Hire serving platters, dishes, sauce boats and gravy jugs for silver service, buffets and shared dining events.
Serveware hire gives caterers the pieces that move food from the kitchen to the room with control. Expo Hire stocks oval serving platters in several sizes, round serving platters, rectangular serving dishes, sauce boats and gravy jugs for silver service, buffets and shared dining. Wedding caterers, hotel banquets and carving stations use these items because a plated meal still needs a route for sauces, sides and table sharing dishes.
Complete the order with plates, bowls, cups and saucers and tableware.
Silver service and buffet service ask for different shapes. Oval platters suit carved meats, fish and formal side presentations because staff can carry them through a dining room and turn them at the guest’s shoulder without fighting sharp corners. Round platters work well for pastries, desserts and centre table sharing dishes. Rectangular serving dishes fit buffet counters, canapé runs and modern menus where the chef wants a cleaner straight line on the station. If the menu includes roasts or plated mains with jus, sauce boats and gravy jugs keep the liquid under control and stop staff from pouring from kitchen jugs that do not belong in the room.
Platter size should follow cover count. A carving station for 120 guests may need several large platters in rotation so the chef can refill one while service staff present another. Shared dining often needs one platter or dish for every two tables, depending on the number of components in the menu. Sauce boats work on a simple table ratio. One sauce boat or gravy jug for every six to eight covers gives most formal dinners enough reach without filling the table with extra pieces.
Serveware also needs to match the crockery pattern. White porcelain serveware gives the safest route because it works with white, Graphite or Storm plates. If the host wants a modern darker setting, keep the serving dishes clean and neutral so the food still stands out on the buffet or on the pass.
Carving stations rely on platter depth and reset speed. Staff need one platter on the station, one in transit and one ready for the next refill. Shared tables rely on a different rhythm, with dishes landing in the centre and moving between guests without spill. Sauce boats and gravy jugs then finish the service by keeping jus and gravy on the table rather than forcing guests to flag staff down for more.
Expo Hire can deliver serveware with serving utensils, plates and bowls in one booking. Your team can return the pieces dirty after the event and leave the washing to us after collection.
Oval platters suit silver service because staff can carry and turn them more easily during table service.
A common guide is one sauce boat or gravy jug for every six to eight covers on a formal dinner table.
Yes. Most carving stations need several platters in rotation so one can be refilled while another stays on display.
Yes. Expo Hire also hires serving spoons, tongs and other service utensils for buffets and plated events.
Expo Hire does not charge a security deposit. A free minor damage waiver covers minor damage and loss. Excessive or negligent damage is charged at 10 times the hire price. Full details in our terms and conditions.
Use the carriage calculator to find your nearest branch and get an accurate delivery quote. At checkout we show an itemised delivery cost before you confirm the order.
On the day, track your driver in real time on our order tracking page, or use the link in the automated text we send.
For orders over £1,000, you can confirm a booking with a 25% deposit and pay the balance up to 28 days before delivery. The checkout offers this automatically. Full details in our terms and conditions.
