Outdoor Catering Equipment Hire

Hire outdoor catering equipment for fetes, festivals and marquee events. BBQs, bain maries, urns and hand wash stations from Expo Hire.


Start Planning Your Event Today

Outdoor catering sites need equipment that can work without a built kitchen and still meet the service and hygiene rules on the day. Expo Hire hires Cinders BBQs, gas ranges, battery operated bain maries, coffee machines, hot water urns, chafing dishes and self-contained hand wash stations for festivals, fetes, school events and marquee hospitality.


Why hire from Expo Hire

  • The only hire company in the UK that delivers and collects on Sundays. Morning and afternoon windows available every day of the year.
  • Live GPS tracking on every delivery and collection. SMS ETA sent on delivery morning — track your driver in real time.
  • Every order 100% guaranteed before you pay. Stock and logistics confirmed at booking — no substitutions on the day.
  • No security deposit on any order. No damage deposit held — ever.
  • Free Minor Damage Waiver on every order. Accidental breakages covered at no extra charge.
  • 11 regional depots across England and Wales. Nearest depot routes your order automatically.

Build an outdoor catering line that works without fixed utilities

Outdoor catering starts with the site limits. Many fields, showgrounds and parks offer no mains gas, no plumbed sink and only limited power, so the equipment list should solve those gaps first. Cooking often centres on LPG because gas gives strong heat without leaning on a generator. A Cinders BBQ suits burgers, sausages and fast grilled menus. A gas range suits pans, sauces and wider menu work. Battery operated bain maries and chafing dishes help hold food above 63C when the service point sits away from the main power source. Coffee machines and hot water urns work well when the pitch has a stable 13A supply, but the organiser should confirm load before the event because an urn alone can draw around 3kW. Hygiene is not optional outdoors. Safer Food Better Business guidance pushes caterers towards a proper hand wash point, and a self-contained hand wash station often becomes the simplest way to satisfy that need on a field or roadside site. Staff then need clean water, waste water collection and soap stocked before the first customer arrives. Build the kit list around the menu and the service window. A burger trader may need one grill, one hot holding point and one hand wash unit. A marquee hospitality team may need a gas range, coffee service, chafers and a prep fridge close to the covered kitchen. Festival sites often reward simple menus because simple menus reduce power demand, gas bottle changes and queue times. The best outdoor catering set-up keeps the route short from cold storage to cookline to service counter, then keeps hand washing and waste control within reach of every staff member.


Use a checklist before the van leaves the depot

Outdoor catering orders work best when the team uses a fixed checklist. Count the cooking equipment, the holding equipment, the drink service, the hand wash station, the LPG bottles, the tables and the safety kit in one pass. Then check whether the site has mains power, water, drainage and shelter. If any one of those services is missing, the equipment plan must close the gap before the event day. Battery and gas options help when the site stays remote, but the menu should reflect those limits. A compact, disciplined set-up beats an ambitious menu that needs full kitchen infrastructure on an open field.


Frequently asked questions

What outdoor catering equipment should I hire for a fete or festival?

Many outdoor events need a grill or gas range, a hot holding point, beverage service and a self-contained hand wash station.

Do I need a hand wash station for outdoor catering?

Yes. Outdoor catering teams need a proper hand wash point to meet food hygiene rules on site.

What works when the site has no mains power?

Gas cooking equipment and battery operated warming equipment work well on sites without reliable mains power.

Can I use an electric urn outdoors?

Yes, if the site provides a stable 13A supply with enough capacity. A hot water urn draws about 3kW, so it needs planning.

No security deposit

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.

Delivery and collection

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.

Advance deposit

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.

x x