Why caterers quote rather than publish a price list
Most mobile caterers, us included, prefer to quote each event individually. That isn't coyness. The cost of a hog roast is built from a handful of variables that change from booking to booking: how many people are eating, what they're eating alongside the pork, how it's served, how far the team travels and how easy the site is to work on.
A published figure tends to be either a stripped-back starting point that few real events match, or a padded average that overcharges smaller, simpler bookings. A proper quote based on your actual details is fairer for both sides, and it means the number you see is the number you pay unless the brief changes.
If you'd like to skip ahead, our quote form asks for exactly the details covered below. Otherwise, read on and you'll know what to ask any caterer.
The factors that shape a hog roast quote
Roughly in order of how much they tend to matter. Every event is different, so treat this as a guide to the conversation rather than a formula.
| Factor | Why it affects the cost | What to think about |
|---|---|---|
| Guest numbers | Drives the size of the meat, the quantity of sides and the number of staff needed to serve at a sensible pace. | Give a realistic headcount, and say whether children are included. |
| Menu choice | Pork, lamb and BBQ have different ingredient and cooking requirements. Adding a second main changes things again. | Compare our hog roast menu, BBQ menu and lamb roast menu. |
| Sides and extras | Rolls with sauces are simpler than a full spread of salads, potatoes and fries. Desserts add another layer. | Decide whether it's a hand-held meal or a sit-down plate. |
| Service style | Carving into rolls at a counter needs fewer hands than plated service to tables or a buffet that's kept replenished. | Think about how you want guests to queue, sit and eat. |
| Staffing and hours | More guests or a longer service window usually means more team members on site for longer. | Is food served in one sitting, or across an afternoon? |
| Location and travel | Distance from base and travel time for the team and equipment are part of every job. | Share the full postcode, not just the town. |
| Venue access | Long carries, steps, narrow gates or soft ground add setup time and sometimes extra kit. | Where can a van park, and how far is it to the cooking spot? |
| Date and season | Summer Saturdays and December are in highest demand. Midweek and quieter months can be more flexible. | If your date is movable, say so. |
| Crockery and equipment | Disposable plates and napkins, proper crockery, gazebos or serving tables are different line items. | Check what the venue already provides. |
| Timings | Very early starts, late evening service or split service (say, a lunch and an evening serve) change the day's shape. | Give the time you want food ready, not just the event start. |
| Dietary extras | Vegetarian, vegan and other requirements are planned in, sometimes cooked and served separately. | Give numbers for each requirement early. |
Per head, or the whole event?
You'll often see catering discussed as a per-head cost, and it's a useful way to compare like with like. But it can be misleading if you stop there. Some costs scale neatly with guest numbers (the meat, the rolls, the salads). Others are largely fixed whatever the headcount: getting the machine and team to your site, setting up, cooking for several hours, and clearing away afterwards.
That's why the per-head figure for 40 people is usually higher than for 200. The fixed part of the job is spread across fewer plates. It's also why dropping from 110 to 100 guests rarely changes a quote as much as people expect.
The more useful question is: what does the whole event cost, and what does that include? Two quotes with a similar per-head number can include very different things once you look at staffing, sides, crockery and clearing up. Compare total against total, with the inclusions listed side by side.
Pork, lamb or BBQ: how the choice plays out
A classic hog roast is one of the more efficient ways to feed a crowd a hot, generous meal. A single pig is slow-cooked for hours and carved to order, and pork rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling are filling without needing a huge spread alongside.
Lamb roasts suit a different mood and often a smaller or more food-focused crowd. Lamb yields differently from pork and is usually served plated with sides rather than stuffed into a roll, so the shape of the menu tends to change too.
BBQ catering brings variety: burgers, sausages, chicken, halloumi and veggie options cooked fresh. That variety is its strength, but more lines on the menu means more ingredients and more active cooking, which shows up in the quote. Plenty of hosts combine a hog roast with a small BBQ selection to cover everyone. Our hog roast vs BBQ guide goes into the trade-offs.
What to include in your enquiry
The more of this you can give, the fewer back-and-forth emails and the more accurate the quote. Approximate answers are fine at the start.
- Date of the event, and whether it's fixed or flexible.
- Full venue postcode, plus a note on the type of venue (garden, marquee, barn, office car park, sports club).
- Guest numbers, split into adults and children if relevant.
- What the food is for: the main meal, evening food, a lunch break or a snack between other courses.
- Time you'd like food served and how long the service window should be.
- Menu thoughts: pork, lamb, BBQ or a mix, and whether you want sides, salads and desserts.
- Dietary requirements with numbers: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergies.
- Service style: rolls from a counter, a buffet, or plated to tables.
- What the venue provides: tables, crockery, power, shelter, and any rules for outside caterers.
- Access notes: where a van can park, gates, steps, slopes or soft ground.
Questions to ask any hog roast caterer
Price is only meaningful once you know what you're comparing. These are the questions we'd ask if we were booking someone else.
What's included? Ask for a written list: the meat, sides, sauces, bread, staff, serving equipment, disposables or crockery, and whether there are any add-ons that might appear later.
Who clears up? A good caterer leaves the cooking and serving area as they found it and takes their waste away. Check whether that's included or extra, and what happens to leftovers.
Are you insured? Any caterer working at events should hold public liability insurance and be happy to provide details. Venues frequently ask for a copy.
What's your food hygiene rating? Food businesses in England are registered with and inspected by their local authority. It's reasonable to ask for the rating and check it on the Food Standards Agency website.
How do you handle dietary needs and allergens? Listen for a caterer who discusses specifics, labels dishes and cooks vegetarian or vegan items separately where needed, rather than making blanket promises.
What do you need from the venue? Space, ground conditions, power and water needs, and how long setup takes. It saves surprises on the day.
Ways to keep the cost sensible without cutting corners
The biggest lever is menu focus. A well-made pork roll with good crackling, stuffing and apple sauce, plus two or three well-chosen salads, will satisfy most crowds. Six sides that nobody finishes won't make the day better.
Service style is the next. Hand-held rolls from a carving counter move a queue quickly and need fewer staff than plated table service. For birthday parties and relaxed summer parties, that's often exactly the right feel anyway.
Finally, be flexible where you can. A midweek date, a Friday instead of a Saturday, or a service time that fits alongside another booking can all help. If you're organising a work event, our corporate catering page covers how weekday lunch services are usually structured.
Hog roast cost: common questions
Why won't you just tell me a price per head?
Because the per-head figure depends on the whole event: the headcount, the menu, the service style, the travel and the site. We'd rather give you an accurate quote for your event than a headline number that doesn't match it. Request a quote and we'll itemise it.
Is a hog roast cheaper than a BBQ?
It can be, particularly for larger groups, because one slow-cooked pig feeds a lot of people with relatively simple accompaniments. A BBQ with several meats and veggie options involves more ingredients and more active cooking. It depends on the menu you choose on each side.
Will the quote change if my guest numbers change?
Final numbers are normally confirmed closer to the date. Small changes don't always move the total much, because part of the cost is fixed. Larger changes might mean a different size of roast or a different number of staff, and we'll update the quote accordingly.
Does the quote include clearing up?
Ours covers clearing our cooking and serving area and taking our waste away. Always check this with any caterer, along with what's included for crockery, napkins and serving equipment.
How far ahead should I ask for a quote?
As soon as you have a date and a rough headcount. Summer weekends and December fill first, and an early quote gives you time to adjust the menu before anything is fixed.
