Cutlery Hire: What to Know Before You Order

Cutlery hire is one of those decisions that does not need to be complicated, but it does need some thought. Choosing the wrong style or quantity leaves place settings looking mismatched. Choosing the right combination is straightforward once you know where to start.

Why Hire Cutlery Rather Than Buy?

For events above a certain size, buying cutlery outright rarely makes sense. Storage, cleaning and the risk of loss all add to the true cost of ownership. Hiring gives you commercial-grade cutlery delivered to your venue and collected dirty, with no need to wash it yourself.

Our cutlery hire includes our send it back dirty service as a mandatory option on all orders. Scrape off food residue, repack into the boxes provided, and we handle the rest at our warehouse.

Cutlery Quantities Per Head

Ordering the right quantity is the most common source of confusion for first-time cutlery hirers. Here is a per-head breakdown by event type:

• Two-course meal (main and dessert): 1 table knife, 1 table fork, 1 dessert fork or spoon per guest. If dessert is a cake or similar requiring only a fork, skip the dessert spoon.
• Three-course meal (starter, main, dessert): 1 table knife, 1 table fork, 1 dessert knife, 1 dessert fork per guest. Add a soup spoon if the starter is soup. Add a teaspoon if tea or coffee is served.
• Buffet: 1 main fork and knife per guest as a minimum. Add dessert spoons if dessert is included. Buffet guests often return for seconds, so add 20 percent over your confirmed guest number.
• Drinks reception only: Dessert forks or cocktail picks for canapés. No knives required unless the canapés are more substantial.

As a baseline, always add 10 percent over your confirmed guest count on every line. Cutlery goes missing, gets used for the wrong course, or ends up in a bin bag. Ordering extra is far less expensive than running short during service.

Types of Fork and Knife: What Each Is For

Each cutlery range includes seven components. Here is what each piece is designed for:

• Table fork: The largest fork, used for main courses. Typically 20 to 21cm in length.
• Dessert fork: Slightly smaller than the table fork, used for desserts or starters. Typically 18 to 19cm.
• Table knife: A plain-edged knife for main courses, used alongside the table fork.
• Dessert knife: Smaller than the table knife, used for desserts or starters. Can also serve as a side knife if you do not separately stock side knives.
• Soup spoon: A round-bowled spoon for soups and broths. Not interchangeable with a dessert spoon, the bowl shape is different and the distinction is noticeable at a formal table.
• Dessert spoon: An oval-bowled spoon used for desserts, cereal, or soft courses that need a spoon rather than a fork.
• Teaspoon: Small spoon for tea, coffee, or small desserts such as sorbet. Often placed to the right of the main setting at the top when coffee is included in the service.

Choosing a Cutlery Range

We offer four cutlery ranges, each available as a full set of the seven components above.

The ranges differ mostly in design. Bead cutlery has a decorative bead outline on the handles. Kings features a honeysuckle motif. Harley is made in an Art Deco style. All three are made from the same grade of stainless steel.

Our Virtue range is the premium option. The design is understated, but the steel is a higher grade (18/10), giving the cutlery a sharper, more refined finish. For formal events where presentation matters, Virtue is worth the additional cost.

Choosing Plate Sizes to Match

Cutlery and crockery work together, and matching them comes down to your menu. Main course plates suit 10" or 12" sizes depending on portion size. Starters and desserts work on 8" plates. Side plates for bread are typically 6".

Dessert knives and forks double for starters, which keeps the number of items needed down. Soup spoons have a different bowl shape to dessert spoons, so make sure to order the right one if you are serving soup.

If you are pairing cutlery with crockery, take a look at our crockery range alongside tablecloth hire and linen hire to complete your table settings.

How to Order

Product pages include stock availability and pricing. We have added quantity sliders to cutlery pages so all components from a single range can be added to your basket in one step, saving time when ordering for large events.

If you have questions about quantities or which range is right for your event, our live chat team is available to help.