Buffet must have items?

Wondering if you guys/gals could give me some input on food items I must have for an all you can eat dinner buffet, hot and cold.

Thanks :)

crab legs

What kind of a buffet is it?

Fried chicken and GOOD mac and cheese

Ask Michael Hoffman. He can give you the complete list.

Meatballs, boiled shrimp, some type of rice, couple types of salad, mac and cheese, beef roast... just thinking of things I grab for my plate.

quote:

Originally posted by jman

Ask Michael Hoffman. He can give you the complete list.

That's funny-exta thick sneeze guards

A good buffet line is incomplete without Jello salads and pie. At least, it seems that way in the Midwest.

quote:

Originally posted by jman

Ask Michael Hoffman. He can give you the complete list.

I was just thinking to say, don't ask Hoffman, but I'm sure he will be along to remind everyone why.

Great salad bar, 2 daily different homemade soups.
Large selection of homemade desserts
Fried Chicken
Meat Loaf
Mashed Taters
Mac
Ham
Baked Beans
Good bread/ roll selection
Iced/sweet/regular tea
A different featured entree everyday
Carved Roast beef, Turkey, Pork Loin on the weekends

quote:

Originally posted by chewingthefat

Great salad bar, 2 daily different homemade soups.
Large selection of homemade desserts
Fried Chicken
Meat Loaf
Mashed Taters
Mac
Ham
Baked Beans
Good bread/ roll selection
Iced/sweet/regular tea
A different featured entree everyday
Carved Roast beef, Turkey, Pork Loin on the weekends

That is along the lines of what I was thinking, thanks for the suggestions.

Thanks everyone else also :) any more ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Go visit any Old Country Dump or Ryan's is another buffet. You'll see what the competion is offering...

Cottage Cheese.

a soup choice
salad items
macaroni salad
potato salad
slaw
Fried chicken
a carving station with beef and ham
battered fish
popcorn shrimp
mashed potatoes
macaroni and cheese
northern beans (seasoned really well)
fresh corn
broccoli and cheese casserole
chicken pot pie
green beans
fried squash
baby carrots
fried okra
yeast rolls
cornbread
hush puppies
peach cobbler
banana pudding
cheesecake
coconut pie
chocolate
lemon pie
pecan pie
chess pie
peanut butter pie
cookies
soft serve ice cream
rice krispie treats

quote:

Originally posted by JohnnyJr
Wondering if you guys/gals could give me some input on food items I must have for an all you can eat dinner buffet, hot and cold.Thanks

Without a unique selling point, you'll be in trouble in 6 weeks. Look at the big buffet chains and independents: Ryan's Steak house and Buffet,(currently in the process of closing, many of their stores) in Vegas, Cravings, The Ultimate Buffet with 6 serving stations,(not doing well) also in Vegas, Le Village Buffet (very high dollar) (French food)from five French regions, Kiko's Mexican Buffet in Maryland (now closed). Buffets aren't doing well across the country except those that have a unique selling point. If you have a theme USP then your menu will fall into place, but if you try to be all things to all customers you'll be broke in a heart beat. The food cost alone will do you in and then there is the help, equipment,utilities, rent, taxes, insurance, waste, theft, and the more kinds of food you serve multiply everything by the number selections.
Just my thoughts
Jack

Jack speaks the truth....buffets are known for subpar food.
The crowd they attract wants bulk crap for a low price.
It might be better to offer a "Giant Plate" with some of your
best stuff plus bread rice and pasta crap that fills them up
and let's em think they got they're money worth.
That idea may have failed in the past as well, but
you could market it as a buffet on a plate with half
the price.

for buffet eaters, you gotta put a great product at a high price out,
or serve crap for a low price and hope to do better than Ryans.

If you were considering opening a buffet in the location you list on your profile, I would certainly not recommend it. According to the online Yellow Pages, the town you live in already has 5 restaurants which have the word "buffet" in their name, or that I recognize as buffet chains (American or Chinese). (I have included Chinese buffets since most of them offer as much American-type food as they do Chinese.) Here in the greater Peoria area, with a population about 10 times that of your area, we only have about twice that number of buffets (3 American, the rest Chinese). Your town looks like it probably already has more buffets than it can easily handle. Captain Morgan's "Giant Plate" might very well be a much better way to go.

one of my fave buffets has an item they call "chicken and dumplings" but is closer to a chicken pot pie with chicken, gravy, veggies, and a soft crust (almost like a chicken cobbler)..

I must be into sub par foods. I like the Golden Coral Buffet.

I know this is not a food item but those "throw away" plastic gloves for your customers would be a great idea...........you could advertise as being "more germ free"

I think a Buffet should have fresh picked Bay Corn. You dont see it to often anymore. I remember as a child they all had it...Russ

I hate buffets! (if anyone cares. ) There are very few times i enjoy a buffet. As someone else stated it is sub par food. and most of it is crap. JMO. (if anyone cares.)
Oh and i love to eat. Just guess i have a better taste and would rather have less better food.
Yeah, i know that was NOT the issue here. Just felt like talking. wink, wink.

quote:

Originally posted by jettababs
A good buffet line is incomplete without Jello salads and pie. At least, it seems that way in the Midwest.

Jettababs,
What?!?!?!? Not PEA SALAD?!?!?!?!?!?
Peavishly, Ort. Carlton in Podlike Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by AndreaB
What kind of a buffet is it?

Andrea,
Johnny Jr. is a franchisee for Larry's Liver Heaven.
Entral-Level, Ort. Carlton in Athens, Georgia.
P. S. The credit for that restaurant has to go to Mort Walker, who mentioned it in Beetle Bailey... they're taking Sarge to a new all-you-can-eat place they've discovered. I just couldn't resist.

JohnnyJr.,
I second all the serious suggestions above. Ignore mine for livermush.
Unhungrily (But Subject To Change), Ort. Carlton in 30601-Central.

quote:

Originally posted by ShellysDawgHouse
I hate buffets! (if anyone cares. There are very few times i enjoy a buffet. As someone else stated it is sub par food. and most of it is crap. JMO. (if anyone cares.)Oh and i love to eat. Just guess i have a better taste and would rather have less better food.Yeah, i know that was NOT the issue here. Just felt like talking.

I hate the people that eat at buffets, I had a women grab a roll that I had just picked up with the tongs. It was the last one and she wasn't waiting for them to refill the pan. They crowd into the line and slop food into other food it's gross. Many but not all, act like they haven't eaten in days or weeks.
Jack

I agree. Being a fat person i am appalled at these fatties that pile food on their plates. Things just piled on top of other things. How the heck can you taste anything when it is all piled on top of everything else and YUK YUK YUK!!!

How about a Cafeteria instead of a Buffet?

A good breakfast buffet that is only open in the mornings and early afternoon.

You really need to state your resources and theme (food style) here..
Tons of good suggestions so far, but you need to use your in house resources to create your buffet.
Be great if you could fill us in a little more here, other then looking for a broad suggestion.