Business event, charity event, family celebration. Such events are worth celebrating with a banquet. It is a lavish, formal reception organized in various forms. The most popular types include: English banquet, American banquet, seated banquet. Find out what the types of banquets are, how they differ, and which one is worth choosing.
Let’s start with what an English-style banquet is. It is a type of elegant reception that takes place standing. It usually starts around 8:00 PM and lasts for 3 hours. During this time, guests help themselves to cold and hot snacks, desserts, and drinks served in a buffet style.
A standing banquet can:
English banquets engage waiters to a minimal extent — their task is to replenish the snacks at the buffet. For this reason, they are easy to organize. Their drawback, however, is the lack of seating and hot main courses.
The opposite of the English banquet is the seated one. During this type of event, guests dine at designated places at tables. In order for attendees to maintain eye contact easily, tables are arranged in the shape of the letters T, G, U, or E.
All dishes are served there: cold and hot appetizers and main courses. The menu is not as varied as in the case of English receptions. A small portion of dishes is on the table. The rest is served by waiters. Guests therefore do not have continuous access to all dishes throughout the event.
Seated banquets last 3 hours or longer (e.g., in the case of weddings). They can be held at any time. They can cover lunch, breakfast, or dinner. Due to their formal nature, they most commonly honor important, solemn events such as family celebrations or large business events.
What is an American-style banquet? It combines the two previous types of banquets. For this reason, it has the most universal character. It is suitable, for example, for concluding a conference, anniversary, communion, wedding, or christening.
At an American reception, guests are served hot meals at tables set in the center of the hall or against the wall. At the same time, they continuously have access to a buffet with desserts, salads, and other cold snacks.
The American banquet starts with a toast or a hot dish. Afterwards — until the next hot dishes appear — guests can freely move between tables, help themselves to appetizers, and change conversation partners. Although this provides them with comfort, it poses a challenge for organizers and staff. Waiters must continuously replenish the buffet, and regularly serve hot dishes to the tables.
The American reception is the most relaxed of all types. Although it suits any occasion, it is most popular in the business environment. For family celebrations (weddings, christenings, communions, wedding anniversaries, birthdays), seated receptions are recommended. The characteristics of these banquets best match the importance and formal tone of private events.
As for the standing banquet, it works well for business events. In this form, you can organize, for example, a post-conference networking or an introductory meeting. The reception is elegant and low maintenance in terms of organization. It does not involve high costs, as it can accommodate many guests in a small space. A good place for such events is, for example, the elegant banquet hall available at Hotel 500 in Strykowie. Łódź and the junction of highways A1 and A2 are nearby, ensuring convenient access. The hall can accommodate up to 180 people.
The American banquet is the safest choice for any occasion. Hotel Stryków allows you to arrange the space according to your needs using long or round tables. If, however, you care about a formal, solemn character for the event, consider a seated banquet. Elegant decor, porcelain tableware, and professional service create a unique ambiance for the event in our hotel.
A banquet is a good way to enhance the prestige of the organizer, promote the event or company, or strengthen bonds between colleagues, business partners, or family members. There are several options for organizing it. Which one will you choose to celebrate your event?
