MCs: How to Manage the Buffet Queue So There Is Enough Order and Food

Last Saturday, I attended the funeral of a close friend's mother. 

Both as a mourner and an MC.

Actually we were 2 masters of ceremonies on duty for the reception, Nii and I.

Everything was proceeding smoothly until it got to lunch.

Well, let me say brunch because the food was ready for serving by 11am.

And there were a lot of hungry people to feed,

Possibly more than had been catered for.

How come?


The Background

It appears the funeral service which was well attended started a full hour earlier than expected.

So when the latecomers turned up to pay their respects, the ceremony was almost over and so they went straight to the reception venue.

By the time the congregants made it to the reception, the space was bursting at the seams.

Brunch was ready but there was another situation.

Only one buffet station.

For over 350 guests.

There would be utter chaos if Nii and I didn't manage the queue expertly.


The Plan

I would stand by the buffet table to ensure that guests would not invite themselves into the queue.

Then Nii would announce that it was time to eat and he would let the guests know when to serve themselves.

Then would ask Nii to start by inviting guests closest to the food to serve themselves table by table.

This tip I learned from a Food & Beverage Manager at Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra.

"If those closest to the food eat first, they won't cross the line" he advised.

The Implementation

We then proceeded to spread out our call-ups to the buffet table in that manner so that we ended at the tables farthest from the food.

The caterers were worried that the food would not be enough and they voiced their concerns to me.

Was that any business of mine as the MC?

I certainly made it so.

When I saw a guest serve herself a double portion of food, I went up to the caterer and suggested that her servers manage the food distribution judiciously.

Guests who attempted to take overly generous portions were politely reminded that everybody had to be catered for.


The Results

After one hour, we were able to feed all the guests even though there was only one buffet table and more guests had attended than had been expected.


The Lesson

Managing the buffet queue so there is enough order and food is possible if you understand the situation, formulate a plan, ensure smooth collaboration and communicate effectively.