Find experienced party caterers near you

It’s nearly impossible to pull off a successful event without a trusted caterer, especially if you’re set to feed hundreds. With Airtasker, you can find the most suitable party caterer and let them handle the food service on your behalf. 

Taskers can help you every step of the way, from developing a menu everyone will adore, customising it to match any theme requirements for the occasion, serving food during the actual event and managing the after-party cleanup.

Here are some popular catering service options to try for your next event for a worry-free celebration:

Buffet Style Catering

If you’re working with a limited budget, buffets are a wise catering option to consider. They’re considered versatile and practical for their many advantages. Aside from being the economical choice, they are also much easier to organise compared to other options. The wide selection of food choices also always results in satisfied guests. Buffets are recommended for parties with a large number of attendees, such as weddings and company events, as hosts can cater to different dietary restrictions or preferences. The self-serving nature of buffets also means that organisers need not shell out extra payments for servers and waitstaff.

Cocktail Catering

If you want to encourage guests to socialise and mingle, you might appreciate cocktail catering. Ideal for corporate networking events and similar affairs, this dining style is best known for small plates, handhelds, outdoor herbs and other appetisers, along with a lovely bar and beverage service. Guests typically stand at high-top cocktail tables to enjoy their meals, but hosts can also opt for bar stools or traditional dining room table seating.

Cocktail catering is perfect for intimate gatherings and pre-events for larger occasions like conferences. Given the setup, it is also usually more cost-effective compared to other dining options.

Food Stations

For parties that require a hint of creativity, consider getting food stations. Comparable to buffets for the variety of food and beverage options, this dining style offers a more interesting take as each table highlights a specific—and often uniquely served—type of food or drink. In the UK, some exciting trends include stations for cheeses, sushi and even artisan bread and antipasto salad. 

Food stations are adaptable to any venue size, making it a practical choice. It is also ideal for theme-specific events, Halloween parties or baby shower catering, as dining options can also be easily customised.

Plated Dining Service

For more sophisticated or formal gatherings like fundraisers and galas, your best choice is plated dining. Another popular catering style, typically fancier in comparison to others, plated dining also comes with a higher price tag.

Selecting this for your event requires organisers to be hands-on with the planning, not only with the food choices, but also the other various elements that affect the dining experience, including tableware, tables and chairs, linens, and waitstaff. With plated dining, meals are served by waitstaff to all guests at the same time. Guests can also pick out from a predetermined menu provided when they RSVP to the event.