Buffet or Family Style? How to Choose the Right Food Service for Your Next Summer Gathering

Summer is the perfect time for an outdoor party, whether you're honoring a graduate, marking a promotion at work, throwing a thank-you get-together for the fellow members of the PTA, hosting the baseball team party, or reconnecting with your long-distance cousins.

The type of food service you choose—buffet, potluck, cocktail party, or family style—plays a major role in how your party comes together, from the menu you design to the hosting stress you're willing to take on. Experts Laura Ritchie of Grit & Grace and Danielle Redmond of Occasions Caterers breakdown the party size, vibe, menu, and hosting style for each popular dinner format.

Buffet

A buffet is the simplest choice for a huge group: Think drop-in graduation parties, post-swim-meet cookouts, or annual family reunions.

The Guests

Turn to a buffet for a multigenerational get-together or a casual work party, says Redmond. "Family-focused works great because not everyone has to eat at the same time," she says. "It's also a great opportunity for networking, when you want guests to have more time to mingle."

While a buffet works for guest lists of any size, if you're planning for more than 20, consider enlisting some extra help, says Redmond—that's a lot of work for one person to shoulder.

The Space

Hosting a buffet requires plenty of room: An area to set up the food table (or, in some cases, multiple tables)—including enough space for guests to navigate the self-serve items without causing a traffic jam—plus additional areas for drinks, desserts, and seating. Though backyard buffets don't typically have all the guests seated at once, our experts suggest having chairs for 60 percent of your guests at any given time.

The Menu

Redmond likes to use buffet-style service to offer a variety of dishes based on a theme. "I have done some great Persian- and Columbian- inspired menus or summer barbecues," she says. Ritchie recommends providing several options for each course, so there's something for everyone. And don't skimp on the quantity: "Remember, people will go back for seconds," says Ritchie.

The Host

While a buffet may sound like less work than a plated meal, it still requires a lot of attention and pre-party work from the host; you need to source plates, roll silverware, and coordinate food temperatures. "With plenty of prep time, this can be a breeze, but keep in mind if foods need to be hot, cold, or room temperature," says Ritchie. "Replenishing items needs to be easy and accessible, and we always recommend signage with allergies and ingredients."

Potluck

If you’re hosting for a "close, comfortable group that doesn't mind sharing," says Ritchie, a potluck takes the pressure off the host. You'll still be responsible for setup and some foods, but in a less formal setting. "This is for the host that is OK with relinquishing control and making it easy," says Redmond.

The Guests

Potlucks works best with a small group: Under 25 people is best, says Ritchie. This helps maintain some order in your menu and doesn't leave you overwhelmed with dozens of disparate dishes.

The Space

You can adjust a potluck layout for large outdoor spaces or small. Either set out dishes on a long table with plenty of surrounding space for guests to eat and mingle, as you would at a buffet, or lay blankets on the ground outside and turn it into a picnic, says Redmond.

The Menu

For some groups, the fun of a potluck is seeing just how random a meal can get—but you can streamline the experience by setting a theme. Request "easy-going, room temperature" dishes, says Ritchie, with a barbecue, Italian, or Mediterranean influence.

The Host

Most of the work for a potluck host comes with setup and breakdown. If you don't have enough plates and flatware, opt for upscale disposables; if you're short on serving pieces, ask guests to toss in tongs or spoons when bringing their dish.

Cocktail-Style

 An evening cocktail party is an ideal way to beat the summer heat, since hosting after dark lets you take advantage of the cooler temperatures. Add refreshing summer cocktails and toast to the cooler nights.

The Guests

Like a buffet event, a cocktail style party can accommodate any number of guests. Typically a cocktail party is an adults-only affair, although you could opt for kid-friendly finger food, like mini chicken tenders or macaroni-and-cheese cups, to include the junior set, too.

The Space

Since you don't need formal seating, a cocktail party can work in a smaller yard. Ideally, you'd create an open area where guests can chat while eating, and line it with high tables for resting drinks and small plates during the event.

The Menu

This style of party should rely on small bites that don't need to be cut. Incorporate a range of proteins—seafood, chicken, and beef—as well as vegetarian options and stations, says Ritchie.

"Keep the menu to one- to three-bite items," says Redmond. "Open-faced sandwiches and tartines, cheese and charcuterie, dips, crudité, deviled eggs, mezze.”

The Host

A cocktail style party is typically more "formal and polished," says Redmond. If you don't want to take on the work of refilling trays and clearing beverage napkins, this is a good one to outsource. "The food and dress code can dictate this level of hosting, but done well, this would be with hired staff for passing and cleaning," says Ritchie. "Passing around a few hors d'oeuvres every once and awhile is a nice personal touch."

Family Style

A seated dinner, whether you're serving it family style or with more formal, plated meals, is a midsummer night's dream when set at a long outdoor table, surrounded by string lights at sunset.

The Guests

A seated meal served family style accommodates as many people that can fit at your table (and at the extra tables you rented). This works best for a minimum of six guests, say the experts; keep the guest list under 20 if you don't plan to hire help. Invite couples, families, your best girlfriends, or your favorite neighbors.

The Space

The amount of space you need for this type of event depends on how many people you plan to invite. As few as six can tuck in at small table on the most intimate patio, while a larger group can crowd onto benches at a long table set up in the grass.

The Menu

This event calls for a more cohesive, smaller menu than a buffet or potluck. Plan on multiple courses, including two proteins, a starch, a vegetable side, and a salad, says Redmond: "Keep it fresh and simple." For a fancier affair, Ritchie recommends adding tableside wine service. Expect to set a start and end time, too—this isn't the drop-in event that a buffet might be.

The Host

A seated dinner can be a great fit for the amateur chef who gets an adrenaline rush from serving a perfectly plated, complete, and complex meal; it can also be tackled by a low-key entertainer who would serve a pre-made vegetable lasagna with a salad tossed in homemade dressing. If you want to take it up a level—without increasing your workload—enlist the help of a professional chef, servers, and bartenders to make your backyard feel like your town's hottest new restaurant.