When planning a dinner at home, having guests over or a larger event, preparing the food is only part of it. What is the best way to deliver the food? What is the best layout? What will be easiest for all concerned? How can I make it a warm, inviting experience that everyone enjoys and navigates smoothly?
Could you do a buffet? Is the banquet style not going to work? What kind of banquet set-up? Should you be serving courses or all at once? Do you have servers or will you be doing this all yourself?
If you are interested in tips on how to make gatherings and meals run smoother and at the same time elevate the experience - this is for you.
When we are planning anything with food we need to consider the table setting that will work best, what we are serving, the occasion, and how many people, and the serving style we will use.
Serving Styles: The Critical Piece of the Puzzle
Serving style is where we put out the food, if we put out the food, or if we serve plated dishes. Serving style is whether we serve all courses at once or separately, whether plating or setting out the food. Serving style is where and how the food is put out. It is also how we manage serving to plating. It is how we remove dishes and utensils.
You can see that this has everything to do with how smoothly your service runs and how easily your guests can navigate it. Too often hosts pay a lot of attention to the meal itself and perhaps which dinnerware to use and decor. Little attention gets paid to the logistics of a meal.
The serving style is important because it determines the timing, the flow, how guests navigate the meal and the table; how food is presented and how dishes and utensils are provided and removed.
In this blog post, we are reviewing the different serving styles.
Buffet Style: The Food Assembly Line
In this style a buffet table holds all the food as well as plates, utensils, napkins, glasses, and beverages. Everything is self-serve and all the wares are also on the buffet table.
Guests form a type of assembly line and serve themselves. The goal in this type of serving style is to keep the assembly line moving smoothly. Clear display, organization, and sequence of all necessary tableware and offerings is essential to a successful buffet style set-up.
The assembly line starts with plates at one end of the table and guests work their way to the other end where they can get utensils, napkins, and a beverage. It’s a good idea to provide trays at the start as well so they can manage the food, beverage, and utensils without spilling anything as they move to their seats.
A common problem with buffet tables is that the line does not keep moving. People get bunched up with someone blocking the food or stopping the line.
To improve flow and keep the line moving, allow for more space with a longer buffet table. Double the length. This gives people room to move, to see what’s on the table around other people, preventing stalls.
Split larger dishes into two and give each dish two serving utensils instead of one so that if one person is lingering, others can get what they want and move on.
You can see why this style is extremely casual. It has more the feel of being there to get fed rather than enjoying any ambiance. Because of this, buffets are well suited to extremely casual environments like outdoor gatherings.
Look & Feel
To improve the quality of the experience, decorate the tables nicely with rich textured fabrics rather than paper or thin cotton tablecloths. Use dark, rich colors. The reason is the color and texture will give a warm, cozy feeling.
The common thin white used on buffet tables or banners in anything but inviting. The usual clinical, austere white combined with the buffet table assembly line can come across as a very impersonal experience.
Also the colorful paper words and banners and decor is cheap and looks cheap. For even our most casual experiences, we want people to feel like they matter and are worth a quality presentation, even with a buffet.
A roomy table with white space and decor transforms a buffet from a thrown together feeding trough to an elegant meal. The tendency is to crowd as many dishes as possible close together.
Instead, make room, leaving a little space between dishes in groups of three with decor items like tall vases and candlesticks along the midline. As well as improving the appearance, this helps break up the eye so people can navigate the table better. In between decor, group dishes in three. The visual relaxes the eye and we can comprehend easier, make decisions faster and this keeps the line moving.
Provide thick, textured and dark colored tablecloth and cloth napkins, and an intricate tapestry runner on the buffet table and the same tapestry or placemats for dining tables. Again, this gives a much more pleasurable feel to the experience.
Place Settings:
The basic place setting is the only one that works for this style because there are no place settings on the tables. There is only one plate and the guest fills it and brings it with him to the table, along with a basic fork, maybe a knife or spoon, depending on what is served.
I know that buffets often use cheap paper or plastic plates at outdoor, company events and children’s party buffets. I urge you to use non-disposable wares. If you worry things may be damaged or broken, stainless steel plates are fabulous and go perfectly with stainless steel flatware. At the very least, try wheat straw plates, serving utensils, and flatware.
Buffets for wedding receptions, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions merit a more elevated style. If you are keeping it casual, you may choose the assembly line buffet with nice dinnerware and utensils. I find the semi-formal setting and banquet-buffet style much more suitable to these occasions.
Best for:
Casual parties, corporate events, communal functions, outdoor events such as BBQ or picnics with lots of people. This is also good for casual pot luck meals.
