How much food would you want at an adult birthday party?

[pemberleypearl]

Posting for traffic and to hopefully get more responses as I would really appreciate the help. I've been turning this over in my head for a while and I just don't want to get it wrong.

I am throwing a party for my mum who is turning 60. Local bar/hall. About 70 guests. Party will be 7pm to midnight with DJ. Guests can buy drinks at the bar.

What food would you appreciate? I have to balance convenience of ordering party food versus preparing stuff myself. Ordering in can be expensive and making stuff is time consuming day of especially as I have a toddler to manage.

I'm now thinking of having retro sweet buffet (it's a retro party) and ordering pizza. Dominos have a 50% off £100+ orders. Would that be enough? And when to order it for?

Please help. I am prone to over catering normally but haven't had to cater for his many before and really don't want to mess it up for my mum.

If it has to be a buffet, I’d probably do a ploughman’s type affair. Lovely range of decent cheeses and pickles, bread, salad. Boosted with homemade scotch eggs and raised pies and homemade coleslaw and potato salad. Good ingredients, served simply.

If the party is this weekend, I think simple cold buffet food is the way to go, especially with no cooking facilities at the hall

Instead of setting up a buffet and having a long queue, you could put a platter of food on each table, so guests can help themselves

Personally, I really hate congealed pizza, which is what you often get if you order en masse because you have to transport it and then display it enough for everyone to get at it and then it cools down.

I would much prefer the picky stuff pps have suggested - personally wouldn't bother making sarnies as you could just get lots of baguettes on that day and then do lots of sausages that you keep warm in a couple of slow cookers (including a veggie option), then people can make own hot dogs (can get a pack of gluten free rolls/sausages too and then most dietary needs are covered). With salads, a nice cheese board and a few other picky bits (could have birthday cake plus doughnuts for example, plus maybe a couple of the party platters you can buy from a supermarket), you have quite a low maintenance buffet that will be cheaper.

I would hate a cold buffet and at 7pm I would be assuming there was food so wouldn't eat dinner. Sandwiches to me says church humble sale, definitely not party food. I know I'm probably on my own with that though.

I would want nothing to eat, If I’m going out to a party and drinking, I don’t eat at all - alcohol kills my appetite so I never eat food if I’m at a party.
Different if it’s a sit down meal somewhere, I’ll order and eat something then but not in a buffet scenario!
Not helpful as I’m aware other people are different