Step 6: Designing the Room Layout

Now that you know how many buffet lines and/or stations you need, and how those lines and stations will be organized, you can plan the layout of the buffet room(s). Your layout depends primarily on the size and shape of the room. Therefore, you need a floor plan that includes entrances, exits, traffic patterns, and barriers such as support pillars. Hotels, catering halls, and other party venues can sometimes supply blueprints or printed floor plans. Otherwise, you must do your own sketches at the site. Use a tape measure, and try to draw the floor plan to scale. Graph paper, or computer software, is helpful.