Getting the crockery right is less about style and more about count. A short delivery on dinner plates at 6pm is a serious problem. Ordering the wrong plate sizes for the menu is a fixable mistake, but only if you spot it before the order goes in. This guide covers specifications, quantities, and the decisions worth making before you confirm.
\\n\\nPlate sizes are measured across the rim. The numbers below are standard industry sizes, though individual manufacturers vary by a centimetre or two.
\\n| Plate type | Typical diameter | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Dinner plate | 27 to 28cm | Main course |
| Side plate | 19 to 20cm | Starter, dessert, bread |
| Soup bowl | 21 to 23cm | Soup, pasta, risotto |
| Dessert bowl | 15 to 17cm | Pudding, fruit, cereal |
| Cup and saucer | 20cl cup | Tea, Americano, espresso |
For a formal three-course dinner, each cover needs a dinner plate, a side plate, and either a soup bowl or a starter plate depending on the menu. Consult the caterer before ordering. A side plate used for a starter is a different spec decision from a purpose-built coupe soup bowl.
\\n\\nOrder to your confirmed guest count, then add 10%. Crockery breaks, chips on edges during stacking, and late changes to the guest list happen on every large event. A buffer of 10% costs very little and prevents a shortfall becoming a service failure.
\\nFor events with multiple sittings, calculate per sitting. A 200-cover gala dinner in one sitting needs 200 dinner plates. A 200-cover event running two sittings of 100 may need only 110 to 120 plates if turnaround allows washing in between, though most operators hire full quantities to remove that dependency.
\\n\\nBuffet guests return for multiple servings. Allocate 2 to 2.5 plates per guest for a hot buffet with a starter and main. A simple cold buffet uses closer to 1.5 plates per guest. Bowls are needed if any hot dish is served in sauce or if dessert is a pudding or mousse.
\\nTea and coffee service at the end of a buffet adds cups, saucers, and teaspoons. Order one cup and saucer per guest as a minimum. Add 20% if refills are part of the service.
\\n\\nExpo Hire supplies white vitrified crockery. Vitrified means the clay has been fired at high temperature until the surface fuses into a near-glass finish. It resists chipping and staining better than standard earthenware, which is why commercial caterers use it. The white finish is neutral across all linen colours, centrepiece arrangements, and room schemes.
\\n\\nCrockery arrives in stackable crates. Stack plates face-down with the provided dividers to prevent surface contact. Do not exceed the recommended stack height printed on the crate. Overloaded crates are the main cause of edge chips on site. Brief catering staff on correct stacking before service ends.
\\n\\nAll crockery comes back unwashed. Scrape food waste before stacking, but rinsing is not required. Keep crockery separate from glassware and cutlery in the return crates. The Free Minor Damage Waiver covers normal breakage on every order.
\\n\\nCrockery is delivered to venue across England and Wales, Monday to Sunday. For weekend events, Sunday collection removes the cost of storing equipment at the venue for an extra day.
\\n\\nBrowse the full range on the crockery hire page, or use live chat if you need help building a quantity list from a menu.
\nFor more information, read our Crockery Hire Guide.
