Buffet style?? Are you putting dinnerware on table??

We are planning on having silverware, napkins, glasses for water, and small plates (for the rolls) on the table and the main dinner plates at the buffet line. I think the bread plates help "complete" the look by having something else there without making the guests carry their plates up to the line..

Centerpieces flat/glassware on the table.

View Quoted Comment I know this comment is so old! But in case you see this, i have questions! I am doing buffet. I was told unless someone as filling up water glasses at tables, there's no need for glasses on the table! That they should be either with bartender or stacked by the big carafe with tea and lemonade. Does this make sense?

View Quoted Comment That doesn’t make sense. You can have water/lemonade glasses set up on the tables before guests sit down, no different than with a plated meal. The only difference between plated and buffet in that case is guests grab a clean plate each time through the line and plated has waiters.


What type of glasses do you have that are stacked at the tables? It’s common at very casual bbq/picnic meals to have plastic glasses stacked straight out of the cellophane sleeve but most water glasses that are rented are not designed to be stacked. Honestly I would just have them at each place setting.

View Quoted Comment So, i guess i would have plastic cups of some sort for the bar, for drinks. Then some cups stacked by the lemonade and tea dispensers. Then there are 2 big metal tubs- 1 for water bottles, one for pop bottles or cans. So i guess the bartender thinks since guests can just grab water bottles and or pop, and go get cups for tea and lemonade, no water glasses are needed on table...
I don't know...
She said if i have water glass on table, we will need to pay someone to keep refilling them through the night. Which i guess makes sense..

View Quoted Comment How difficult would it be to have a pitcher of water already at each table? Guests can pour what they want or none at all with no waste. No extra labor is involved.

View Quoted Comment Its not pouring it. Its who is going to be in charge of making sure each table gets refilled through the night i guess...
The bartender?