Buffet & Catering Serveware Checklist for Bulk Orders

Caterers, hotels and event companies buy serveware differently from households. Pieces are used hard, washed often and have to match when you reorder. This checklist covers what a buffet or catering operation typically needs and how to plan quantities before you ask for a quotation.

The core buffet list

Trays, rectangular and round, for presenting dishes and carrying them from the kitchen
Oval platters for rice, grills, fish and carved dishes
Lidded bowls to keep food covered on the line and during transport
Salad and serving bowls in at least two sizes
Divided dishes for sauces, pickles and condiments
Ladles and serving spoons, one per dish plus spares
Plates in two or three sizes: dinner, side and dessert
Soup plates and rice bowls for guests
Cutlery: spoons, forks, knives and teaspoons
Cups and tumblers for water, juice, tea and coffee

Working out quantities

Plan serving pieces and guest pieces separately.

Serving pieces: count your buffet stations, then the dishes on each station. Each dish needs its platter or bowl, a serving utensil, and a spare so a full dish can replace an empty one without stopping service.

Guest pieces: multiply the number of guests by the pieces each guest uses. For example, 200 guests who each use a dinner plate and a dessert plate need 400 plates before spares. Then add a buffer for washing turnaround and breakage, based on your own experience of past events.

Write the result as a list of items, sizes and quantities. That list is exactly what a supplier needs to quote quickly.

Choosing materials for catering

Melamine is light and comes in many shapes, which suits platters, bowls and divided dishes on a buffet line. The US FDA advises against heating food in melamine dishes in a microwave oven.¹
Stainless steel does not shatter, which suits trays, serving bowls, ladles and cutlery. For cutlery, 18/10 and 18/8 contain nickel for added corrosion resistance; 18/0 contains none and is the more affordable option.²
Opalware plates and bowls suit plated service where glass is acceptable.

Whatever the material, check each item's care guidance against your own dishwashing and food-holding process before you order in volume.

Questions to ask your supplier

Will the same design and size be available when I reorder?
How many pieces come in each carton?
Do the plates and bowls stack well for storage and transport?
What care guidance applies to each item?
Can opalware, melamine and stainless steel come in one order and one delivery?

Ordering catering serveware from FAMES

FAMES supplies hotels, restaurants, cafés and caterers from Dubai. Send us your list of items, sizes and quantities and we reply with prices, availability and packing. See hotel, restaurant and catering supply.