Fun & Flavorful Menu Ideas for Your End-of-Summer Party
From the many incredible things to grill to cool, creamy frozen treats, many people don’t want to say farewell to these summer staples, even when it’s time to say goodbye to the season itself. Fortunately, both at home and at the Freddy’s near you, you can continue to enjoy favorite dishes like mouthwatering steakburgers and flavorful frozen custard creations, even when temperatures begin to drop. However, before the weather changes entirely, you might choose to host an end-of-summer party, as one more opportunity to celebrate the great weather, delicious food and all of the fun of these warmer months. If you are thinking about hosting such an event, you may have one or more of the following questions when it comes to planning the menu:
● What factors should be considered in designing the menu?
● What are the benefits of catering an end-of-summer party?
● What kind of catering options are available at Freddy’s?
Keep reading for the answers to these questions and find out how Freddy’s catering services can help you throw the best end-of-summer party yet!
Factors to Consider When Planning Your End-of-Summer Party Menu
As highlighted at MarthaStewart, determining the menu is one of the key steps in planning a successful party. To assist you in this process, there are many prepared recipe collections for Labor Day and end-of-summer parties as in this guide from Delish, as well as tips for hosting backyard parties like the ones provided by HGTV. Additionally, here are 3 quick questions to help you with your menu planning:
Who is on your guest list and how big is it? Ages, food preferences and even the number of people attending your end-of-summer party can help you narrow what is both appealing and feasible in terms of your menu and your budget.
When and where is your party? End-of-summer parties often take place at home in available outdoor areas, as well as at parks, beaches or other outdoor locations. In addition to the guest list, the details of this setting typically impact whether to have a sit-down style meal or more of a buffet set-up with dishes appropriate to various types of seating. Also, an event that’s hosted between usual mealtimes may direct the menu more toward the appetizer, snack or dessert realm versus main courses and sides.
What kind of time do you have or want to give to food preparation, setup and/or cleanup? With the new school year approaching in some households and the effort in general to make the most of those last summer moments, you may not want to spend days making different dishes or worry about trouble-shooting parts of the meal if potluck contributions change or don’t arrive as planned. Similarly, the date or timing of the event may further determine available cooking time, as well as setup and cleanup needs or preferences. Plus, you understandably want to enjoy the end-of-summer party too, not just spend its entirety making food, running it to tables or people, or cleaning up one part of the meal before setting out or serving another.
In addition to helping guide what you’ll include on the menu, the answers to the above questions may also influence decisions about whether to prepare the food yourself, make the event a potluck or use catering services. While grilling burgers, hot dogs and other BBQ favorites and inviting guests to bring sides, snacks or treats are common at end-of-summer parties, there are several benefits to choosing catering for these events as detailed below!
Freddy’s Catering for Your End-of-Summer Party
For many people, the last days of summer come with mixed feelings, not to mention the return of busier days, especially in homes where back-to-school preparations have already begun! Therefore, having some or all of your end-of-summer party catered not only helps ensure the happiness of your guests but also makes it easy for you as the host to throw and enjoy the party. With hundreds of locations across the country, Freddy’s is already a go-to choice for lunch or dinner near you, but we now offer catering services for carry-out or delivery as well.
Whether you’ve decided on a particular theme or are going with classic summer party fare, the Freddy’s catering menu includes a variety of crowd-pleasing options. Below, learn more about the selections that you may want to choose for this year’s end-of-summer party or any other event. You’ll also find additional party ideas, as well as answers to frequently asked questions about burger bar catering and more to help you with your planning!
Burger Bar Catering
One popular menu choice for an end-of-summer party as well as backyard gatherings at any time of year is burgers. Especially for larger parties, one challenge of preparing homemade burgers is coordinating the cooking and serving approach for multiple batches of burgers. Then, to ensure that everyone is able to customize their burger selections, party hosts need to consider topping selections, condiments and more, not to mention sides, drinks and desserts to go with these main dishes. By ordering a standard or deluxe burger bar from Freddy’s, you can simplify your menu in its entirety or check some of the main components off of your menu planning list. Here’s what comes with each version of this catering order:
● Both burger bar catering options include 10 doubles with cheese as well as 10 servings of Freddy’s Kettle Chips.
● Both burger bars include standard condiments and toppings like ketchup, mustard, pickles and onions. The Deluxe Burger Bar includes even more choices in addition to a bottle of Freddy’s Famous Fry Sauce®.
Party idea: To recreate some of your other favorite steakburgers from the Freddy’s menu, you might prepare even more toppings for the burger bar spread, like crispy bacon or even BBQ brisket.
