How to Build a Restaurant Catering Menu in the UK

Looking to offer catering services? Whether you’re preparing platters for office lunches, weddings, or private events, a smartly designed catering menu can open up new revenue streams without drastically increasing overheads.

In this guide, you’ll find practical ideas for UK catering menu design, pricing strategies, and scalable service options to help you grow your business.

Why Offer a Catering Menu?

The numbers tell a compelling story: While you're fighting for those slim 4-7% margins in your dining room, catering operations consistently deliver 10-12% to your bottom line. That's not incremental—it's transformational.

And you're not chasing pennies here. The UK catering market represents a massive £1 billion opportunity, with demand continuing to surge as businesses resume in-person events and families celebrate milestone occasions.

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, where 200 UK restaurant-goers were polled on their restaurant design and menu preferences, 61% say they’re more likely to return to a venue that offers personalised or seasonal menu options — both of which cater well to catering menus.

Step 1: Match Your Catering Menu with Your Restaurant

Your catering menu should reflect the quality and tone of your in-house experience. If you’re known for seasonal sharing plates or family-style roasts, build your offering around those. UK consumers love local sourcing and sustainability — with 70% saying they prefer restaurants that show commitment to sustainable practices .

Real-life example: Brother Marcus builds their seasonal catering menu around British produce and Mediterranean influences, mirroring their in-restaurant menu.

Step 2: Know Your Numbers

Before you set your prices, calculate:

• Cost per guest (food + labour + disposables)

• Expected profit margin (aim for 10–12%)

• Time and staffing needs

Step 3: Create a Catering Schedule

Most UK restaurants see peaks during summer weddings and December office parties, but don’t overlook year-round opportunities like:

• Corporate lunches

• Birthday parties

• Charity events

• Seasonal festivals

Popular Catering Menu Ideas for UK Events

Buffet or Sharing Style

Buffet and grazing table formats work well for UK venues, especially when offering build-your-own concepts or themed menus.

• Build-your-own taco or mezze bars

• Charcuterie boards with local cheeses

• Sliders, mini quiches, or British sausage rolls

According to the Toast Consumer Preferences Survey 2025, 25% of UK diners prefer shareable plates, while 23% prefer family-style menus when ordering for groups.

Plated and Served

Ideal for weddings, plated menus should showcase your best-selling mains in elegant portions. Vegan, gluten-free, and low-calorie options are essential — 3.6/5 average appeal for plant-based options, the highest-rated trend in our UK survey.

Late-Night and Seasonal Add-Ons

• Mini desserts and doughnuts

• Gourmet popcorn or spiced nuts

• Seasonal hot drinks or mulled cider

Tip: Include menu callouts like “seasonal,” “local,” or “house-made” — 28% of UK diners are more likely to choose a dish described with these words.

Pricing Your Catering Menu

Aim for a markup of 3x food cost while staying competitive with local caterers. UK diners still prefer whole number pricing — 39% said £12 looks better than £11.99 or £11.50 .

Use tools like our Menu Engineering Worksheet to visualise profitability per dish.

Tech That Supports Catering

Streamlining operations is crucial. Toast’s EPOS and kitchen display systems help you:

• Track in-house vs. catering sales separately

• Forecast inventory and staff demand

• Automate order processing

Case Study: Le Bab boosted speed of service and doubled event capacity by integrating Toast’s POS with kitchen display screens.

Final Thoughts

Catering isn’t just an add-on — it’s a growth engine. British customers in 2025 are stretched thin—they want great food without breaking the bank, they crave interesting options, and they absolutely don't have time to faff about with complicated ordering processes.

When your catering hits that sweet spot—staying true to what makes your restaurant special, charging prices that make you money while still feeling fair to customers, and using tech that doesn't make everyone's lives harder—you've got something sustainable.