Are people still having buffets at funerals etc? What alternatives are there, if any?

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My brother and I are organising my mum's funeral. For after the service he's booked a room at a local hotel, with a bar, and teas and coffees, and he suggested I book a buffet. However, I'm wondering if buffets are a bit pre-covid, and what the potential alternatives are? It will be lunchtime, so people will be hungry. (I'm prepared for the fact that a lot of people may not want to socialise at all, and that's fine).

I've had a few buffets recently so they're definitely still a thing for some.

Sorry about your mum.

We did at DH’s funeral in October. My mum did the catering herself in the end, but we did also look at catered venues and they were doing buffets too. There didn’t seem to be an alternative. One place offered afternoon tea type thing, but that would have been shared between a table of people, so still a risk if slightly less than a buffet.

Dh went to a funeral during covid (when they could have 30 there) and it was invite only. They were each given a box of afternoon tea. Expensive but it was nice, he didn’t eat much so brought it back for me as I couldn’t go.

Thats an option if you don’t want people touching foods.

A bowl of soup and a roll, and a scone/piece of cake?

There’s no requirements on hospitality venues not to provide a buffet now. As long as there’s sanitiser on the buffet station and a request to use it, there’s not a lot you can do.
Opting for a hot fork may mean it’s serviced by staff to control portion size, but realistically…it’s a funeral where people hug, kiss, cry, sing and stand around drinking and chatting because it’s the one occasion people travel far and wide to see people they’ve not seen for ten years.

It’s a pretty high risk event already, a buffet isn’t going to stop that.

Sorry to hear about your mum

At my grans funeral there was hot food buffet - couple of different options with sides/bread but served by staff.

I went to a funeral pre covid and there were big vats with hot pot, chilli, curry (with veggie options for each), rolls & butter and condiments / sauces.

Yes, I've been to a funeral this week and had a buffet.
Soup
Sausage rolls
Home baking.
Sandwiches
Tea/ coffee
2 Drinks
£5 a head
It was in the local bowling club.

We're going to a funeral just before xmas. Church is massive so that's easy. Buffet at local pub. We're planning to keep masks when talking to others and try and distance as much as possible while talking, then eat away from others. We haven't been inside the house of the deceased since lockdown so I think immediate family will understand as they've been careful. Also, someone going who's got cancer is going.

I was at a funeral last month and it was a buffet.

Went to one earlier in the year. Food was individually plated, with waitress service, so everyone was given a selection of sandwich quarters, mini quiche, crisps, salad garnish, and probably other bits, I can't recall. And a slice of cake, cream and strawberries on the side.
I thought it worked well.