What is the difference between a banquet and catering?

 

Do you know that people are still confused between banquet and catering despite being two very different things? In Singapore, we have very distinct definitions for “Buffet” and “Banquet”. The most distinct difference between them is the definition of it. A banquet is a formal meal served to a large group of people which usually involves more than 5 courses of dishes that includes main courses, desserts and soup. They are usually served in major events such as a wedding, a ceremony or any other events that can involve guests. On the other hand, a buffet, catered or not, refers to a casual meal served to either a small or medium-sized group of people in either public or private setting where meals are meant to be self-serviced. The food selection may not be as grand as banquets but it is definitely self-sufficient. Here are some points of difference between a banquet and a buffet.

Location

The location of the banquet has to be somewhere grand. This can range from a private ballroom to a large convention hall. Banquets are usually hosted on an invitational basis and are never open to the public. Whereas for buffets, they can be commonly found in restaurants that are opened to the general public. In the case of a buffet catering, you can get them delivered to your intended location.

Price

The price of a banquet is not to be underestimated. They charge accordingly to the number of tables catered for the event and not the number of people attending. For buffet delivery in Singapore, they charged by per pax and is way cheaper than a banquet. For banquets, they charge at least more than $1,000 per table, which roughly translates to $100 per pax. For a budget constraint events, cheap buffet caterings are plenty in Singapore, ranging from $10 - $15 per pax.

Selection

In Singapore, banquets are usually hosted by the ballroom and the kitchen itself. Which means that the food selection is somewhat similar across the board. However, for buffets, you can choose from a different selection of food and more than simply 10 courses, if your budget allows. Other than the standard buffet catering, you can opt for fancier ones such as high tea buffet catering or mini buffet catering for small group events.

Conclusion

It’s really easy to differentiate banquet from a buffet with so many points of difference. In short, they are completely opposite of each other.