Banquet Style Table with Buffet or Serving Stations
This feels so much better to me than the straight buffet table assembly line. The big difference is that guests are properly seated at tables which are properly set. Water glasses, beverages, or wine are on the table. The guests take their plates to the buffet or serving stations and return to the table to eat.
The only difference between the buffet and the serving stations is that stations can be set around the room for different types of food rather than having it all in one place, which has more potential for congestion and bottleneck.
Even at a holiday dinner I find serving stations useful. Use the larger buffet server for the turkey, dressing, and casseroles. Use a sideboard table for vegetables, and an occasional table for breads.
Spreading stations prevents congestion and bottlenecks while letting guests navigate at their own pace."
The dinnerware and utensils and wine glasses on the table can vary depending on the meal offerings. A single dinner plate perhaps, or a bead plate, salad plate, and soup bowl. You could even serve a course type menu with plates for fish, poultry, and meat and allow guests to serve themselves.
I like this style for large family dinners, large dinner parties, and holidays. That is because there is often too much food and too many people to put all of the food on the table. If you don’t have servers, you cannot keep up with serving everyone, so you let them serve themselves.
This allows you to set a beautifully decorated dinner table and buffet server. With the buffet server in the dining room it is easy for guests to enjoy the foods they like and the company. This also allows the host to enjoy the meal and the company without constantly serving and clearing plates. Leave a couple of pitchers of water, tea, and maybe a couple of bottles of wine on the table and on the buffet server.
Guests can put used plates and silverware aside or on nearby rolling carts. I love using rolling carts. It is an easy way to keep excess clutter removed from the table. It’s also an easy way to present dessert on a dessert cart after the table is cleared. Roll the carts with the used dishes into the kitchen and roll out the dessert carts. Everything looks neat, clear, and orderly. You can deal with the dirty dishes later after the guests have left.
Look & Feel
To bring in that warm cozy casual chic feel, thick, textured linens in neutral, earthy, or jewel tones always works. Dressing up the table with a runner and placemats in a pattern and layering thick, cloth napkins provides a backdrop that you want to just sink into. Contrasting textures on the table, sleek bone china place settings, and decor that pops with live flowers in beautiful tall vases, and tall candlesticks set the stage for an extraordinary experience.
Place Settings
Any place setting will work with this serving style. Use the menu as a guide. This will tell you how many utensils and plates you need. You can do this with a basic setting or a formal setting and anything in between. I personally favor a semi-formal setting. I know I will be serving salad, soup, bread, appetizer, and dessert along with a main dish and sides.
Best for
Holidays, celebrations, special occasions, and large gatherings. This is also best for Pot Luck meals where you want a more warm and international seated experience.
Family Style Courses Using Buffet Server
The difference between this style and banquet style using a buffet server is the courses. The meal is divided into courses and each course is grouped together on the buffet service. Instead of guests going to the buffet server, each course is brought to the table one at a time. The seated guests can then pass the course around and serve their own plates.
The advantage of serving courses this way over traditional family style or banquet buffet: This frees up table space keeping it uncluttered for a more enjoyable dining experience. Serving courses one at a time rather than allowing access to everything at once buffet style is structure and organization. This improves flow of the meal. It prevents a lot of getting up and moving around. Also the timing allows guests to enjoy each course while they begin to feel satiated and do not eat as much. This is good because they can sample more foods and leave feeling better.
Look & Feel
Generally when serving courses, the feel is a bit more elegant. Go for a warm casual chic vibe that mixes textured with smooth surfaces and matte with gloss. Neutrals, earth tones, or jewel tones add depth and warmth. This feels inviting and helps guests relax into the spacing of the courses. Generally the more casual a meal, the more rushed and the more elegant, the more people relax, take time and enjoy the company and the experience.
Place Settings
A semi-formal place setting works perfectly with this because using the buffet server you are naturally going to offer fewer courses than a formal meal. Because you are serving courses you need more wares than a casual meal - so this fits perfectly.
Best for
Dinner parties, special occasion dinners, and holiday dinners.
Family Style
Family style is all about sharing and connection, people and food on the table front and center. This is also the same as what we call a Boarding House table in the deep south. Large, wide tables are common in the deep south. This gives you plenty of room to pile all the food on the table on trivets or pot holders, serving spoons and then it’s “Let’s eat!”
From a logistics perspective this serving style is easy. The problem is an overcrowded table. Often there is little elbow room and the table is full with no room for decor. It all depends on the size of your table, the number of people, and how many dishes you prepared for the meal.
