Buffet or Catering which one would the majority of the guest prefer more?

hienrn · January 2014

I hear some pros and cons about both buffet and catering. What would the majority of the guest prefer?

adnam08manda · January 2014

Probably the catering just so they feel they got a good amount and what they wanted. I have heard when using buffet style the people that go last end up with smaller portions or nothing of one item because everyone in the front got so much. Unless it is served like in a cafeteria where someone makes the plate and hands it to you this may happen. Just make sure there is plenty of food.

climbingsingle · January 2014

I prefer buffets, however, only when they release tables one at a time.

clarke10 · January 2014

I prefer buffets, but its definitely a personal preference. Some people definitely prefer plated dinners.

ei34 · January 2014

I've never been to a wedding that didn't serve a plated meal. Guests have a choice of somewhere between 4-10 entrees, and the meal you choose shows up hot. So I prefer a plated meal.

I've been to buffets before, and my experience has been okay. Sometimes I don't have to wait on a long line, other times I do...sometimes the foods I like best are still available, other times they aren't. In my personal experience a buffet is a bit more of a toss up.

NYCMercedes · January 2014

My kids couldn't do their tastings ahead. They asked the manager to select a buffet based upon what the kitchen did best. It worked for them.

cowgirl8238 · January 2014

In my experiences i prefer plated meals with at least three choics of meal (beef, pork, chicken, fish, vegitarian etc.) While you will get more combinations overall with a buffet if you have a large guest list or a caterer who doesn't prepare enough food the people at the end of the line will get a very different experience from those in the beginning!

MyNameIsNot · January 2014

Buffet would also be catered. I think you're talking about the difference between buffet and a plated meal.

There are pros and cons to both, but it really depends on your guests. If your guests are accustomed to plated meals, a buffet is going to feel very casual and possibly annoying. If your guests are used to buffet, they may not like the limited serving a plated meal and may feel that it is very formal.

Either can be done well and either can be done poorly. There are also "hybrid" options to get the best of both worlds, like stations or family style.

Maggie0829 · January 2014

Where I am from when a wedding has a plated meal you don't get an option and it is typically a surf and turf plate. But with a buffet as a guest you get at least 3 different entree options with 3 or more sides. So in my experience I prefer a buffet. Also if your caterer is good then they will not allow the people in the end of he line to only have a small portion to choose from. They will be constantly refilling the trays with fresh and hot food so that everyone can take as much as they want.

vk2204 · January 2014

I think it depends how many guests you will have and your timeline. A buffet will take a longer time to get through but allows guests a variety of choices; a plated meal doesn't give guests a choice but everyone eats a roughly the same time.

doeydo · January 2014

For weddings, I prefer plated meals.

MairePoppy · January 2014

I would prefer a plated meal for a wedding. I generally don't like buffets for large groups of people, unless there are professional servers.

AddieCake · January 2014

Yeah, buffets ARE catered. And our buffet had more than enough food, constantly replenished. Nobody was getting shorted on their portions.

tammym1001 · January 2014

I think you can have good and bad experiences with both. I've been to buffets that had more than enough food and people were getting seconds and ones where there wasn't enough food for everyone. I've been to plated dinners that were awesome and I've been to ones where the food wasn't cooked properly and it came out cold. I think if you pick a caterer you really like and you trust them you can pick whichever one you prefer.

roses29 · January 2014

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roses29 · January 2014

catered is best

Jen4948 · January 2014

It depends on the circumstances-sometimes I prefer buffets; others I prefer catering.

hienrn · January 2014

Thank you for your input...

pinkshorts27 · January 2014

I like buffets, but I'm a picky eater and then I can make sure I find enough of what I like to eat.

KPBM89 · January 2014

I prefer buffets. My brother and cousin both had buffets at their weddings and it was nice having tons of options. My friend had a plated meal with three options: one fish, one chicken, one pasta. I am a vegetarian and allergic to mushrooms. The pasta had mushrooms. I ended up choosing the fish option because the side was asparagus, so I essentially ate like 6 pieces of asparagus and a cupcake. Another wedding I went to with a plated meal, the portions were super small and they didn't even have options to choose from. I ate nothing at that one but a slice of cake, and I also left after cake. We're going to have a buffet at our wedding.

melbelleup · January 2014

To me, it comes down to how many guests are you having.. I have a 272 person guest list... could you imagine 272 people going through one buffet line and how long it would take? Me either.

jenniferurs · January 2014

I prefer plated, though I've never been to a wedding where there weren't at least 3 different plated options to choose from like some of the PPs here.

Maggie0829 · January 2014

To me, it comes down to how many guests are you having.. I have a 272 person guest list... could you imagine 272 people going through one buffet line and how long it would take? Me either.

If you proved two or more separate buffet lines and your venue dismisses tables evenly then it wouldn't take as long as you think it would.

Buffet or Catering which one would the majority of the guest prefer more?

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