Hire matching crockery sets with plates, bowls, cups and serveware for weddings, dinners and catering events, with Send It Back Dirty.
Crockery hire gives caterers the pieces that hold the menu together from breakfast to dessert. Expo Hire stocks white porcelain, Graphite porcelain and Storm porcelain across plates, bowls, cups and serveware so planners can build one matched table from start to finish. Weddings, private dinners, conferences and gala events all use this category because the food may change by course, but the table still needs one clear look.
Explore the full range: plates, bowls, cups and saucers, serveware and tableware.
Crockery planning starts with the menu. A three course dinner for 120 guests often needs 120 dinner plates, 120 starter or dessert plates, 120 side plates and then any bowls, cups or serving pieces that the menu requires. That count gives the dining room one piece per guest per course. Caterers often add five to ten extra settings for breakage cover, late guest changes, top table resets or staff meals. Buffets change the count because guests carry more food on one trip. In that case many teams increase the number of 11 inch dinner plates and reduce the smaller plate count.
The range choice also matters. White porcelain gives a classic hotel and wedding look that works with any linen and any food colour. Graphite porcelain creates a darker frame around the plate, which suits modern venues, tasting menus and black tie dinners. Storm porcelain sits between those two looks and works well for conference dining, private clubs and event spaces that want a cooler neutral tone. Most caterers choose one pattern and carry it through plates, bowls and cups so the table feels deliberate instead of patched together.
Send It Back Dirty also changes the labour plan for large events. Your team should scrape food, empty liquids and stack the crockery back into the crates or stillage points after service. Expo Hire handles the washing after collection. That saves kitchen porters hours on a long wedding weekend or back to back conference schedule. It also means the catering team can focus on plate clear down, equipment return and loading rather than running a full overnight wash operation on site.
| Service | Core crockery count |
|---|---|
| Three course dinner | Dinner, starter or dessert, and side plate per guest |
| Soup starter | Soup bowl and saucer per guest |
| Conference lunch | Dinner plate plus cup and saucer per guest, with spare stock for turnover |
Caterers rarely order crockery in isolation. They link the plate pattern with the glassware, cutlery and linen because guests see the full table before they taste the first course. White porcelain works well with polished stemware and classic cutlery. Graphite and Storm look strong with darker napkins, modern bars and cleaner room styling. That is why many planners book cutlery hire and glassware hire in the same order.
Expo Hire supports that process with live stock checks, confirmed quantities before payment and seven day delivery and collection. Your team can receive the crockery ahead of a Sunday wedding, use it through the weekend and return it dirty after the last clear down.
Most caterers order one dinner plate, one starter or dessert plate and one side plate per guest, then add any bowls or cups needed for the menu plus a small spare allowance.
White porcelain suits most formal wedding tables because it works with any linen, flowers and menu style.
No. Scrape food, empty liquids and stack the crockery back into the crates or return points. Expo Hire handles the washing after collection.
Yes. Expo Hire can supply crockery, cutlery and glassware together so the full table arrives in one delivery plan.
Expo Hire does not charge a security deposit. A free minor damage waiver covers minor damage and loss. Excessive or negligent damage is charged at 10 times the hire price. Full details in our terms and conditions.
Use the carriage calculator to find your nearest branch and get an accurate delivery quote. At checkout we show an itemised delivery cost before you confirm the order.
On the day, track your driver in real time on our order tracking page, or use the link in the automated text we send.
For orders over £1,000, you can confirm a booking with a 25% deposit and pay the balance up to 28 days before delivery. The checkout offers this automatically. Full details in our terms and conditions.