Hot Dog Catering
When it comes to one summer holiday – the 4th of July, The Pioneer Woman shares that hot dogs reign supreme as the choice for many celebrations across the country. It’s not surprising then that catering hot dogs might also be the ideal choice for your end-of-summer party! People of all ages enjoy this handheld selection and can easily customize it to their specifications. The catering menu at Freddy’s includes two hot dog bar options to choose from. As with our burger bar catering, we offer a Standard Hot Dog Bar as well as a deluxe option. Each catering order includes 10 hot dogs, 10 servings of Freddy’s Kettle Chips and a range of toppings and condiments, including familiar favorites like ketchup, mustard, and relish. When you choose the Deluxe Hot Dog Bar, you and your guests can combine chili and hot dogs or make a chili cheese dog like the one available at Freddy’s.
Party idea: Whether you have a burger bar, a hot dog bar or any other opportunities for DIY creations at your end-of-summer party, you might set up a tasting tournament or vote for awards in different categories, like “most colorful plating” or “most original assembly,” as suggested at CBS Minnesota.
Chicken Tender Trays
For an end-of-summer party, a chicken tender tray is a great choice for either a main or an appetizer. Easy to eat and popular with kids and adults alike, each Chicken Tender Tray available on our catering menu includes 25 tenders, as well as an assortment of sauces such as ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, and Freddy’s Famous Fry Sauce®. Incorporate your own favorite condiments for an even greater variety of flavors to try with our crispy chicken tenders or add a bottle of our other specialty sauces – Freddy’s Famous Jalapeño Fry Sauce® and Freddy’s Smoky Fry Sauce®.
Party idea: When chicken tenders are on the menu, one fun idea might be to have guests make or bring their own dipping sauces for everyone to taste test. Platings and Pairings provides a list of 20 different sauces to try, if you or anyone else needs some recipe inspiration.
Create Your Own Sundae Bar Catering
A sundae bar is a delicious and interactive event for your end-of-summer party, as well as one that works with many different themes. What’s great about this choice for a sweet treat or dessert option is that your guests have even more control over portion size, toppings and timing for their enjoyment. In addition to our savory selections, Freddy’s also offers sundae bar catering. With this order, you’ll receive two quarts of frozen custard – one chocolate and one vanilla. Designed to serve 10, this selection also includes a variety of toppings, such as strawberries, hot fudge, chocolate chip cookie dough and other favorite candies.
Party idea: Whether the sundaes are the centerpiece of your end-of-summer party or the sweet finale to your cookout, The Kitchn offers some other suggestions for making your sundae bar experience one to remember! If you are looking for even more toppings, you’ll find a variety of recommendations in this guide as well.
Customized Meal Selection
For a picnic-themed end-of-summer party or corporate catering near you, another catering option available from Freddy’s is for individual meals. While any of the other options allow your guests to customize their toppings and sauces, having individual meals catered allows people to choose their own main to enjoy with chips and a brownie. In addition to the original double with cheese and the all-beef hot dogs of the standard and deluxe bars featuring those items, an even wider range of Freddy’s favorites is available when you order individual meals for your event. For example, we offer meals that include the Grilled Chicken Club and the Jalapeño Pepper Jack Double, as well as the Veggie Burger and even a lettuce-wrapped lunch option!
Party idea: If you are sending out invitations for your end-of-summer party, consider including a response card or section that allows guests to choose their own dish from the available options at Freddy’s. This thoughtful touch might be yet another way to make your end-of-summer party extra special!
Frequently Asked Questions about Burger Bar Catering Services and More at Freddy’s
Do you offer drinks or any other items other than the hot bars and trays or bagged lunches?
Yes! In addition to the Freddy’s Kettle Chips that come with selections like the hot dog bar catering or the bagged lunches, you can also order a garden salad to serve 6 that includes shredded lettuce and cheese, as well as sliced tomato, onion and choice of dressings. Another dessert option that serves 10 is our delicious brownie tray. Bottled water and gallon jugs of sweet and unsweet tea, as well as lemonade, are also available.
Do catering orders earn Freddy’s Rewards points?
Yes, catering orders can earn you points via the Freddy’s Rewards program. If you haven’t already done so, make sure to join today! To ensure that you receive the points, you must be logged into your Freddy’s Rewards account when you place a catering order. Please note that while you can earn points if you place a catering order when logged into this account, there are not currently any rewards available for use on the actual catering. However, after throwing an awesome end-of-summer party, you may have enough points to treat yourself to a special reward like a free regular shake or concrete made with our rich, creamy frozen custard or perhaps even a Bacon & Cheese Double!
Are there any ordering timelines to consider?
For burger bar catering, sundae catering and other catering orders, the size of the order often determines how much preparation time is needed. For example, catering orders under $500 must be placed at least 2 hours prior to being ready, while orders over $1,500 must be placed at least 68 hours before. If you have any other catering questions, please contact us.
For this year’s end-of-summer party, create and prepare your own menu or simply enjoy the delectable collection of options available on the catering menu at Freddy’s! Want to preview the offerings that you may enjoy when you choose burger bar catering or sundae bar catering? Visit your local Freddy’s today for a Freddy’s Original Double Combo or to create your own frozen custard concrete or sundae!