So you’ve got an event coming up. Maybe it’s a wedding, a dinner party or a birthday. Planning an event comes with a long to-do list, and hiring crockery is an important detail. How many plates? What size? Do you need serving bowls or will guests help themselves? Here’s a practical breakdown of how to choose the right crockery for your event.
How Many Plates Do You Actually Need to Hire?
The number one mistake people make is ordering exactly one plate per person per course. In reality, you need a buffer. A safe rule is to add 15 to 20% on top of your guest count for each course. So if you’re feeding 80 people a three-course meal, you’re looking at around 96 dinner plates, 96 starter plates and 96 dessert plates as a minimum.
Plates often get picked up for all sorts of things throughout an event. Having extras on hand means you won’t be scrambling during the event. The same goes for bowls and servingware. It’s always better to have a few extra than to be caught short mid-service.
At Top Table Catering Hire, our crockery hire range includes white Buckingham China, which works beautifully for everything from formal wedding breakfasts to relaxed charity dinners. White is the smart choice when you’re unsure because it suits every colour scheme and makes food look its best.
What Size Plates Do You Need for Your Event?
The size plate you need to hire depends on the type of event you are organising.
Dinner plates are the largest and are used for mains. Starter and dessert plates are smaller. Side plates are even smaller and are great for bread, canapés or sharing dishes. These sized plates are perfect for a three-course meal or weddings.
If you’re planning a buffet rather than a sit-down meal, you can often get away with fewer sizes, but you’ll want to think about how guests will load up their plates. A slightly larger plate tends to work better for buffets because people pile on more.
What Serveware Do You Need for a Catered Event?
People tend to focus on the guest plates but don’t forget about the pieces that actually carry the food to the table. For a catered event the serveware you might need is the following:
- Serving platters for shared starters or family-style mains
- Large serving bowls for salads or sides
- Sauce boats for gravies and dressings
- Bread baskets if you’re doing a pre-dinner bread course.
If your caterer is plating individually in the kitchen, you may not need much at all. But if food is being brought to the table for guests to serve themselves, the servingware and tableware becomes just as important as the guest plates.
At Top Table Catering Hire, we stock a range of stainless steel hollowware, including sauce boats and serving dishes. Contact us today to find out more about our crockery hire.
How Far in Advance Should You Book Crockery Hire?
For busy dates like summer weekends, school holiday events and the Christmas party season, the earlier you arrange your crockery hire, the better. Stock does get reserved, especially for larger quantities. A rough guide is to book at least 6 to 8 weeks out for bigger events and 2 to 4 weeks for smaller ones, though Top Table Catering Hire will always try to accommodate last-minute requests where stock allows.
Crockery Hire in Cardiff at Top Table Catering
If you’re in Cardiff or anywhere across South Wales and need crockery hire, plate hire or full catering equipment hire, get in touch with Top Table Catering Hire.
With over 30 years of experience, we know how to make the logistics of crockery hire simple so you can focus on everything else.