A meal in which the dishes are placed on a tiered sideboard, often set at the entrance to dining area, on which various dishes of meats, poultry, fish, cold cuts, sweets, pastries, etc., are served in a decorative manner with the diners serving themselves and eating either standing up or seated informally.
The word buffet was borrowed from French at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and thus the North American pronunciation, buff-ay, is closer to the original French source than the British pronunciation buff-it (with the stress on the first syllable). Originally, the word referred to a dining-room sideboard where china is displayed, a meaning it retains to this day. However, buffet also came to mean, around the beginning of the twentieth century, the actual food laid out on such a side-board as guests walked by to fill their plates. The origin of the word buffet is unknown, but many ingenious explanations have been proposed: one suggestion is that the article of furniture took its name from the blow or buffet, pronounced buffit, that a host would inflict on the sideboard in order to fold out its hinged surface. It is probably mere coincidence, though, that the buffet meaning sideboard is spelt the same as the buffet meaning blow.
Buffet is a term used to describe a style of meal service that is popular for entertaining large groups of people, as it provides a more relaxed and casual alternative to a formal dinner party. The buffet can range from an extravagant presentation of cold dishes to a simpler combination of hot and cold foods. In situations where no tables are provided, it is advisable to serve finger or fork foods, as they can be easily consumed while standing. Buffet style dining is an excellent option for those who prefer a more informal and social dining experience.