Smarter plans for buffet leftovers

We catered a 120-guest gala on Saturday and, even with smaller trays, still ended up with 18 lbs of untouched sides; we got it picked up by a local rescue within 45 minutes, but I’d rather prevent the surplus in the first place. What portioning or service tweaks have cut your waste without guests noticing — staggered refills, smaller pans, timed releases?

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