How much buffet?

[Bonsaibaby]

I’ve got a birthday party coming up. Around 70 have confirmed. Knowing how flaky people are these days, how many would you cater for? I need to give numbers for the buffet. For my last big one there was left over food. I hadn’t made it clear there would be food or asked people to rsvp so I’ve pinned people down a bit more this time but I know there will inevitably be drops outs!

Could you cater for around 2/3rds of them but ask the venue to have some emergency back up food incase you start to run out. A platter of chips or some pizzas even just for an emergency top up.

As well as drop outs you'll also have fussy ones who don't eat or those who ate before the party. Not me though - I love a party buffet.

I'd tell them the number that said they are coming as i'd be mortified to under catering. You can take the leftovers home.

I agree and if you have stated specifically this time that there will be food people won't eat before they come

Hmm mixed messages! Been to a friend’s drop in today and she has so much uneaten food after people cancelled last minute.

I'd cater for all the confirmed people. But keep portions reasonable. One and a half normal sandwiches per person (so six triangles) one of each canape, two sausage rolls/mini quiche etc per person.

I’d cater for 70. There will be people who eat more, people who eat less, people who eat none.
At the end of the day food waste isn’t great but I’d rather have more than less or run out and look like a cheapskate host (even though I held a catered party recently and understand it’s not remotely cheap to cater a party!!!).

Did it all go at your catered party?

I don’t think so, but I didn’t eat so didn’t actually see!
Dh checked about halfway through and said there was plenty left so presumably everyone that was actually hungry had eaten and if anyone was peckish later would have had some choice.

Cater for the numbers who have confirmed. There’s nothing worse that a badly catered party and I’d be mortified as the host. I’d always rather have leftovers.

OP, if seventy have confirmed, that’s how many you’re catering for. Even if there are leftovers, surely better that than people saying, “Did you go to Bonsaibaby‘s party? I couldn’t believe how stingy the food was - when we arrived, there was hardly anything left.” I’d always rather have too much food than too little.

Ok I’ll just do it!
But also they’re my friends, nice people, just not like that at all.