Plated or Stationary dinner? It’s a question that most people don’t give much thought to when planning their event, but the truth is the two are very different and can affect the flow and feel of your event. So what’s the difference?
A plated salad from a beautiful event.
Plated:
– More formal feeling
– Keeps everyone in their seats and at their table – this is great if the purpose of your event is fundraising
– Guarantees a specific portion of food for each guest
– Costs less in equipment charges, because you don’t need to rent the chafers, platters, and bowls for each item to sit in
– Gives you less freedom with your timeline, as you will always need to build in time for serving and clearing
A Mexican street food station for guests to help themselves to.
Food Stations:
– More casual feeling
– Allows for guests to move freely around the room – this is great if the purpose of your event is networking
– Does not guarantee specific portions of food for each guest – some people will take more than others
– Costs more in equipment charges, because you need to rent in items to contain all foods on the buffets
– Gives you more freedom with your timeline, because guests are serving themselves
So when deciding whether to serve food on a buffet or plated, take a minute to consider how you want your event to run. The best thing to do is have an open conversation with your catering consultant – after all, they do this for a living.