If guests will be navigating through a crowded room to find a seat, avoid gravies or sauces that could be spilled on clothing or furniture, Dupree recommends. There's no minimum number of dishes required for a buffet. But beware of offering too many items, because guests will want to sample everything and the most popular foods tend to disappear quickly, Dupree says. Remember that people tend to put more on their plates when they're serving themselves. Serve an odd number of items, usually five or seven.
Odd numbers make for an interesting display.
If you're ambitious and want to offer nine or 11, she suggests rotating items on and off the table. This also helps keep foods fresh. That means smaller serving platters or containers, not the largest salad bowl in the house. Smaller portions also will resolve the dilemma of keeping foods hot, since you frequently replenish from oven to table. Which brings up the issue of keeping things warm.