A buffet is a perfect choice for any big event. After all, it’s the most convenient way to eat. However, it has quite a few shortcomings, especially if it’s for a corporate event. Business meetings or company retreats can have a lot of people with very specific tastes in food.
When organising a buffet for corporations, you have to take into consideration what kind of food everyone enjoys, the setup of the room, and the setup of the food. Oftentimes, these events are supposed to have some class to them, too. All these factors can seem too much for one person. However, with a few simple tips, you’ll avoid pitfalls and have the perfect corporate lunch buffet.
Read more on how to avoid the common problems you may face while putting on a lunch buffet.
Consider the Movements of the Crowd
When there’s food, people tend to crowd around. They often become unaware of their surroundings. They stop paying attention to how close they are to the table or whether they’re blocking the flow of those around them.
It’s up to you as a coordinator to consider the flow of people and set up the buffet line in a way that will keep the herd moving. Designate a starting point and ending point. Be sure to have extra room at both points to accommodate those who do tend to crowd. Make the path easy and obvious. If possible, have different stations at different parts of the room so people can disperse. This way not everyone is waiting in one long line.
Put Drinks on a Separate Table
Having a separate table away from the food for people to get drinks falls in line with the different stations tip. It disperses the crowd more evenly throughout the room. Having it away from the main line also gives those who want refills an easy way to get them.
When you set up this station, be sure to place it close to the kitchen or wherever the food is being replenished from. That way it makes it easier for you or the catering staff to fetch pots of coffee and jugs of water with less risk of spillage.
Also ensure that the drink table remains clean throughout your event. Since it holds all the drinks, it’s more prone to spills, drips, and piles of emptied sugar packets. Check in every so often or have someone designated to watching the area to keep it looking refreshed.
Cutlery at the End
Back at the main buffet table, you don’t want your guests struggling to balance their plate filled with food and their knife, fork, and spoon as they make their way through the line. To avoid this, don’t set your cutlery at the beginning of the table. Not only will they struggle with not dropping them while walking through the line, but they might not even know what utensils they need until they reach the end. Put the cutlery either at the end of the line or pre-set at the tables.
Provide Multiple Stacks
Another cause of people crowding around is the placement of your stacks. You’re obviously going to have a stack of plates at the beginning of the line. However, to ensure the least amount of crowding, have multiple stacks. Do the same with your napkins but scatter them down the line. These multiple points of access make the line flow more easily. It also allows for anyone who forgot something to simply grab what they need as the go. Plus, putting out plenty of plates and cups when you start means less work for you during the party.
If you have a small finger food, small plate, or appetiser setup, like the ones offered by a catering company in Perth, then put stacks of plates at both ends of the table. This makes it easy for people to wander up from any direction they please.
Arrange Food in a Strategic Fashion
Put the food you have the most of or the cheapest food at the beginning of the line. This will ensure that more people will grab these items. It also means they’ll be pleasantly surprised by the expensive treats they’ll find down the line. If you’re not liking how the setup is or notice that people are skipping over a certain item, don’t be afraid to move the food around.
Be Adaptable
The most important thing to remember when putting on a corporate lunch buffet is to be adaptable. You’ve done the steps to prepare. Now you just have to execute it. It won’t go exactly the way you planned, but, as long as you stay cool and collected, you’ll be prepared for anything.
