Buffet dinner with plated salad

I've seen this at a few work functions I've been to, I think it's a great idea!

Not a problem, pretty standard. The only thing to watch out for is that it can be a bad option if the meal is outside or in a nontemperature controlled space. Once the dressing goes on the salads wilt like hell if they are over room temp.

I've seen this done at numerous functions but always wonder how long its been sitting there (never worries me enough not to eat the salad though)

I think it works!

I think that works just fine. As a PP said that way guests have salads infront of them when the buffet line starts.

Our reception will be indoors and air conditioned, so I'm not concerned about wilting. I've never seen it at an event before so I wondered if it would cause confusion, but judging by your responses it seems like it's more common than I thought.

We're doing a plated salad with buffet dinner. I like that everyone has something to eat while in various stages of wait.

We're doing this as well! The caterer actually recommended it, and I agree as long as they're not set out too early and in air conditioning, it should be all good.

We're doing plated apps and salad as well, the tables will be called up a few at a time so there's no long line and the tables waiting to be called will be busy with apps and salad versus just sitting there waiting to be called.

We're doing a plated salad with stations and I think it'll work really well!

We always did that. Salad on a dinner buffet plate messes up everything else on the plate, and it takes people forever to construct a salad. Go figure.

I like it too.

We're doing this as well- plated salad and buffet for dinner. Our caterer suggested it and said it works out pretty well. We have about 150-160 guests.

I'm doing it too. I think it's a nice touch so people aren't waiting to get up.

We did this, and our guest count was similar to yours. We had a California citrus salad, along with a dinner rolls as our 'starter'. Most of our guests loved it.

I think this would work well as the people waiting to go to the buffet will have something to eat while they wait.

I think this sounds nice. Everyone will have something to start eating before they're called up to the buffet line.

Thanks guys! I'm going to go with it.

This is what we are looking into also. I think it's a great idea. That way not everyone is at the buffet line at the same time

Working for a high-end caterer this is a great way to control the flow of the evening and is your best bet when offering the buffet (plus it adds that pampered touch and your guests will love being served at their seats). For example, guests are usually hungry for actual food after hors d'oeuvres and a ceremony, so in order to control the amount of guests that hit the buffet line, when the salads are removed from the guests tables, that table will be released to the buffet. Your caterer can help control the flow of your event more than you think, in order to keep the guests constantly engaged.

hope that helps!