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Grazing tables
A grazing table costs £12 to £25 per head in the UK, built on site from cheeses, cured meats, breads, fruit, dips and sweet things laid straight onto a covered table. Most grazing businesses set a minimum of 20 to 30 guests, because the set-up takes much the same time for 25 people as for 80.
What this covers
What it costs. A grazing table costs £12 to £25 per head, built on site. Full cost breakdown.
What the job covers
- A grazing table for a wedding drinks reception of 80
- Cheese and charcuterie spread as evening food at a 40th
- A grazing table for a product launch or open evening
- A vegan grazing spread for a hen party at a holiday let
- A dessert grazing table alongside a wedding cake
What is involved
The grazer arrives one to two hours before guests with the food prepared, covers the table in paper or boards, and builds the spread in place: cheese and charcuterie, breads and crackers, fruit, crudités, dips, olives and often a sweet end with brownies or macarons. Guests help themselves. It suits standing receptions, drinks parties and evening food, and it works as a full meal only when it is sized and priced as one.
That is the question that decides the price. A table built as a light bite alongside other food sits at the lower end, and the same table built to be the main meal needs more of everything and costs more. This page covers local businesses that build the table at your event; grazing boxes and platters posted or delivered as gifts are a different, retail product. Under food safety rules, cold food can stand out of the fridge for a single period of up to four hours, after which it should be thrown away, so a good grazer plans the timing with you.
The practical check is the table itself. Ask the grazer what length of table they need for your numbers and confirm the venue has one free in the right place, away from direct sun and heaters. Ask how allergens will be shown on an open spread: it is not covered by Natasha's Law labelling, but the business must still tell you which of the 14 allergens each item contains. caterers.trade lists only caterers rated 3 or above, or Pass in Scotland.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask whether the quote is for a light bite or a meal, and what that means in food per guest. Ask when they arrive, how long the table stays out, who replenishes it and who clears it away. Ask how they label allergens on an open spread and what they do for vegan, gluten-free and nut-free guests. Ask what table size they need and whether styling is included. And ask how many events they take on a single day, because many grazers are one or two people.
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Common questions
How much does a grazing table cost?
£12 to £25 per head for a table built on site, with most grazers setting a minimum of 20 to 30 guests. A table sized as the main meal sits nearer £18 to £30 per head.
How many people does a grazing table feed?
It is priced per head, so it feeds as many as you order for. The difference is whether it is sized as a light bite or as a meal: a table built for 50 guests nibbling with drinks will not feed 50 guests who have had nothing else.
Is a grazing table enough for a wedding meal?
It can be, if it is ordered and priced as the main meal and has substantial items such as breads, quiches, salads and cold meats. As a wedding breakfast it works for relaxed, standing celebrations; for a long day with a seated meal, it is more often used for the drinks reception or evening food.
How long can a grazing table stay out?
Food safety rules allow cold food to stand out of the fridge for a single period of up to four hours, after which it should be thrown away. Grazers plan set-up so the table goes out shortly before guests arrive, and some stay to replenish it from chilled stock.
What is the difference between a grazing table and a buffet?
A buffet is served in dishes or on platters, often hot and cold, and replenished through the event. A grazing table is one continuous spread, usually cold, built directly on the table for guests to pick at over a longer period.