Fast Food Catering Ideas for Birthdays, Office Parties and More
Speed and convenience are just two reasons that people love going to their favorite fast food spots. From the fun toys for kids and value provided in combo meals to the range of menu selections and availability of familiar, comforting dishes even when away from home, fast-casual restaurants like Freddy’s and fast food restaurants in general offer so much more than just a quick snack, beverage, treat or sandwich near you. Therefore, for birthday parties, office celebrations and many other occasions, fast food catering can be a meaningful and desirable choice. If you are in the process of planning an upcoming event, you may be interested in the following:
● Fast food catering ideas
● The benefits of fast food catering for parties
● Important questions to ask about this type of catering
Below, explore fast food catering ideas, including the catering services available at Freddy's! You’ll also discover some of the benefits of fast food catering and key questions to ask if you plan to use this type of catering for your upcoming event.
4 Fast Food Catering Ideas for Your Next Event
Do you want to offer crowd-pleasing dishes? Are you looking for a unique dessert or savory selections that guests can customize to their preferences? A fast food catering service may be able to accommodate these requests and many others! To give you an idea of the possible catering orders to serve, here are a few options – all of which are inspired by and available on the Freddy’s catering menu.
1. Burger Bar Catering
Your choice of fast food catering will likely be inspired by your familiarity with the dishes on the standard menu at that restaurant. In reviewing the catering menu at Freddy’s, you’ll find many of our most popular dishes, including several of our steakburgers. We also understand that the option to customize meals is greatly appreciated, whether people are dining at our restaurant or enjoying our catered dishes at a party. One fast food catering idea that encourages an interactive dining experience is a create-your-own dish approach, such as our burger bar catering.
With the standard or deluxe burger bar from Freddy’s, your guests will be able to build their own burgers using a variety of assorted toppings. In addition to the 10 doubles with cheese, condiments and other popular burger accompaniments, each burger bar catering order also comes with individual servings of Freddy’s Kettle Chips. Another build-your-own dish idea is the hot dog bar.
2. Chicken Tender Catering
As discussed at NBC News, the demand for chicken dishes at fast food restaurants, such as chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches, has only grown in recent years. Consequently, chicken tender catering may be a thoughtful choice for your event and for guests of any age. Perfect for serving as a snack, appetizer or main course, each catering order of chicken tenders at Freddy’s comes with 25 crispy tenders and assorted dipping sauces, including our famous fry sauce. If you want guests to be able to serve themselves from the comfort of their own tables, consider making the chicken tender tray the centerpiece and accompanying it with other selections like a fresh garden salad or chocolate brownies.
3. Individual Lunches
In addition to providing platters or trays of food for dining and buffet tables, some fast food catering services also offer individual lunches for large groups. With this catering approach, event attendees have the option to actually choose their own preferred meal from the provided menu. At Freddy’s, we currently offer 10 different bagged lunches – all of which include a side of chips and a brownie. So, at this year’s family holiday party or any other event, your grandpa can treat himself to one of the many steakburger options like a Bacon & Cheese Double, while others can enjoy veggie burgers, all-beef hot dogs, and grilled chicken clubs.
4. Sundae Bar Catering
When it comes to fast food, dessert may not immediately come to mind. However, many restaurants have at least one sweet specialty on their menus. At Freddy’s, our regular menu equally celebrates savory steakburgers and delicious frozen custard treats, so we also have a frozen custard option on our catering menu in addition to our savory selections. By design, our sundae bar catering invites party-goers to customize their own frozen custard treats. With quarts of both our creamy vanilla frozen custard and our chocolate frozen custard, guests can first scoop their preferred amount and flavor and then add their choice of hot fudge, candy pieces and other toppings.
Benefits of Fast Food Catering for Birthdays, Office Parties and More
Some of the same reasons that people appreciate fast food in general also apply to why you might choose to have this kind of food catered. Whether you are searching for a last-minute party contribution or a selection of the most popular dishes with which to feed a crowd, fast food catering may be the ideal choice for your needs. To further encourage you to consider this option for your next birthday luncheon, team workshop, or other event, here are a few of the key benefits of fast food catering:
Speed: The lead time needed for catering orders often varies by factors such as the size of the order, type of food, and approach to service. However, fast food restaurants typically prepare and serve a significant volume of food on a daily basis, which helps make them ideally suited to filling catering orders quickly, efficiently and consistently. Additionally, scheduling catering orders with other providers sometimes requires weeks or even months of advanced notice, so fast food catering may be one of the only options available, if you have just a few days to organize the food for an event. However, the speed of this service is not its only benefit.
