6 Budget-Friendly Catering Ideas for Your Event

What are the budget-friendly catering ideas for an event?

1. Hold a daytime event 
2. Keep your event short
3. Offer a limited menu variety
4. Consider cost-efficient food items
5. Skip plated meals
6. Cut down your guest list

Catering is known as one of the biggest costs in any event. But most event planners here in the Philippines will also agree that the food you serve will leave the biggest impression on your guests. 

If you want to make sure you’re provided with delicious food options and professional services that are sure to impress, you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of budget-friendly catering ideas for any event.

Whether you plan to hold a wedding, debut, kiddie birthday party, or corporate event — it’s possible to cut back and save your money on the best catering services in Manila.

From changing the time of your event to choosing buffet-style dining instead of plated meals, here are some of the best budget-friendly catering ideas that will help keep your event on a budget. 

Hold A Daytime Event 

Think about breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Then choose which meal is less expensive to eat at a restaurant. Your answer will likely be breakfast. It’s no secret that breakfast menus are cheaper because of the ingredients needed — such as eggs, potatoes, and affordable cuts of meat. In addition, you might also be able to save on alcohol expenses by holding a daytime event, as most people drink only after 6 pm.   

So, a great budget-friendly catering idea would be to hold a daytime event and serve a breakfast or brunch menu. Serve scrambled eggs, pancakes, omelets, salads, breakfast burritos, frittatas, ham, bacon, sausages, and healthy fruits. Ramp up your pastries and juices to satisfy big appetites. These delicious food choices will surely be well-loved by your guests!   

What’s more — weekends and evenings are considered the prime time for things like grand weddings and debuts, so catering services will typically be priced at lower rates for weekday and daytime events. Check if your chosen catering services in Manila do offer these competitive prices. 

Keep Your Event Short

The longer your event is, the more money you will need to spend on food, drinks, and catering staff. Reduce your catering expenses by limiting your event to two hours if possible. Instead of holding an all-night event, you might want to opt for an afternoon reception with finger foods or just a straightforward sit-down dinner. 

Offer A Limited Menu Variety

If you love food, selecting your event’s catering menu can be extremely exciting. But there are so many food options to choose from and it can be hard to decide on which ones to choose, especially if you have a limited budget!

Offering various menu varieties will provide balance and satisfy guests’ taste buds as well. Choose too many menu varieties, however, and you might be surprised by your expenses. 

To narrow down your menu choices, select a variety of menus, but limit them to the theme of your event, and the number of people attending. A great rule of thumb is to choose 1 of 2 options for each of the following menu categories:

• Main
• Side dish
• Dessert 

Consider Cost-Efficient Food Items 

You might already be set on serving a particular cuisine for your event. However, switching up your food items can cut your catering expenses dramatically. For example, vegetarian, rice-based, and noodle-based dishes satisfy the palette and don’t put a dent in the wallet. Mexican, Indian, and Thai dishes are great cost-efficient food options for any event as well. Chicken is more affordable than prime rib, other prime cuts of meat, and seafood. 

It’s a common misconception that serving cheaper catering food means sacrificing quality. But if your chosen catering service has extensive experience, you can come up with a quality yet affordable event menu!

Skip Plated Meals

Skipping plated meals is probably one of the best budget-friendly catering ideas. Plated meals are very expensive because numerous staff members are needed to make it happen. In the kitchen, the staff is needed to plate every meal. In the dining room, the staff needs to serve the plates. On the other hand, buffet-style catering will mean guests serve themselves.  

Cut Down Your Guest List 

The more people to feed, the more you will need to spend on catering. Budgeting for catering is all about compromise. So if you want to save money, take a good look at your guestlist again and decide who should really be invited. You might want to opt for a more intimate catering service for this. 

Key Takeaway 

It’s possible to save money on your event with these budget-friendly catering ideas! As a reputable catering service in Manila, our team at Juan Carlo has seen it all with decades of experience in the Philippine catering industry. 

We are the catering experts in Manila that can help you create a memorable yet budget-friendly event in the Philippines! Contact us for more cost-efficient catering options for your number of guests!