Concerned about how much my brother and his partner eat and worried I won't have enough

Plate up!! You can put extra on the table buffet style but absolutely plate up...it will be awful for everyone else if they miss out on parts of Christmas dinner because of a lack of manners x

I thought of The Tiger Who Came To Tea as I read the OP…

Kindly, just put a loaf of bread and butter on the table and serve the meat, it will all be fine.

Someone (YOU) need to be honest with him and tell him to refrain from making a selfish pig of himself.
Suggest he eat a big meal at home before attending the event!

Definitely plate up the roast! I’d give him and his partner a large plate of bread and butter with theirs too. Another good tip is to give them plenty of (non-alcoholic) fluid before the meal as this will dampen down their greed hunger.

I do think for that amount of people you will need to plate up the meat, spuds, PIB, yorkshires etc and help themselves to veg. Especially when you have self centred people coming who don’t even think that everyone needs to eat and not just them. That way people can still adjust to their own appetite and if any extra roasters then those still hungry can get more. I’d just say to everyone that you normally like to serve full buffet style but with limited oven space you need to plate certain items to ensure everyone gets some.

I find it incredibly rude when people don’t even consider other people and just think of themselves. It’s something that really winds me up.

or make a bit of a joke of it and tell him he’s going last

Can't you just talk to him beforehand instead of asking for these nefarious schemes?

I'd be frank and say to him in advance that he needs to be more considerate of others at the table because he has a track record of going over the top with food. I would suggest to him that he sticks to what he would imagine, another guest would eat - then IF theres leftovers AFTER everyone has plated up then he can take as much as he needs.

Honestly though what an absolute pig! And the girlfriend - how dare they?! Especially the wedding scenario

I cant believe how many people are suggesting you announce “ 3 pigs in blankets each ‘ etc. How miserable . I’d rather cook a boatload in batches if necessary than ask people to count out their food. And I’d definitely be asking people to make a contribution in some way ..14 people to feed is not cheap!

I would also buy two or three garlic breads and leave them near where he is sitting. Surely that would be enough.

I am frustrated to read your problem. Like every year I am feeding 18 (mix of adults and children). My biggest concern is usually what I will do with the leftovers!

I... don't understand. Has nobody ever sat him down and told him straight that it's socially unacceptable to take so much food that others are left without? It's mind-boggling, how selfish some people can be.

Get a set of smaller dinner plates, or mismatched and just happen to give him a small one- and then fill it super full. maybe he just likes to see his plate 'full'. Serve everyone first round and then let people go up for seconds. That way everyone has had a decent meal first.

Tell them to eat before they come or just disinvite them. Isn't Gluttony one of the 7 sins? Awful to watch and the stress isn't fair on you.

Honestly, if they have the brass neck to not care about eating all the food at a wedding, they are thick skinned enough to receive some home truths.
I'd say "stop eating all the food. Everyone else is going without. If you can't manage that, I'm afraid you will have to plate up last"

Not sure how genuine this is but if it's a real concern then simply plate up everyone's meal yourself. It's a bit of a hassle but the only real solution, unless you're going to tell him he and his partner have to wait until the end to serve themselves, which would likely be more awkward.

Because they eat more than their share at every event. That's quite reasonable.

Op does he and his partner ever host or cook for everyone else?

I personally wouldn't invite such a rude pair of people but if you insist then you'll have to plate up for people and put a few bowls of extra veg and spuds as buffet on the table.

when my husband didn't finish his plate, he actually took my husband's plate and ate the leftovers from his plate.

OMG, that's disgusting.

It would be the last year I'd have him over for Christmas.

Not sure if it'll go with Xmas dinner, but for boxing day we fill my BIL up with bread! We get big baguettes for every get together put it on the table with crisps and he eats all that while everyone else is busy cooking.

You dish up the meat, pigs in blankets and send the plates in.

Or, I like the suggestion of calling people
up the buffet in ‘waves’ with them last.

Hide some of it in the top of the oven until after they’ve taken theirs?

This wouldn’t happen in our family - siblings would just say ‘oi; that’s for everyone, put some back!’

they piled their plates with so much of the cheese, that there was hardly any left for others and the buffet was meant to feed 200 people,

They two of them ate enough cheese to feed almost 200 people?

I'm sorry - your childhoods sound hard. And like he eats for comfort/love, maybe especially if you're providing. Agree that plating up is the only way. Hope it goes ok.

Tell him that he can’t come if he’s going to be a greedy pig.
It’s enough to put other people off their food, sitting at the table with such gluttons.

You seem to spend a lot of time watching nd counting how much he eats