Familiarity: From corporate dinners to family parties, food is often the defining factor of an event, as emphasized at Grubhub. One reason that fast food catering holds a particular appeal is because of its familiarity. Before placing any orders, you’ll likely already have an understanding of the quality, portion sizes and variety you can count on from that particular catering service. For example, if you want to make this year’s birthday celebration extra special for your teenage son, then you’ll really wow him by presenting him and his guests with some of his favorite foods, just the way he likes them, from his restaurant of choice. In a corporate setting, fast food fare may be a fun and exciting way to offer more personalized dining choices for your next luncheon.
Convenience: Both fast food restaurants and catering from those locations offer a variety of conveniences. In addition to potentially needing less time between order placement and fulfillment, people often enjoy the ability to order fast food catering online. At Freddy’s, placing a catering order while logged into your Freddy’s Rewards account also means that you’ll earn points on that order. Plus, it’s possible that you’ll have a greater chance of being able to access the food you prefer, even if you are not in your usual location. For example, Freddy’s has hundreds of locations across the country. Therefore, even if the impromptu engagement party is happening in another state, a Freddy’s near you may be able to provide the food that you know and love for the event! While you may have to pick up or set up fast food catering orders yourself, the packaging of individual meals and the absence of cooking in general often means less time is needed for preparation or cleanup. Finally, this type of catering may also be one of the more affordable options available.
Questions to Ask about Fast Food Catering Services
Just by choosing fast food catering, several decisions have already been made. For example, you likely already have an idea about the kind of food available and know that the table setup, food service and cleanup will be your responsibility to organize or guide. However, there are several other frequently asked questions about fast food catering that you may want answered prior to deciding upon a catering service, like the ones listed below.
1. What is or is not included in catering orders?
Whether you order from a familiar pizza chain or a Freddy’s near you, you’ll have some idea of what to expect when it comes to the dishes but will need to ask about what comes with your catering order and what you’ll need to provide yourself. For example, some fast food catering services include any necessary utensils, plates, or trays with their catering orders, while others may only do so by request or not at all. Additionally, you’ll want to be informed about the specifics of each food order. For example, the bagged individual lunches at Freddy’s have more burger and other main dish choices and come with a bag of chips and a brownie. However, the burger bar at Freddy’s invites guests to customize burgers with the provided toppings of their choice and only chips come as part of this catering selection.
2. How many dishes do I need to order for my event?
As illustrated in the guide to planning your party food provided by Southern Living, several different factors impact the amount of food you’ll need for your event. On fast food catering menus, the available choices are often accompanied by an approximate number of people that each item can serve or specifics about what each order includes. For example, the sundae bar at Freddy’s is intended to serve 10 guests, while the chicken tender tray selection identifies the exact number of tenders. Since some people may consume 2-3 tenders but others may eat 5-6, those considerations will influence your final ordering decisions.
3. Does your catering service allow for substitutions or accommodate dietary restrictions?
If you have specific concerns about allergens or preparation protocols, not to mention any other needs related to guest preference, then contacting a catering provider directly is advisable in addition to simply reviewing any available nutrition and allergen information. For instance, it is not an option to substitute grilled chicken clubs for some of the burgers in a burger bar catering order from Freddy’s. While a lettuce-wrapped steakburger is one of our bagged lunch choices, it’s important to note that this item is not prepared in a gluten-free kitchen and cross-contact with other allergens may occur.
4. How can I place or receive an order?
Some full-service catering companies require a phone or in-person consultation, while online ordering is common for fast food catering. Similarly, full-service catering typically means that the company will be involved in the menu planning and food preparation, as well as delivery, setup, food service and perhaps other event details as well. However, with fast food catering, the food preparation may be the primary service provided. At Freddy’s, guests can place catering orders online. During this process, they will begin by indicating their preference to pick them up at their chosen restaurant or have them conveniently delivered to a designated location.
5. What is the timeline for placing catering orders?
When to eat is one of many timing considerations for birthdays, office parties and other events. Catering timelines may also vary depending on the size of an order, as is the case at Freddy’s, and other considerations. While Freddy’s catering orders under $500 need to be placed at least 2 hours before they are ready, orders over $1,500 require 68 hours or more prior to availability. So, it’s important to understand that while ordering and receiving a Smoky Bacon Cheddar Stack Combo usually happens pretty quickly during a weekday lunch, your game day catering order of multiple burger bars, hot dog bars and sundae bars will likely need to be placed several days ahead of your celebration.
Fast food catering can be an appealing and beneficial choice for many different types of events and occasions. Asking questions and doing some research in advance helps you ensure that you find the best catering service for your needs. If you are looking to enjoy scrumptious steakburgers, frozen custard sundaes and other appetizing dishes at your next party, then explore all that Freddy’s has to offer! We encourage you to check out our catering menu or contact us directly with any of your questions!