Choosing Service Style
Plated vs. Buffet vs. Stations vs. Family Style
Stuck on set up? We’ll explain a variety of catering styles to make choosing the perfect set up for your special event a breeze!
Plated
Referred to as a more formal option, a plated dinner requires individual entrée selections to be made ahead of time and meals are served to each guest table.
Tip:
Don’t want the extra work of collecting entree selections and designating those choices with place cards?
Opt for a dual entrée! All guests are served the same meal, and you maintain the formality of a served dinner without the extra work.
Pros of a plated dinner:
No waiting in line
Guests don’t need to leave the table
Food is beautifully presented on each plate
Most organized type of service
Less food waste as meals are portioned for each guest
You don’t need additional room in the event space for food set up
Works best in:
All of our event spaces!
Buffet
A more casual option, during a buffer dinner guests are dismissed to the buffet to choose from preselected items.
Pros of a buffet dinner:
Buffets give guests greater variety.
Guests get to choose the portion of each option and can go back for more.
Host does not need to get each guest’s entrée selection prior to the event.
There is no need to designate the entrée choices, eliminating the need for place cards.
Tip:
Offer a served salad before the buffeted entree course.
This gives your guest something to enjoy before their table is welcomed to the buffet.
Works best in:
All of our event spaces!
Station Style
A station style event is a collection of smaller buffets, strategically scattered around the room. Each food station is typically dedicated to one food type, which allows for a more creative menu. Stations have all the same benefits of a buffet dinner while providing a more interactive experience.
Tip:
A station style event works best when seating is available for 50% of your guest count.
The goal is to encourage guests to mingle and graze the stations, rather than hitting all the stations at once before sitting down (in one seat) for the rest of the night. We recommend using a variety of table types, such as blending high top tables with 36” and 48” round tables with chairs. Lounges are also a great addition to the floor plan!
Pros of a Station Style Event:
Allows for a more creative menu.
If you have live stations (ex: pasta station), guests get to choose how their dish is made.
Promotes mingling so it’s a great way for your guests to get to know one another.
Creates a relaxed atmosphere.
Works best in:
Our larger event spaces —The Ballroom and The Warehouse
Family Style
Family style dining is a wonderful combination of plated and buffet dinners. Similar to a family dinner at home, the meal is served on large platters on the table, and guests can help themselves to each dish.
Pros of a Family Style Dinner:
Creates an intimate, warm atmosphere that feels like a family dinner.
Less formal than a served meal and more formal than a buffet.
Guests can remain seated but still help themselves to as much or as little as they’d like of each dish.
Works best in:
The Baker’s Table
We know that guests talk about the food at an event well after the event is over. We’ve taken the time to put together menu options that give your guests an experience.
If you’re planning a social event (such as a wedding, rehearsal dinner, shower, birthday party, etc.) we recommend choosing favorite foods of the guest of honor. Make the menu fun and unexpected, even if it isn’t the most traditional.
The best part is, there is no right or wrong way to serve your guests! Reach out to your coordinator if you need help deciding what type of service is best for your event. Regardless of which style you choose, we hope to impress your guests with their dining experience.