Brian Nagele
Fast food restaurants have become a convenient and delicious catering option amid the chaos of events and get-togethers, offering a tasty feast for a variety of occasions. This article delves into the realm of fast food catering, showcasing excellent eateries that provide catering options that extend beyond the drive-thru. Fast food restaurants have broadened their menus and services to accommodate a variety of events, from business gatherings to birthday parties and everything in between. A hassle-free and delicious dining experience is guaranteed by the catering options provided by popular brands like Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, and Subway, which feature their signature sandwiches, salads, and platters. We’ll sift through these fast food catering choices and highlight the top eateries that offer affordable, delectable, and crowd-pleasing options for parties of all kinds. Come explore the gastronomic treats and effective services that make fast food catering a tempting and affordable option for a range of events and functions.
Subway
With over 42,000 locations globally, Subway is the world’s largest fast food restaurant chain, and for good reasons. They offer fresh-tasting, fully customizable sandwiches filled with delicious meats, healthy veggies, and delectable sauces. They are one of the best fast food restaurants for catering because they offer a variety of huge party platters for both subs and wraps. The sandwiches on these platters are hand-held size, meaning that people can try one out without committing to a full-sized sandwich. Subway catering also typically includes chips and cookies, which are also excellent finger foods for parties.
Chick-Fil-A
If you’re obsessed with Chick-Fil-A nuggets like I am, then you must check out their gigantic nuggets tray option, which can serve between 8 and 25 people depending on the specific size you order. They have plenty of other large trays, too, such as their Cool Wraps try – a healthy alternative to their fried chicken menu items – fruit tray, mac and cheese tray, kale crunch tray, chocolate chunk cookie tray, and more. You can also request other menu items in the form of a tray, such as getting a certain number of breakfast biscuits or spicy chicken sandwiches. If you’re holding a conference or meeting and want everyone to have their own set lunch, you can opt for packaged meals that come with the main item, at least one side, and a cookie.
Quiznos
Quiznos has some of the best sandwiches of any fast food establishment, so it’s incredible that you are able to get them catered for events. You can order both sandwich trays and sub trays based on their pre-designed menu items, or you can customize your own tray. Each sub is three inches, which is a great size, especially when you know your guests will want to mix and match! Like Chick-Fil-A, Quiznos also provides the option to order a set number of lunch boxes so that each person can conveniently grab a packaged meal with the main item, a side item like chips, and a cookie.
Boston Market
Boston Market is undoubtedly one of the best places to order catering for a large group or family dinner because they have family-style meals that can feed up to 12 people. Their hot buffet family meals come with a main dish – such as rotisserie chicken, meatloaf, or ribs – and two sides, plus cornbread. You can also add on additional sides, such as mashed potatoes, mac, and cheese, or green beans, to make sure everyone at your dinner table is full and happy. There are so many options to choose from, so it can be a bit intimidating at first, but you can opt for one safe item, like mac and cheese, then get a bit more adventurous for your second side. My family loves their sweet potato casserole, creamed spinach, and garlic dill potatoes, so I’d recommend those items as well! In addition to family meals, they also have more office-friendly catering options, such as building your own sandwich bar or ordering boxed lunches.
Potbelly
Potbelly is best known for their awesome toasted sandwiches, but they also offer a variety of other items, such as salads and soups, that make them a great option for catering. However, the most popular catering option at Potbelly is simply ordering their “Box O’ Sandwiches” for 10, which you can fill with four different sandwich types if you’d like to ensure everyone can get something they enjoy. They provide chips and cookies to supplement the sandwiches and fill out the meal. But my personal favorite catering item is their large mac and cheese! It’s a great addition to a family meal or friendly potluck event.
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is a bit fancier than most fast food places, but their catering menu is still reasonably priced and relatively easy to order. Their main catering options are their catering pans, which each serve between four and six people. For large parties, you can order multiple of the same pans to make sure everyone gets that specific dish, or you can order a variety of pans so people can get lots of variety. The catering pans include some of their best dishes, including chicken alfredo, five cheese Ziti al Forno, lasagna, and shrimp scampi. I love their shrimp scampi the most. But if you’d rather play it safe, I would go with the lasagna or spaghetti with marinara sauce. Finally, they also have the option to make a Create-Your-Own-Pasta Station, which is a fun and engaging idea for a birthday party or other celebration. You’ll get two different types of pasta, three sauces, and three toppings. You can order breadsticks and salads to supplement this meal for ten people.
Panera Bread
Lastly, Panera Bread is a great place to order catering because they have a lot of healthy and vegetarian options, as well as gluten-free options. They have a variety of salads, sandwiches, and soups that will be sure to please everyone at your event. I love their Greek salad and their roasted turkey & avocado BLT sandwich. For something heartier, their mac and cheese or chicken noodle soup are both excellent options.