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SO, IS A HOG ROAST BETTER THAN A BUFFET FOR YOUR EVENT?

SO, IS A HOG ROAST BETTER THAN A BUFFET FOR YOUR EVENT?

If you’re planning an event, one of the main things you’ll end up thinking about is the food. And more often than not, it comes down to two choices: a traditional buffet or a hog roast.

We get asked this quite a bit, and the honest answer is it depends on the type of event you’re having. But there are some clear differences that are worth thinking about before you decide.

THE MAIN DIFFERENCE – HOW IT’S SERVED

With a buffet, everything is usually laid out on a table. Guests go up, help themselves, and that’s that.

With a hog roast, it’s a bit different.

The hog is roasting on site, salads are made fresh on site, and people are served fresh food straight from the hog. It’s not just about eating; it becomes part of the event. People gather around, ask questions, take photos — it creates a bit of a focal point.

That’s something a buffet just doesn’t really do. If you do decide to go buffet, make sure you use a quality company that provides the best quality products. If we are asked to do buffets, we make sure our meats are cooked from the joints we have roasted ourselves. The egg sandwiches are made up from our own chickens’ eggs. Just everything we provide is the best quality. There is nothing like a poor-quality buffet to get your guests moaning.

WHY A HOG ROAST CREATES A BETTER ATMOSPHERE  – THIS IS WHERE A HOG ROAST STANDS OUT

One of the biggest differences we notice is the atmosphere.

At a buffet:

  • People tend to queue, get food, then sit back down

 

At a hog roast:

  • People are up and about
  • Chatting while the food is being served
  • Going back for seconds

 

It creates a much more relaxed, social feel.

We’ve seen it loads of times, especially at weddings and birthday parties, the hog roast ends up being one of the main talking points of the day. Even just the smell gets your guests talking.

FOOD QUALITY AND FRESHNESS

Buffets can be good, no doubt about that, but they can sometimes sit out for a while.

With a hog roast:

  • The meat is freshly carved
  • Rolls are served with warm hog roast, warm apple sauce and stuffing.
  • Everything is nice and fresh. Coleslaw that has just been made up minutes before serving time.

 

You can really taste the difference.

The crackling alone usually disappears within minutes.

FLEXIBILITY FOR GUESTS

This is a big one.

Buffets often work on a set time. Once it’s out, that’s it.

With a hog roast:

  • Guests can eat when they want
  • People arriving later don’t miss out
  • There’s usually enough for seconds

 

It takes a lot of pressure off the host. It’s also more hygienic. We have seen plenty of people picking up sandwiches, having a change of mind and putting them back on the tray.

WHAT ABOUT NUMBERS?

Buffets can work well for smaller events.

But once you start getting into bigger numbers, 60, 80, 100+ guests, a hog roast becomes a really efficient way of feeding people.

We’ve served 200+ guests in under an hour, plenty of times, and it keeps everything moving without long waits.

COST – IS THERE MUCH DIFFERENCE?

This is something people always ask.

A buffet can sometimes look cheaper on paper, but once you factor in quality and quantity, there’s often not a huge difference.

With a hog roast, you’re getting:

  • freshly cooked food
  • a full setup
  • staff serving
  • and something a bit more memorable

 

The hog roast becomes cheaper the more guests you have. For low numbers up to 50/60 your buffet will probably be the cheaper option. But we are comparing apples and oranges.

SO, WHICH IS BETTER?

If you want something simple and low-key, a buffet does the job.

But if you want:

  • An amazing atmosphere
  • Freshly cooked food
  • Something different that people actually talk about
  • Something special, I mean a full hog roasting away in your back garden is some sight!

 

Then a hog roast is usually the better option.

FINAL THOUGHT

At the end of the day, it’s about what suits your event.

But from what we’ve seen over the years, people tend to remember the hog roast a lot more than they remember a buffet.

And that’s usually the goal. You can see our hog roast menu here, or take a look at our hog roast catering at various events here: hog roast Blackburn, hog roast Bolton, and hog roast Altrincham. You can find more of our work over on the homepage

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