If you are looking for a buffet cart, there are a few essential features that you want to consider. These features may or may not apply to your case, but they will help you decide about what features are worth looking for in a buffet cart.
6 Vital Qualities
Hot and Cold Serving Surfaces
A buffet cart should let you effectively serve both hot and cold dishes. Hot dishes are usually served in buffet servers and cold dishes or beverages are served from a bin or standard serving dishes. Cold dishes typically don’t present any problems for bufet carts, but some buffet servers can get quite hot so make sure that the material is metal (steel and aluminum are the most resilient) or a synthetic built to withstand significant amounts of heat.
Easily Stored
If you aren’t using your buffet carts all the time, having carts that are easily stored is essential. If you’re using them in a single venue, a buffet cart that folds or collapses and rolls is the best solution since you can easily fold it up and roll into the storage area.
Highly Portable
Since one of the main advantages of a buffet cart is it’s portability, make sure you have one that is built to be moved around a lot and can withstand the associated wear and tear. The most common problem is buffet carts that have is low-quality casters made from non-industrial grade materials including certain types of plastics. This means that the wheels rapidly begin wobbling and the cart doesn’t function effectively. Look for a buffet cart that has sturdy, industrial stregnth casters.
Brakes are also a key consideration. When you’re serving, you don’t want the buffet cart rolling away on you so make sure the cart has brakes that you can easily engage and disengage as needed.
Quality and Durability
Quality and durability vary widely among buffet carts. If you plan on using your buffet cart regularly, it’s worth investing in something that’s constructed to last. Steel and aluminum framed carts will typically justify the slightly higher price tag as they are more durable and resistant to bumps and scratches so you won’t be forced to replace them as frequently.
Presentation
If you’re going to be serving from the buffet cart at an upscale event, make sure it’s going to meet the aesthetic needs of the venue. One way to do this is to use a table cloth to cover the buffet cart.
Some buffet carts are customizable and allow you to use custom branding and LED lighting. If you’re working premium events like promotion parties, upscale bars, clubs, this can be well worth the additional investment. However for more traditional uses, it’s likely overkill.
Organization and Storage
You want a buffet cart that lets you organize everything well. If you have lots of accessory items like napkins, condiments, dish ware, bottles, and utensils then you’ll want a place to easily store those.
A quality buffet cart should come with storage beneath the main serving area. If it’s not naturally concealed, you can put a tablecloth over the top to conceal this area. Some buffet carts do have sliding doors for this that allow you to easily conceal and transport serving items that you don’t want to have on display.
The Portable Back Bar
The portable back bar was designed to function effectively as both a portable back bar and as a buffet cart. It’s constructed of high-quality steel and acrylic panels which give it a clean, professional appearance while providing long-lasting durability.
The sides are sliding doors so there’s storage inside the bars that can be concealed and is easily accessible. Dishware, bottles, condiments, napkins, utensils can be stored out of sight.
The cart folds up to 7″ so it’s easy to store when not in use. The top is made of a heat resistant synthetic so you can use buffet servers or hotplates without worrying. It can also be traded out for ice bins for cold drinks so it can be multipurpose to serve food or drinks as needed.
Unlike most buffet carts, the panels can be branded and LED lights can be installed to create a “wow-factor” at premium events and venues.
