How many plates do I need for a buffet?

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If you're serving a full meal, buffet style, we suggest ordering 1.75 times as many plates as you have guests. This will allow people to go up for seconds and leave room for mishaps or last-minute guests. So, for a guest list of 25, you'll need 44 plates.



Hereof, how many plates do I need for a party?

Cocktail party – Two 7″ plates per person for each two hours of serving should be sufficient for hors d'oeuvres. As an alternative, you can use toothpicks or beverage napkins. Straight Buffet – Two plates per person for items not planned to go on the dinner plate. Two to three dinner plates per person.

Likewise, how many plates do you need for a wedding buffet? This all depends on the number of guests you plan on inviting to your wedding. Buffet: 2–3 plates per person - the number of times a guest might go back for seconds. So, if you plan on inviting 150 guests, times that to the number of plates: 150 (guests) *3 (plates) = 450 plates.

In this manner, how many plates should you have at a buffet?

There are a few guidelines that you can rely on no matter how food is being served. For a cocktail party with hors d'oeuvres, count on one 7″ plate per person per hour. For a buffet, two to three dinner plates per person, plus one dessert place per person is a safe bet.

How do you lay out a buffet table?

5 Tips for Setting Up a Great Buffet

  1. Consider the movements of herds and corral accordingly. When food is involved, people move in packs.
  2. Put drinks on a separate table from the food.
  3. Plates at the front, cutlery at the end.
  4. Put out multiple stacks of everything.
  5. Arrange the food table strategically.

33 Related Question Answers Found

How many plates do you need for 50 guests?

For a guest list of 50, you'll need 88 plates – and so on and so forth. Dessert plates are a little bit tricky because the type of food that you're serving might change this number. But, as a general rule, we advise getting 1.25 plates per guest.

How do you calculate finger foods for a party?

A Simple Way to Calculate Finger Food Quantities For A Party
  1. Pre-Dinner Nibbles - You will need 3-5 pieces.
  2. Cocktail Party - Allow 4-6 pieces per hour per person - where the finger food is served in place of a meal.
  3. You will serve more pieces per hour in the first 2 hours and less per hour after that.
  4. Remember snacks with meat and fried foods are more filling.

How do you estimate number of guests who will attend party?

Use these tips and tricks to get the most accurate guest estimate for your event.
  1. Send RSVP Cards. The traditional way to get an early guest estimate is to send RSVP cards along with the event invitations.
  2. Use Google Forms.
  3. Use a Calculation.
  4. Invite a Set Number of Guests.

How many forks should you have?

Order as many forks as you do plates - this includes dessert plates. Spoons and knives aren't used quite as frequently, normally you should be ok just to order 1.2 times as many spoons as guests. But, if you're serving a dessert that requires a spoon, be sure to order 2.4 times as many instead.

How many plates do I need for a 100 seat restaurant?


Example: 125 Seat Fine Dining Restaurant x 10 1/4” – 10 3/8” Dinner Plate (2) = 250 Plate recommended order quantity. 100 Seat Fine Dining Restaurant x Coffee/Tea Cup (3) = 300 Cup recommended order quantity.

What do you buy for a party?

42 Party Supplies for Your Next Party
  • Party invitations – paper or email.
  • Tables (for guests & buffet)
  • Chairs, chair covers, chair cushions.
  • Tablecloths, table skirts, placemats.
  • Napkins – cocktail, dinner, dessert.
  • Place cards, table cards, name tags.
  • Drinkware – water, wine, coffee.
  • Plates – cocktail, dessert, dinner.

How many cups should I buy for a party?

If you are only supplying hot or cold paper cups, allow about two cups per guest for the first hour and one cup per guest for each hour after. If you are serving coffee and tea in addition to alcohol, allow two hot or cold paper cups per guest.

What do I need to buy for a party?

During the party
  1. Coat rack (hangers or a separate room to put coats)
  2. A place to put boots or umbrellas.
  3. Ice, ice bucket, ice tongs, or scoop.
  4. Cocktail napkins (2 per person)
  5. Candles.
  6. Paper towels.
  7. Extra toilet paper.
  8. Plates (appetizer, salad, dinner, dessert) - you can order deli trays for your party!

How much is it to rent silverware and plates for a wedding?

Typical costs: On the low end, plain stainless steel flatware costs about 35 cents to 45 cents per piece and plain wine glasses cost about 45 cents each. Glass dinnerware costs about 40 cents each for a bread plate, salad plate, dinner plate, cup, saucer and dessert plate. The per-person cost works out to about $4.

How much does it cost to rent a place setting?


For formal place settings, the rental fees will range from approximately $8 per person to more than $30 depending on your selections. For a casual place setting, the rental fees will range from approximately $3.75 to $12 per person.

How much extra food should I order for a wedding?

Regardless, accounting for eight ounces (or roughly one cup) of salad per guest is a good rule of thumb when considering how much food to serve at your wedding. Most wedding reception meals also include two to three side dishes, and couples can expect to order four to six ounces per side, per guest.

How many cups should you have?

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends that men drink at least 101 ounces of water per day, which is a little under 13 cups. They say women should drink at least 74 ounces, which is a little over 9 cups. Still, the answer to exactly how much water you should drink isn't so simple.

How much cutlery do you need?

Along with dishes, glasses and flatware, any kitchen needs at least two sharp knives, a larger chef-style knife and smaller paring type knife along with a small knife rack or holder.

How many utensils do I need?

Forks, Knives, and Spoons: If you're serving a full meal you'll want to plan for 2 forks, 1 knife, and 1 spoon per person. If you're serving only appetizers and desserts you will want to plan for 2 forks and 2 spoons per guest. Generally come in separated packs of 20 each.

What size is a cocktail plate?


Plates for serving food come in a variety of sizes and types, such as: Saucer: a small plate with an indentation for a cup. Appetizer, dessert, salad plate, and side plates: vary in size from 4 to 9 inches (10 to 23 cm) Bread and butter plate: small (about 6–7 inches (15–18 cm)) for individual servings.

How many dishes should a restaurant have?

It should highlight those dishes that have the highest gross margin, taking guests on a tour of the items and elements that make a restaurant stand out from its competitors. To help accomplish this, make sure to merchandise a minimum of one – but no more than two – item(s) on each page or panel of the menu.

How many cups should I buy for a wedding reception?

Some wedding forums recommended as many as three to four cups per person, while others suggested that guests would need a new cup every hour, on average.