Why choose pizza catering?
It's tough to find someone who hates pizza. It's one of the most popular foods in the U.S., which makes it a solid catering choice. Pizza catering lets you serve many people at once, and it's usually a cost-effective option. Everyone can grab a plate and a few slices with their favorite toppings.
That brings up another perk—the nearly endless number of pizza combinations. Mix and match the options for crusts, sauces, toppings, and cheeses to keep everyone happy. You can get more variety with options for people with different dietary restrictions with pizza than you can with some options, such as BBQ catering, so it can be a good option if you need to cater to a wide range of people.
What kinds of options do I have for pizza catering?
The overall options for pizza catering are varied, but the local options can vary depending on where you live. Some of the common options include:
- Crust variety: Most pizza places offer different crust options, including thin crust, traditional, pan, or deep dish. Gluten-free crusts are available from some restaurants.
- Sauce options: Common sauce options include tomato, pesto, Alfredo, and BBQ sauce.
- Toppings: You can mix and match a variety of toppings. Common meat choices are pepperoni, sausage, beef, and Canadian bacon. Almost any veggie can go on pizzas for more variety.
- Cheese choices: Mozzarella is a go-to cheese option, but some pizza places offer other varieties, including cheddar, gouda, parmesan, and goat cheese.
- Pizza source: Brick-and-mortar pizza joints are readily available in most areas, but pizza food trucks are also an option in some areas.
- Inclusive options: Pizza is easy to adapt to fit different dietary restrictions or preferences. Vegetarian pizzas are easy to make with just cheese or a variety of veggies. Vegan cheese is also an option. Gluten-free crusts accommodate people who can't eat gluten.
If you have specific needs, such as gluten-free pizzas, search for "pizza catering near me" and add qualifiers to find locations that can accommodate those special requests.
How much pizza should I order?
It's the age-old question, whether you're ordering for a few friends at a small birthday party or you're catering a corporate event with hundreds of attendees. If you skimp on the order, you risk leaving your guests feeling hungry. Order too much for pizza party catering and you're sending home extra pizzas with your guests.
One way to estimate your pizza catering order is by using the 3/8 rule. You can usually estimate about three slices of pizza per adult. Some people might only eat one slice while others will eat more than three, so it usually balances out. Since pizzas often have eight slices, you get the 3/8 rule. So if you're ordering pizza for 10 people, you would need about 30 slices. Thirty divided by eight is 3.75, so ordering four pizzas for 10 people is a safe bet.
Here are some additional calculations based on the number of guests:
- 10 people: 4 pizzas
- 20 people: 8 pizzas
- 50 people: 19 pizzas
- 100 people: 38 pizzas
Can I get sides with pizza?
You can often choose sides to go along with your pizza catering order. The available sides depend largely on the pizza restaurant. Breadsticks and cheese bread are popular side options. Some places have salads, appetizers, and pasta. Dessert is also an option from some food service establishments. If you want sides for your special event, compare the variety from local pizza catering options to find a restaurant that offers what you want.
How far can pizza be delivered?
The longest pizza delivery in history happened in 2001, when Pizza Hut paid the Russian Space Agency over $1,000,000 to deliver a pizza to the International Space Station. Astronaut Yuri Usachov was the lucky recipient of the 6-inch pizza.
Most pizza restaurants have a much more limited delivery area. Every pizza place has an established delivery zone, which can vary by restaurant. It's usually within a few miles of the restaurant, but it can vary based on where you live and the traffic situation there. The reason for the limited delivery area is to ensure the pizza arrives hot and fresh.
