Free glass hire from supermarkets is long gone. Before booking glassware hire elsewhere, read what hidden costs to look out for.
Finding discount glass hire has become harder over the years. Waitrose free glass hire was discontinued a while back, as was similar provision from other supermarkets. Event organisers and party planners now need to be more careful when comparing options, particularly with charges that can be buried in the terms and conditions.
This guide explains how the glass hire market works, what charges to watch for, and how Expo Hire approaches all of this.
If you have arrived here searching for Waitrose glass hire or a free glass loan service, you are not alone. The Waitrose glasses hire scheme was popular for weddings, garden events and birthday parties, thanks to its zero-cost offering and convenience.
To be direct: Waitrose free glass hire is no longer available. That service has been discontinued.
Expo Hire is not a free service, but our aim is to keep pricing fair, transparent and straightforward. All pricing and availability can be browsed and booked online, with a wide range of wine glasses, pint glasses and speciality glassware available for hire.
Glass breakages are an inevitable part of glass hire. It is important to understand what breakage charges apply before booking, and whether a damage deposit is required.
Some companies charge damage deposits when placing a glassware order. These deposits can make hiring glasses expensive: in some cases, the deposit alone costs more than the hire itself, which creates cashflow problems for anyone working to a tight budget. Deposits are refunded when glasses are returned intact, but that does not make them easy to manage up front.
At Expo Hire, we do not charge a damage deposit, and we include a free slight damage waiver as standard on all orders. This waiver covers the small amount of glass damage that is an inevitable part of using and moving glassware. Large numbers of breakages will be charged a replacement fee per our terms and conditions, so we do ask customers to take reasonable care.
Washing up is a task most people would rather avoid, especially the morning after a party. But cleaning charges should not be weighed up purely on how much you dislike washing up.
If there are no washing facilities available, there is little choice but to return glasses dirty and pay the applicable fee. But even where facilities are available, caution is worth exercising. Most glass breakages happen during cleaning. Trying to avoid a cleaning charge can cost significantly more if glasses get damaged in the process.
This is one of the reasons we have made washing charges mandatory on all glass hire at Expo Hire. In addition to reducing breakages, we also wash all returned glassware ourselves to ensure hygiene standards are consistently met.
All glass hire pricing and availability is shown online. With a wide selection of wine glasses, beer glasses and speciality glassware available, browse the range and order directly.
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