The logistical problem is fitting all of the place settings and all of the serving dishes on the table without it being cluttered and cramped. I have a good friend who has a wonderful solution to this. She plans her holiday meals, number of people and place settings. She layouts out the place settings and the placement of the serving dishes on the table the night before. This way she can work out any kinks. She puts a paper label in each dish and fills them before seating the guests.
People eat everything all at once on their plates and serving dishes are constantly being passed around. Nevertheless it is a fun, homey, family experience.
Look & Feel
Decorate the room because the table will be full. The look and feel is casual and warm. If you have some extra room a nice vase of fresh cut on the table and candles is perfect. If it gets crowded, these are usually moved aside to the buffet or a side table. There is often a tablecloth befitting the season and I like two large, thick cloth napkins for each place setting. It feels comfy and generous and it is practical.
Place Settings
Let your meal offerings be your guide. Most people will use one plate for everything, so you do not need course plates. A bread plate is optional. A basic or casual place setting is perfect for this, depending on if you are serving soup and salad.
Perfect for
Holidays and large family gatherings.
Plated Service
A plated service is a nice choice for anywhere from very casual everyday to formal. Logistics are easy as the meal is the same for everyone and portions are served to the plate in the kitchen then brought to the table. The only logistical question is do you seat the guests first and then serve them, or do you serve the plates to the table then seat the guests. Either way I prefer to put bread, butter, and beverage pitchers on the table first.
If you are serving cocktails or hors’douvres in another room, I would serve the plates to the table, then bring the guests to the dining room.
The best meal for this is one that fits on one plate: a meat or other protein, 2 vegetables, and a starch or casserole. If you are serving an appetizer, soup, and salad, you can put it all on the table at once, although my preference would be to serve it in courses.
Look & Feel
You can make this as casual or elegant as you like, but always go for welcoming and warm. Mixed textures and shade of color will give you depth. Having the table set with decor and place settings before guests arrive makes them feel like you cared enough to prepare for them.
The advantage of this serving style is the table is free of clutter so you can decorate beautifully with ease.
When the dining room and table feels festive and has an elegant, put-together charm, they feel the care that you put into it.
Place Settings
Use a basic place setting unless you serve soup and salad, then use the casual place setting. This is more than enough and you never want utensils or wares on the table you aren’t going to use.
Best for
Family dinners, lunches, brunches, and have only a few guests over.
Multiple Courses
Course Style is a plated service. The difference is that instead of plating one course, you are going to plate more than one and maybe several. With each course, you remove the used wares and utensils before bringing out the next course. Multiple course meals are typically served in restaurants or at events with serving staff. It can be more challenging to do this at home, unless you hire staff.
That being said, I serve a 5 course meal almost daily. I prefer courses at home because I dislike clutter on my table. I serve courses for my husband and myself, for family, friends, and other guests.
The difficulty of serving multiple courses is jumping up and down from the table to heat and serve if you are the hostess and eating too. My trick is to serve every course at the same time. In a restaurant a server jumps in as soon as a plate is finished and removes it. I wait until everyone is done with that course, remove it and bring the next. Then we all eat together.
Courses are traditionally a formal event, but unless you are serving 6 to 12 courses at an event that is not mandatory. A multicourse meal at home for family or a dinner party can have 3 courses (Soup, Salad, Main Dish), 4 courses (Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Main Dish), or 5 courses (Appetizer, Soup, Salad, Main Dish, Fruit or Cheese). The 5th course is often called dessert, but I like to separate after dinner dessert from the meal.
Look & Feel
The look and feel is typically more elegant and elaborate for multi-course meals. This usually means fancier candelabras and vases and more luxurious table linens. If you are preparing this meal for an anniversary dinner, this may be appropriate. Otherwise adapt your look and feel to the occasion. Just remember to always keep it textured, layered, deep, warm, and welcoming with a contrast of shine and matte. Layer in solids and patterns in your linens for an air of charm.
Place Settings
A formal place setting is made for a multi-course meal. A formal place setting simply means that you set out all of the wares needed for every course at the start. Flatware set from outside working toward the edge of the plate in the order each piece will be used.
Dinnerware is also outer, or upper layer working back to the table in the order in which it will be used. Not so confusing at all. If you don’t have many courses, you do not have too many pieces, so your formal setting could be as simple as an appetizer fork, a salad fork, a dinner fork, a dinner knife, and a soup spoon. Put out only what you need.
Best for
Special occasion dinners, any time you want to pace the meal, or keep the table clutter free and set a beautiful, festive table.
Choose the Best Serving Style for Any Meal or Event
Choosing the right serving style to handle meal logistics can make or break your meal and event.
Knowing your serving options provides you with a toolkit to handle any meal for any event, leaving your family, friends, and guests with a warm feeling and pleasant memories.