If there’s one thing that Costco does well, it is allowing us to cater to a crowd. Now look, we aren’t exactly what you would call ‘party people’, but we do know enough that now and again, we need to put on a real spread. In days gone by, this would have been costly, both financially and in time. But Costco, being the great guys that they are, has now made this easy. With the Costco catering menu prices and deli food trays, we are hard-pressed to think of a reason not to use them? Nope, the party is most definitely on!
This is what makes it so great. You don’t have to have cupboards full of equipment and ingredients to be able to host a party for a large number. Nor do you need to start cooking three weeks before. You can go down to the store and order, or alternatively, Costco even offers online booking and delivery! It’s surprisingly cheap too! Today, we will take a look at the Costco catering menu, along with the food trays, and show you how much value you get and what’s available.
What Are the Benefits of Ordering Costco Catering?
Why would you want to order catering from Costco? Well, there are quite a few good reasons. Let’s check them out.
1. The Food is Great Quality and Tastes Good
As you’ll discover, Costco actually prepares its catered food from fresh. The ingredients are really good quality too. As a result, you can expect to serve your guests with food that will keep them coming back instead of running from your party in horror.
2. It is More Consistent
Don’t get us wrong, we aren’t normally offended by the occasional burnt chicken wing or wonky sandwich, but your guests might be. You’ll get perfect consistency with the food offered by Costco.
3. You’ll Save a Lot of Time and Effort
Ever made 50 sandwiches? We get anxious thinking about making more than 4. It’s far better to buy in bulk and save yourself the time.
4. It is Really Affordable
Take a look at the buffalo wing platter. 15 servings for just $40, we mean, come on. That’s less than three dollars per serving! Try and feed your party guests for that amount doing your own shopping!
How Do I Order Party Trays from Costco?
Look, we get it.
There’s an event coming up. It could be Independence Day, the Superbowl, a birthday, a bah mitzvah, Christmas! Whatever it is, all of a sudden, you are faced with the (rather daunting) prospect of catering to the masses.
And as people who break out in a sweat if the number of guests exceeds four, that is pretty daunting.
Party planning is never easy, and the more you can get someone else to do, the better.
Ever been to a party with food that isn’t the best? Yep, us too. Why do you remember it?
Because the food wasn’t the best.
Unless you want to be remembered for all the wrong reasons, you’ve got two options: –
- Work hard for days and absolutely nail the menu
- Use Costco to provide a few party trays and save yourself time and money.
What’s it to be hotshot?
Yeah, we thought so. But in order to go for option two, you are going to have to know how to order party trays from Costco.
Here’s what you do.
First, you will need to be a Costco member. They don’t just cater for anyone you know? Membership is open to all. You pay a small annual subscription and will be rewarded with a Costco card and a number.
This is the golden ticket that will allow you access to their store and also allow you to purchase things online.
Next, check that the Costco in your area offers this service. Some offer premade catering, and others simply give you the option of letting you order ingredients in bulk. Hopefully, you will be served in an area that lets you order premade catering.
You are going to need to plan a little in advance. This isn’t one of those ‘call and same day pickup’ kind of deals. It does take time to feed the masses. The only person who did it the same day was Jesus (and we’ll be honest, his menu was kind of limited… More bread and fish anyone? No thanks, Jesus, we are full).
How Far in Advance Do I Need To Order?
Well, depending on where you are located, Costco can fulfill any order as long as it is placed more than 48 hours in advance. For those who don’t want to do the math, that’s two full days before your event.
Why the wait?
Look, sure, you can order from somewhere that has had racks of sandwiches, platters, and wings ready to go for days.
But here’s the thing, it won’t be fresh. When catering is available, Costco makes all of its platters to order from scratch. Sure, you might have to wait a day or two, but we think that is an excellent tradeoff for freshly prepared food.
And here’s the great thing. You don’t even have to head down to Costco if you don’t want to. You can order online or even fax your order through (if you are still living in the’ 90s).
From there, all you need to do is turn up on the day of your event and pick your food up.
Wait, no delivery?
Hey guys, come on! You’ve just saved about 48 hours of your life, cooking, cleaning, and preparing. The least you can do is head down and pick it up!
Oh, alright, if you are being stubborn (or really don’t have a minute to spare), then you can also arrange for delivery when you order.
What Party Food Does Costco Sell?
Want some more great news? You are going to be spoiled for choice!
Costco offers a whole range of supplies, so your party spread isn’t going to be boring by any means! We’ll also include the standard serving numbers so you can get a good idea of how many platters you’ll need based on the number of guests.
