Caterers in the UK

Finding a good caterer in the UK

A caterer turns a room into an event: the food, and usually the tables, linen, crockery, staff and the clearing up that people forget until the day. Local caterers range from a sole trader making buffets from a registered home kitchen to firms with a fleet of vans and a hundred waiting staff, and most towns have both. What they share, when they are good, is food that is what it says on the menu, on time, at the right temperature, with the dietary needs handled without fuss — and a hygiene rating of 5, which every caterer must have and display.

The formats decide the price. A finger buffet is the cheapest way to feed a crowd and the standard for parties, christenings and funerals; a hot fork buffet or a barbecue sits above it; a sit-down meal with waiting staff costs the most and needs the most planning; canapés and bowl food suit drinks receptions; hog roasts, pizza ovens and street-food vans have become the informal wedding and party standard. Corporate caterers deliver sandwiches and platters to offices and cater conferences and launches, and many restaurants and Asian caterers do outside catering for large family events.

The listings here show each caterer's reviews, what they offer, sample menus, hygiene ratings and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who does the kind of event you are holding, and whose food guests in your town still talk about.

What caterers do

Parties and family events: buffets, afternoon teas, barbecues, hog roasts and sharing platters for birthdays, christenings, anniversaries and funerals, delivered or served.

Weddings: wedding breakfasts, canapés, evening food, the bar and the cake, in venues with and without kitchens, and for marquees with a mobile kitchen.

Corporate: sandwich and platter deliveries, working lunches, conferences, product launches and Christmas parties, on account.

Cuisines: Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi wedding and event catering, Chinese and Thai, Caribbean, Italian, Mediterranean, vegan and halal, often from the town's best restaurants.

The extras: waiting and bar staff, tables and chairs, linen, crockery and glassware hire, marquees, and the washing up.

Before you book a caterer

• Give the numbers, the venue, the format and the budget per head; a good caterer builds the menu from those.
• Ask for a tasting for a wedding or a large event, and for sample menus and photographs of real events for anything else.
• Tell them every dietary need — allergies, vegan, halal, gluten-free — and ask how they handle allergens in a buffet.
• Check the hygiene rating and ask for public liability insurance.
• Get the quote in writing with what is included — staff, hire, delivery, clearing — and the deposit, final numbers date and cancellation terms.
• Ask what the venue provides and what the caterer brings, so nothing falls between them on the day.

What catering costs in the UK

As a rough guide, a delivered finger buffet costs £8 to £15 a head, a hot fork buffet £15 to £30, a barbecue or hog roast £12 to £25 a head with a minimum of 50 to 80 guests, canapés £2 to £4 each, afternoon tea £15 to £25, and a three-course sit-down wedding breakfast £45 to £90 a head with waiting staff, rising with the drinks package. Corporate sandwich platters run £6 to £10 a head. Staff are charged at £15 to £25 an hour each where not included, and hire of crockery, linen and furniture on top.

Prices are higher in London and for small numbers, since a caterer's costs do not halve for thirty guests. Compare quotes per head on the same menu and inclusions, and ask what a like-for-like extra ten guests would add.