--- title: "How to Choose Event Catering | Bite Me Events" description: "A practical 8-minute walkthrough for event organisers: how to brief caterers, compare quotes, check licences and PLI, and pick a menu mix that suits your audience." lang: en json-ld: | { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "How to Choose Event Catering: The Complete Guide", "description": "A practical 8-minute walkthrough for event organisers: how to brief caterers, compare quotes, check licences and PLI, and pick a menu mix that suits your audience.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lee Marshall" }, "datePublished": "2026-02-15", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Bite Me (Scot) Ltd", "url": "https://www.bitemeevents.co.uk" } } --- [![Bite Me Events logo](/assets/bite-me-logo-JVN35Tbs.png)](/) [Home](/) Services Products [Our Work](/our-work) [Reviews](/reviews) [About](/about) [Promoters](/promoters) [Traders](/traders) [Contact](/contact) [Call Us](tel:+447726679073) [Back to Blog](/blog)Event Planning # How to Choose Event Catering: The Complete Guide Lee Marshall 15 February 2026 8 min read Choosing event catering in Scotland is one of the most consequential decisions an event organiser makes. The food and drink offering directly shapes attendee satisfaction, event reputation, and whether people come back next year. Get it right and your event is remembered for the experience. Get it wrong and the complaints drown out everything else you did well. This guide covers the practical steps to choosing, vetting, and managing event catering — whether you are running a 200-person corporate day or a 5,000-capacity festival. ## Understand What Your Event Actually Needs Before contacting a single caterer, define what your event requires. This sounds obvious, but most organisers skip this step and end up with a random collection of traders instead of a curated food offering. Start with the fundamentals: - **Expected attendance** — how many people will need feeding, and over what time period? - **Event duration** — a 3-hour afternoon event has different catering needs to a 3-day festival - **Audience profile** — corporate guests expect different options to festival-goers - **Dietary requirements** — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and halal options are now expected, not optional - **Budget model** — are you paying for catering directly, or are traders paying pitch fees? ## The Trader Ratio: How Many Vendors Do You Need? A common mistake is either over-catering (too many traders competing for the same customers) or under-catering (long queues and frustrated attendees). The general ratio for outdoor events in Scotland is: - **One food vendor per 200–400 attendees**, depending on event duration - **One drinks vendor per 300–500 attendees** - **One coffee unit per event** — especially for morning-start events For a 1,000-person single-day event, you would typically need 3–5 food traders, 1–2 drinks providers, and a coffee unit. Adjust upward for multi-day events where attendees eat multiple meals on-site. ## Vetting Traders: What to Check Before You Book Every food trader at your event needs to meet baseline compliance standards. In Scotland, these are not optional — they are legal requirements: - **Food hygiene rating** — minimum 4-star. A 5-star rating indicates the highest standard. Check ratings on the Food Standards Scotland website. - **Public liability insurance** — minimum £5 million cover is industry standard for events. Ask for the certificate, not just a verbal confirmation. - **Gas safety certification** — any trader using LPG (most mobile caterers) needs a current gas safety certificate for their equipment. - **Allergen management** — traders must be able to provide allergen information for every menu item. This is a legal requirement under Natasha's Law. Beyond compliance, assess quality. Ask for references from previous events. Check their social media for consistency. If possible, visit them at an existing event before booking. ## Menu Curation: Avoiding the Three-Burger Problem Left to chance, you will end up with three burger vendors and no vegetarian option. Menu curation is the difference between a food offering that impresses and one that frustrates. Plan for variety across categories: - **Core street food** — burgers, loaded fries, pizza (high demand, fast service) - **World cuisine** — Thai, Indian, Mexican, Mediterranean (variety and dietary options) - **Sweet treats** — doughnuts, crêpes, ice cream (impulse purchases, high margins) - **Specialist drinks** — craft beer, gin, cocktails (revenue driver) - **Coffee** — especially for morning and all-day events ## The Single Supplier Advantage The traditional approach — sourcing and managing traders individually — works until it does not. No-shows, compliance gaps, menu overlaps, and communication breakdowns are common when you manage a dozen independent operators. A [full-service catering supplier](/services/event-catering) handles the entire operation: trader selection, compliance verification, pitch allocation, and on-site coordination. You deal with one company. One invoice. One point of accountability. At [Bite Me](/about), we operate exactly this model — our own three units plus a curated network of 25+ vetted traders, managed as a single catering operation for your event. ## Scottish Licensing: Do Not Overlook This If your event serves alcohol, Scottish licensing law applies. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 has specific requirements around occasional licences, personal licence holders, and responsible service. A trader cannot simply turn up and sell alcohol — the licensing framework must be in place. Either ensure your event premises licence covers all alcohol vendors, or work with a caterer who manages their own licensing. Our [pop-up bar service](/services/pop-up-bar) handles all licensing logistics for events across Scotland. ## Weather Contingency: This Is Scotland Any outdoor event in Scotland needs weather-proof catering. This means fully enclosed units, not gazebos and trestle tables. A serious rain shower will shut down an open-air setup within minutes, leaving your attendees without food service. When vetting traders, confirm that their setup can operate in poor weather. Professional food trucks and trailers are built for this. Temporary stall setups often are not. ## Conclusion Choosing event catering in Scotland comes down to three things: compliance, quality, and coordination. Verify every trader meets legal requirements. Curate a menu that serves your audience. And consider whether managing it all yourself is the best use of your time — or whether a single supplier can deliver a better result with less risk. If you are planning an event and want to explore the single-supplier model, [get in touch](/contact). We respond the same day. ## Need Event Catering? Get a same-day quote for your event. One supplier, complete coverage, anywhere in Scotland. [Get a Quote](/contact) [07726 679073](tel:+447726679073) ## More Articles [ Catering Tips ### Food Truck vs Traditional Catering: Which Is Right for Your Event? 6 min read ](/blog/food-truck-vs-traditional-catering)[ Compliance ### Food Hygiene Requirements for Events: What Organisers Must Know 7 min read ](/blog/food-hygiene-requirements-events)[ Festival Planning ### Planning Festival Catering: A Step-by-Step Breakdown 9 min read ](/blog/planning-festival-catering) [![Bite Me Events logo](/assets/bite-me-logo-JVN35Tbs.png)](/) Bite Me (Scot) Ltd — full-service event catering supplier. Our own units plus 25+ vetted traders for complete event coverage. 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