though. Personally, I want to make as many of my guests happy as possible. Some foods are a little too rich in flavor for some people.

You don't have to add in a bunch of extra choices or anything but it may be a nice to have an option or two that are crowd pleasers. My suggestion would be to maybe add a salad or chicken in there. You can make those fancy easily and they'd still satisfy people who prefer plainer foods.

QueerFemme

I might consider adding an omelet station or old school scrambled eggs and some plain old hash browns or home fried potatoes.

NYCMercedes

Love your menu. I don't think it's exotic at all. If you wanted to add an omelet station, then the French toast and pancakes are somewhat redundant and one could be eliminated. Steak and eggs is a crowd pleaser, but you already have the bacon quiche. Don't drive yourself crazy, but do consider dad, especially if he's paying.

Almie425

QueerFemme said:

I might consider adding an omelet station or old school scrambled eggs and some plain old hash browns or home fried potatoes.

100% this

southernbelle0915

I'm assuming this is being served buffet style? If so, and you have some picky eaters, you could add some continental choices like bagels, fruit, yogurt, muffins.

Everything else sounds awesome and I wouldn't change a thing. Man, i love hearing about menus for brunch weddings!!

wrigleyville

OMG. I want to come to your wedding!

AddieCake

I am an incredibly picky eater myself, (I barely liked the food at my own wedding) and I would like several things on that menu. I agree to add some simple eggs or omelets, though.

climbingsingle

I think all of that sounds fantastic. But I would also add in either omlets or bagels.

Liatris2010

That sounds amazing! But if you are worried, maybe a grilled chicken and a fruit salad? Those are things I think anyone would eat. And maybe a station with muffins, bagels, croissants, and english muffins for the suberbly picky?

BlueBirdMB

French toast and pancakes aren't crowd pleasers?  I don't see anything exotic about your menu at all.

koriemo

Thanks guys!

daria24

My father is picky too. For things like the French toast, is the purée already on it? Can you have plain French toast/pancakes for people to top themselves?

I eat just about everything, and even I'm not that fond of quiche. I would personally switch the quiche to regular scrambled eggs, and maybe the sweet potato gratin to regular breakfast potatoes or hashbrowns.

Jen4948

Your menu doesn't sound especially "non-crowd pleasing" to me.

You might add some regular choices to make your parents happy if they're paying, like regular pancakes (as opposed to lemon) and either scrambled eggs or omelets.   But those are the only changes I'd make to your menu.  It sounds delicious.

JoanE2012

I'm not a huge breakfast person.  I'm more of a continental breakfast, but for an event, I'd probably lean towards pancakes.  I'd rather not have lemon ones though.  I think the toppings are perfect.

jacques27

I think your menu is crowd pleasing for the average person.  I would happily eat everything on there (that I'm not allergic to, at least).  But I come from a family of picky eaters, as well as some VIP friends who are also very picky (as in count on two hands the number of foods they do like kind of picky).  While I normally eye roll and scoff at most picky eating, for VIPs (and I assume you do *like* your parents), I would absolutely make sure there is something more for them.  I would feel like I wasn't being a good hostess if I didn't (I know you can't make everyone 100% happy, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to accommodate if you know the circumstance ahead of time). 

My guess is it's the fruity aspect and additional components of some of the dishes they won't like?  I know my pickiest eater would only eat the ham on that list and maybe, just maybe the cinnamon roll cupcake, but probably not.  Could your caterer do some plain pancakes, in addition to the lemon version?  Could you add a regular potato option that they would eat (would they eat roasted new potatoes if not heavily seasoned or mashed)?  Could you add a chafing dish of just plain scrambled eggs and maybe one of just bacon or sausage?  Since your brunch is pretty heavy on the breakfast and lacking in the lunch part of brunch, could you add a more lunch like option in there that would please them?  Maybe even just another carving station with roast beef and some rolls and condiments to turn it into a sandwich if that's something they would like? 

Viczaesar

I don't have a problem with your menu, but speaking for myself I would have a problem with my parents only being able to eat one item at my wedding so I would add something else that they could and would eat.

indianaalum

QueerFemme said:

I might consider adding an omelet station or old school scrambled eggs and some plain old hash browns or home fried potatoes.

I second that. More plain egg option is probably a good idea

I agree that maybe making regular pancake/french toast options with options of sauces or toppings people can add

tammym1001

I'm a super picky eater so I feel your dad's pain. Your menu is pretty breakfast heavy for a brunch reception. Is there a way you could add an option that is more suited for lunch. I like a pp's idea of a chicken salad. 

I hate almost all breakfast food and the only thing I would eat on your menu would be ham so I would leave your reception pretty hungry. If you want to stick with mainly breakfast items then I would probably switch out the quiche for something a little more plain.

lyndausvi

tammym1001 said:

I'm a super picky eater so I feel your dad's pain. Your menu is pretty breakfast heavy for a brunch reception. Is there a way you could add an option that is more suited for lunch. I like a pp's idea of a chicken salad. 

I hate almost all breakfast food and the only thing I would eat on your menu would be ham so I would leave your reception pretty hungry. If you want to stick with mainly breakfast items then I would probably switch out the quiche for something a little more plain.

Bold - me too.

I hate quiche.  I like french toast and pancakes.  Unfortunately, it throws my hypoglycemia into a tailspin.  45 minutes later I'm on a sugar low, not pretty.    :-(

I'm not a fan of ham. I like smoked salmon, but not pumpernickel.    So basically the fruit and yogurt would be all I would eat.

I would add an omelet station or some lunch-type items.    When I go to brunches I rarely hit up the the breakfast items and go more to the lunch items.

jay788

I'd suggest adding a lighter option like a salad. Brunch items tend to be pretty heavy. Although, that's me! It doesn't help if your parents hate vegetables... I'd make sure you have enough options to feed your parents well!

hales2010

lyndausvi said:

tammym1001 said:

I'm a super picky eater so I feel your dad's pain. Your menu is pretty breakfast heavy for a brunch reception. Is there a way you could add an option that is more suited for lunch. I like a pp's idea of a chicken salad. 

I hate almost all breakfast food and the only thing I would eat on your menu would be ham so I would leave your reception pretty hungry. If you want to stick with mainly breakfast items then I would probably switch out the quiche for something a little more plain.

Bold - me too.

I hate quiche.  I like french toast and pancakes.  Unfortunately, it throws my hypoglycemia into a tailspin.  45 minutes later I'm on a sugar low, not pretty.    :-(

I'm not a fan of ham. I like smoked salmon, but not pumpernickel.    So basically the fruit and yogurt would be all I would eat.

I would add an omelet station or some lunch-type items.    When I go to brunches I rarely hit up the the breakfast items and go more to the lunch items.

I love breakfast food but I do agree with this (being hypoglycemic as well). I am not a big quiche fan but I do like ham. Everything else is kind of heavy in sugar so I would have to cautious with those. I would have an omelet bar or the chicken salad in there. The hasbrowns would also be a great idea as well!

danamw

You have a lot of selection on that list, and if there isn't something there that any person wants to eat, it is their own fault. If I were there, I would try everything. I'm not picky. But it sounds scrumptious.