Food Stations: A Crowd-Pleasing Alternative to Buffets and Sit-Down Dinners

Not every sports fan is willing to be married on Super Bowl Sunday, but Mike Sneen was.

Well, sort of.

As Sneen told Minnesota Bride, he hadn’t realized at first that his wedding date coincided with the biggest professional football event of the year.

Once it was on the calendar, though, there was little he and his fiancée could do about it. Rather than try to pull off what would have been an epic alteration in plans, they decided to accommodate the die-hard Super Bowl enthusiasts among their guests. Working with their Minneapolis venue, they transformed a room into football party central, complete with a full bar and large TVs.

But what about food? Did guests have to choose between either watching the game hungry or sitting on the sidelines at a traditional dinner?

Not at all.

Because the couple had worked with their caterer to set up food stations — like mini buffets, each with a specialized menu, arrayed throughout the reception area — the Sneens were able to please everyone. Guests could pick exactly what they wanted to eat, walk around and mingle, or take a plate back to the game room.

It’s probably safe to say that everyone, football aficionado or otherwise, went home full.

Customizable Cuisine

“Accommodating” is likely the best word to describe food stations and the reason they’ve become so popular. Guests always appreciate options, and food stations (also known as food bars) make more options possible.

While not every couple has to go to the extreme of setting up a separate space for Super Bowl viewers at their reception, most do have to consider some sort of arrangements or adjustments to keep guests happy (and, sometimes, healthy).

Where a sit-down dinner or buffet can offer limited options, food stations are the culinary equivalent of a guest-centric free-for-all — they’re completely customizable. Vegetarians or vegans among your guests? No need to consign them to a vegetable platter while everyone else dines on chicken or steak — set up a food station just for them. (Need menu ideas?)

And what about people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance? A food station full of carefully selected gluten-free options can eliminate worries. Guests can enjoy themselves without having to poke around their plate for an errant bread crumb.

Creativity on Display

Food stations also provide an opportunity for you to amp up your creativity.

Sure, anyone can serve the customary formal wedding fare, but consider how much more interesting it would be to have food stations that reflect your heritage, where you met or became engaged, or even the places where you hope to travel someday. Your caterer will be able to help develop menus that best reflect your preferences and personality — and that are also suited to your budget. The Sneens, for example, had five food stations. One featured seafood enchiladas, tamales, and build-your-own tacos; another served sushi and other Asian fare in Chinese take-out containers.

By the way, those take-out containers are another example of how food stations let your style shine through. Unique presentations — think a donut wall instead of (or in addition to) a three-tiered cake — or a build-your-own mac-and-cheese bar double as entertainment in addition to being delicious. Decorating each station adds “flavor” as well.

No wonder Julie Savage Parekh of Strawberry Milk Events told MarthaStewart.com, "Food stations are the new buffet — a little bit trendier and more modern way to do it."

Other food station ideas include:

·      Crudité and fruits with dips.

·      Charcuterie boards — a great way to accommodate guests who keep Kosher or only eat halal meats, for example. Just make sure any cheese is separate.

·      A build-your-own waffle bar with all the toppings is perfect for a brunch reception.

·      Made-to-order pizzas.

·      An omelet station where guests pick the fillings, from veggies to meats.

·      A fast-food bar. Not just for children, this can include wings and sliders, or more gourmet choices such as mini lobster corn dogs or butterscotch popcorn served in paper cups that match your theme.

·      A fondue station. Yes, that throwback delight is popular again. After all, who can resist the allure of melted cheese?

Bye-bye, Seating Chart

Varied menus that appeal to a variety of guests aren’t the only benefits of food stations. Let’s take a look at some of the other advantages.

·      There’s no congestion or long, slow-moving lines like you might find at a buffet.  

·      There’s no sitting for hours like at a sit-down dinner.

·      You don’t have to worry about a seating chart. Trying to keep your bickering cousins away from each other is no longer your problem!

·      Because food stations don’t require the same number of servers as a sit-down dinner, you may save money. However, if you have cook-to-order food stations, you might need more chefs.

·      Cook-to-order stations mean guests will get to enjoy their food prepared exactly as they prefer.

·      Guests get to eat when they want to, whether that’s as soon as they arrive at the reception or after they’ve had a chance to visit with others and maybe even hit the dance floor. That said, you can leave your food stations open for the entire reception or for just a couple of hours. Either way, they provide more flexibility than a buffet or sit-down dinner.

Working with Your Caterer

To ensure your food stations are a hit with guests, your caterer will need to know:

·      How many guests you expect.

·      Any special diets you need to consider.

·      What kind of atmosphere you want to create.

·      Your budget.

With those factors in mind, together you can create a memorable reception that scores big with everyone, even if it’s not Super Bowl Sunday.