How to Choose The Best Catering for Parties and Events
- Town House Deli
- Nov 6, 2025
- 3 min read
Planning a party or event is exciting, but it can quickly turn stressful when it comes to food. Getting the catering right means your guests are well-fed, happy, and talking about your event for all the right reasons. Whether it’s a family celebration, corporate gathering, or school function, here’s your complete guide to choosing the best catering for your next occasion.
What Type of Event Are You Hosting?
The first step is understanding the kind of event you’re planning. Is it a casual get-together, a family party, a christening, or something more formal like a corporate function? Knowing the tone of your event helps decide whether you’ll need simple platters, hot meals, or full catering service.
For smaller family gatherings, sandwich platters and finger food are often ideal. For larger occasions, hot dishes or party packs make serving simple and satisfying.
Plan Your Food Around Your Guests
Once you’ve decided the event type, estimate how many people will attend. This ensures you order enough food without overspending. At Town House Deli, we help you to make sure you have enough food for every guest...even the ones who go for seconds and even thirds.
If you’re unsure how much you need, our catering team at Town House Deli can help you calculate portion sizes based on the number of guests, but we also recommend considering:
Dietary requirements Include vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free options.
Age mix Family events often benefit from a blend of traditional dishes and lighter bites for younger guests.
Timing If your event runs over several hours, a mix of hot and cold food options works best.
How to Choose the Right Catering
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to event catering, which is why Town House Deli offers a variety of options to suit every occasion:
Party Packs
Our all-in-one bundles cater for 20–100 people and include a mix of sandwiches, wraps, chicken drumsticks, cocktail sausages, and cakes, which are perfect for birthdays, family gatherings, or celebrations.
Sandwich & Wrap Platters Ideal for office meetings, training days, or smaller events, these platters are freshly prepared daily and ready to serve.
Hot Food Trays From roast dinners to our famous hot chicken rolls, these trays are perfect for larger parties or events where guests want a hearty, homemade meal.
Custom Catering Orders Mix and match from our full catering menu to create a tailored spread for your event, including salads, sides, and desserts.
Each option is designed to make your event stress-free, delicious, and fully catered with fresh, homemade food made daily in our three Tipperary locations. For even less stress, give us a call to arrange catering for your event.
Prioritise Fresh, Local Food Catering Services
Quality ingredients make all the difference. Freshly made dishes, locally sourced meats, and homemade bakery items show care and elevate your event.
At Town House Deli, every dish, from our slow-cooked meats to our fresh salads and baked desserts, is made daily in-store. Fresh food doesn’t just taste better; it makes catering stress-free because you know exactly what’s being served.
Don’t Forget the Extras
It’s the little details that make your catering stand out. It's not just about main dishes; you need to think about dessert options and accompanying drinks.
Desserts Add a few sweet options like brownies, apple tarts, or cheesecakes.
Drinks Coffee, tea, and soft drinks complete the spread.
Presentation Make sure your platters and dishes are easy to serve and neatly labelled.
Adding these finishing touches makes your event feel polished without adding much cost or effort.
Plan Ahead and Book Early
Once you’ve decided on what you need and how many people will be in attendance, it’s important to book your catering early — ideally at least a few days in advance.
This allows your caterer to prepare everything fresh and ensure availability. At Town House Deli, we recommend 48–72 hours’ notice for catering orders to make sure we can deliver the best service for your event.
Work with a Trusted Local Caterer
Choosing a local catering provider means you get fresh food, easy communication, and a team that understands your community.
At Town House Deli, we’ve been serving homemade food and catering events across Tipperary Town, Thurles, and Clonmel since 1998. Our experience, attention to detail, and commitment to freshness make us a reliable choice for any occasion, from intimate family gatherings to full-scale celebrations.
Explore our full catering menu or contact your nearest Town House Deli to discuss your event today.
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