Spoon University Logo
Lifestyle

The Best Food Chains To Cater Your Grad Party

Graduation season is here, and with graduation comes the celebration that can cause a lot of stress. While planning your graduation party, catering can save time instead of cooking or crafting the perfect charcuterie board yourself. 

When people go to a party, chances are that they are going to remember the food. So why not get the best food that guests will be thinking about years later? 

Taco bars never fail.

Who doesn’t enjoy a taco bar? Chipotle offers different catering options depending on the size of your party. Catering is available for 10 to 200 guests, but locations require a 24-hour notice. Guests can then make their own burrito bowl or burrito, while hosts can also order pre-made burritos or plant-based options. Every catering option comes with your choice of protein, rice and salsa. Fajita vegetables, lettuce, cheese and sour cream are all included. If you are looking for more of a snack setup, you can also order chips with salsa, queso, or guacamole. 

If Chipotle is not your favorite, Qdoba also offers catering. Customers can order hot bars, boxed meals, taco kits, or breakfast burritos. Guests who return the meal trays from the hot bar to their nearest Qdoba location can receive a free entree. 

Unlimited breadsticks need an invite.

If you are looking for a different style of catering, Olive Garden almost has its whole menu available for catering. From lasagna to cheesecake to everyone’s favorite breadsticks, the options are nearly endless.

Each tray serves up to 14 people, while the pasta station serves up to 10. For hosts who are too busy to pick up the order, they can deliver the catering right to your door or to your party location. 

Nugget trays are always a crowd favorite.

As long as it is not Sunday, you can always grab some nuggets from Chick-fil-A. Along with chicken nuggets, the restaurant also offers salad trays, chicken sandwiches, and mac and cheese. 

For guests following a gluten-free diet, there are gluten-free catering options available. Orders should still be placed at least 24 hours in advance, and customers can also earn rewards points on a catering order. 

Celebrate with dessert.

After having all this salty food, someone is bound to crave something sweet. Crumbl can cater to your doorstep with their weekly rotating flavors or their classic flavors. There is no maximum number of cookies that you can order. Yet, if the large cookies are a little too much, you can order the minis in their own boxes for people to take home and enjoy later. 

But if you prefer cake, Nothing Bundt Cakes can do that. You can either order a dozen minis or one large one. They even have a little graduation decor they can put on the top!

Remember, your graduation is about you. If you are going to cater, order the food that you will enjoy the most and the dessert that you are craving. And most importantly, congratulations!

Kinsley Walker is a senior at the University of Northern Colorado and is a writer and TikTok social media manager for UNCo's Her Chapter. She is currently studying journalism, media studies, and communication.

Beyond Spoon University and Her Campus, Kinsley has written for the University of Northern Colorado’s publication The Mirror and serves as the producer and host of UNC’s podcast, Bear In Mind. She also works as a producer for UNC’s news broadcast, Bear News.

When Kinsley is not at her computer, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her dogs, Piper and Phoebe. A self-proclaimed No. 1 Twilight fan, she is also interested in sharing her love for the series on TikTok.