At a buffet the dishes are laid out on tables or stations and guests help themselves, or are helped by a staff member behind the table. It is the format for aperitivi, informal lunches, parties, rinfreschi (light buffets) and many corporate events.
The advantages are freedom of movement and choice. The drawbacks are queues, if there are too few stations, and the temperature of the food, to watch especially in summer. It usually needs fewer waiters than plated service, but every station needs staff: industry guides recommend at least two people per station.
What to ask
Ask how many stations or tables, how many staff, how the dishes are kept hot or cold and how often they are restocked. For quantities per person there is the guide on how much food to plan for a buffet; for themed stations, the one on buffet stations.
