My wife and I are new to the catering game. We have been very happy doing relatively small events (80 - 100 people). As word gets spread, our events are getting larger. We are trying to use a scientific approach to the amount of food we serve. We typically serve brisket and whole smoked chicken. The sides are pinto beans, potato salad, cole slaw. I have the meat down to just about a 10% overage (including seconds). The sides are not as easy. Any suggestions?

For ther meat, it sounds like you have it down to a pretty fine point. Good work. As for the sides, I don't know what to tell you.

I usually figure on 4oz per person(by volume) if I have 2 sides, and 3oz if I have 3-4 sides, and then I kind of guess at it if I'm doing more than 4 sides. It scares me a little to go with less than 3oz servings, but I have had left over issues sometimes with 3oz portions and multiple sides.

I make it a point never to run out of meat, and left overs can be frozen, but sides are a problem for me. They seem to vary so much from event to event based on type of group, placement on table, self serve/served, size of plates, etc. Maybe someone will have a proven method, but I have started cutting back on portions and I'm not going to worry so much about allowing for seconds of sides like I do for meat, especially when I have more than 2 sides to choose from.

Dang, You are from a good town. Might you compete under the name "Lil John"?

No Freebird, I don't, but I think I know who that is. I'm just a small piece of meat in a big meat locker...so to speak. We ought to get together some time. Dang, we may know each other all ready.

Liveoak,

Part of it might be techique as well.

How do you serve the meat and the sides?
Do they serve themselves or do you serve them?
Do you put the meat first in the line or last?

There are some catering tricks I've been told to do portion control.

1. You serve, not them.
2. Fill them up on sides then meat.

Smokin'

some of the things that you can do is:
1.use slightly smaller plates.
2.Place the meat at the end of the line by the price you pay'd for the meat. (if the chicken is more expensive than the brisket, place it last ect...)
3.use slightly larger rolls, fill 'em up with bread and they won't want seconds.
4.serve the portions, that way you control the portions, not the customer.
5.Figure 6oz meat and 3oz of each side.

Check out Tom's post. "Elizabeth's Catering Portions". That's a good place to start. If it's self serve, the way you lay out the line is of the utmost importance. Do not start with the meat. I also think placing something in between each meat selection (like rolls, sauce, napkins, cutlery, anything to slow people down a bit) helps a lot. Lay it out so they can't just jump line and get to the meat first. A person to serve the meat definitely helps.
I also think setting out fresh meat from time to time helps. That way you don't start with a huge volume. It can be placed out in smaller amounts. The people think they are getting a fresh product, even if it's the same as the one you already had on the line. And don't move the old pieces to the new pan of meat. Put them in another pan. Take it back to the kitchen and recycle there. Don't re-serve it if it's not safe, of course you wouldn't.
Just my ideas.
Peggy

you sure are close to phlugerville though

Thanks to All. 3 - 4 oz works out well for sides. We actually had some left over. Plenty of meat is the key. All were thrilled, full, and smiling at the end.