How many plates, cups and bowls you need per guest, which styles work for different events, and how to mix classic white with graphite. Full crockery hire guide.
How many plates, cups and bowls you need per guest, which styles work for different events, and how to mix classic white with graphite. Full crockery hire guide.
Getting crockery quantities wrong is one of the most common catering mistakes at events. Too few pieces and service stalls; too many and you pay for pieces that never leave the shelf. This guide covers what to order, how many pieces per head, and which styles suit which events.
A standard three-course seated dinner requires:
For a buffet, increase plates by 20 to 30% — guests often take a fresh plate for second helpings.
Our 10-inch classic white dinner plates suit weddings, corporate dinners and any event where the focus is on the food rather than the tableware. White reflects light well under venue lighting and photographs cleanly. The neutral base matches any linen colour.
For a more dramatic table setting, our graphite coupe range creates strong contrast with pale food and white table linens. The range includes:
For drinks receptions and canape service, the 60mm square canape plate presents bite-sized food at standing receptions without requiring formal table space. Allow 2 to 3 plates per guest for a 90-minute canape reception, assuming two or three bites per plate.
Post-dinner coffee service requires:
For afternoon tea events, champagne saucers alongside a tiered afternoon tea stand complete the setup.
You can mix graphite and white within the same service — many events use white for the starter and graphite for the main, creating a deliberate contrast. Keep cups and saucers consistent across the whole table to avoid a mismatched look. If in doubt, white throughout is always safe.
All crockery returns dirty. Expo Hire handles the wash-up. If you need clean plates during a long event, hire a commercial glass washer which also cleans plates and cups in under two minutes per rack.
Browse the full range at crockery, cutlery and glassware hire. Delivery from £40 across England and Wales.
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