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smiddyslim t1_ixodriz wrote

Former caterer sez: It goes plates, salad, bread/ butter, carbs then protein. Silverware rollups at the end. If you put silverware on the table, you may run short. People never gather where you planned at a party.

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andreabishop t1_ixoxx9v wrote

I put the bread at the end of the food because it can be placed on top of a full plate. And yes, Rollups at the end.

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MercenaryCow t1_ixoy8ro wrote

Nah, rookie mistake. You want the cheap bread earlier in the buffet. So there's less room on their plates for the expensive proteins

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ccaccus t1_ixp8y5q wrote

Then there’s me, eyeing the buffet, already Tetris-ing my plate in my mind before I get to the front of the line.

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MrBoo843 t1_ixpzq6x wrote

And me. Just skipping the bread and cheap salads because they're always the worst thing on the table.

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Ninja-Sneaky t1_ixq4abc wrote

And then there's my mother and sisters, that strategically took the table about 2 meters away from the hotzone (about the end of the buffet line)

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rncookiemaker t1_ixphimy wrote

But serious question: if you've already planned/prepared serving the expensive stuff, why does it matter where it's placed?

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BrownCowUltra t1_ixpiqdy wrote

It’s a balance, If there are 200 guests at an event I’ll place my order for about 225-230 piece of protein. Assuming that some jackass is gonna take three pieces, someone’s gonna drop something, and people will grab seconds I should have enough. If everyone grabs proteins first they’re more likely to grab multiple pieces because your brain wants to fill the empty space on the plate. Protein is expensive so the less of that I can order the better for the company.

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cannycandelabra t1_ixqldvl wrote

You can save lots of money by forgetting to give them plates. Just a thought.

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TheSessionMan t1_ixq6q0x wrote

Real baller move is to put your bun in your pocket to leave room on the plate .

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EngineZeronine t1_ixqsofc wrote

The real move is to pack your cheeks chipmunk style as you go through the line

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KinadianPT t1_ixrzdiy wrote

Caterers put less expensive food first. So, by the time you get to the protein, you are space limited on how much you can take. It's cost saving to fill you up on carbs.

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dec7td t1_ixp1nk6 wrote

Sounds like the lineup for a company trying to make money. I put the premium stuff first and the filler later. I worked hard on that protein so please enjoy lots!

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TheSinningRobot t1_ixpbytk wrote

Carbs before protein because you can stack the protein on top of the carbs. The other way around and your chicken cordon bleu is now lost under a plate full of rigatoni

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NetworkingJesus t1_ixplxc9 wrote

Plus if it's a long buffet, you don't want your protein getting cold(er) by the time you sit down, so makes sense to grab it last. Assuming it's being kept warm on the buffet.

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Awanderinglolplayer t1_ixqbaas wrote

Then every Todd in the group fills their plate with the first thing, the protein for you, and there’s not enough. People will make room for protein, but they’ll overfill their plate with the first couple things.

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Peopletowner t1_ixqjq4m wrote

I start at the end so I can get my fork and I eat straight out of the protein tray.

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