Want to know what’s on offer? Check these out:
| Costco Sandwich Platters and Trays | What is it? | Servings | Cost |
| Costco Sandwich Platter | Sandwiches including the following fillings; Chicken mayo, Egg mayo, Beef, and Cheese, Ham and cheese | 10 | $29.99 |
| Costco Croissant Platter | Croissants split and stuffed with; Turkey breast, Ham, Roast beef | 10 | $29.99 |
| Costco Party Trays and Platters | |||
| Shrimp Platter | Juicy shrimp with a cocktail sauce | 8 | $49.98 |
| Sushi Platter | A mix of everyone’s favorites, including; Salmon, Tuna, Tempura Chicken, Tempura vegetables | 24 | $36.99 |
| Buffalo Wing Platter | Buffalo wings with blue cheese dip | 15 | $41.97 |
| Costco Vegetable Platter | Mixed vegetables including; Carrot Sticks, Brocolli florets, Grape tomatoes, Snow Peas | 10 | $10.79 |
| Chicken and Swiss Rollers | Flat wraps packed with chicken, leafy greens, and swiss cheese | 20 | $29.99 |
Costco Sandwich Platters and Sandwich Trays
Finger food is essential for a party, and you will want to invest in as many hand held treats as you can erm… Get your hands on. We can think of no better party food than sandwiches. Here is what Costco offers: –
Costco Sandwich Platters
Each platter will serve up to 10 people. You’ll get a choice of fillings lovingly sandwiched between either white or brown bread.
Which fillings? Well. They offer Chicken mayo, egg mayo, roast beef and cheese, and ham and cheese.
With any luck, that will be enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.
Their deli trays provide convenience at an affordable cost.
Costco Croissant Platters
This is a little more classy. You’ll get a choice of fillings sandwiched between a split croissant. The fillings include; turkey breast, ham, and roast beef.
Costco Party Trays and Party Platters
Maybe sandwiches aren’t your thing? If so, a Costco party platter could be the way forward. Here’s the choice available from Costco:
Shrimp Platter
This platter is served cold. It also comes with ample amounts of tasty dipping sauce.
Sushi Platter
Everybody likes sushi! This one is great value. Within, you’ll find a mixture of hand prepared salmon, tuna, and vegetable and chicken tempura
Buffalo Wings Platter
A party dish that needs no introduction. This arrives chilled, so you’ll need to give them a quick blast in the oven.
Costco Vegetable Tray
Ok, so the menu might not be entirely vegan or vegetarian friendly. Here’s the answer. You’ll get around 4lbs of fresh vegetables to be served on their own or to supplement any of the above platters. Included within, you’ll find carrot batons, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, and snow peas. Nice!
How Much Are Party Platters at Costco?
The truth is that the price varies depending on how much you order. This will, of course, be based on the number of guests that you have. One thing for sure is Costco party platters will deliver to your needs.
Want to know the cost of a single platter?
Party platters vary depending on what you go for.
The cheapest party platter at Costco is the vegetable platter. At $10.79, it is relatively cheap, considering you’ll get around 4lbs of vegetables.
However, unless your party is exclusively vegetarian, or it is a rabbit’s birthday party. The above platter could be a little bit boring if left all on its own, so you are probably going to want to use it to supplement something else.
The second cheapest Costco party platter is their sushi platter. It costs $36.99. Bearing in mind that you get 24 servings and an entire range of options, this is really good value. And think of the time you would take to make enough sushi to serve 24 people!
The Costco buffalo wings party platter costs around $41.97. Again it serves a large number of people, so it is actually pretty cheap when you look at home much; it would have cost you to make from scratch.
The most expensive platter is the shrimp platter. This comes in at $49.98, and it only serves 8 people. But that said, if you are serving shrimp in large numbers at a party, we reckon you are probably classy enough to afford it.
If you are looking for a party platter that doesn’t break the bank, then the sandwich platters from Costco are well worth a look. At $29.99 and serving ten people, they offer an excellent compromise between keeping everyone well fed and keeping your wallet full too.
How Much are Fruit Platters at Costco
A Costco fruit platter will only set you back by $10.99.
It isn’t all about the main course. Sometimes you might want to offer something sweet to supplement your massive party spread.
The best option?
Fruit!
Fruit can easily be held in the hand, requires no plates or cutlery, and is relatively cheap.
And wait until you hear this. A Costco fruit party platter will serve up to 24 people! That’s about as good as it gets!
As to what is included, well, this depends. On what? The type of fruit found within a Costco fruit platter is provided based on what is seasonally available. You can expect to find crispy apples, oranges, and other standard fruits.
Depending on the time of year that we have ordered, we’ve also been treated to luscious chunks of watermelon, juicy and ripe strawberries, blueberries, and even chunks of tasty mango!
Conclusion
Feeding a large crowd is always stressful. By ordering Costco catering, you remove a large portion of that stress. As for Costco catering menu prices and food trays, we can think of no better way to get great tasting food that will leave everyone satisfied for such a low cost. Provided your nearest Costco offers catering as part of the deli, you should be good to go, and ordering couldn’t be easier. What are you going to order and for what occasion? How did you find the process? Let us know in the comments below.
