What Is Included in Catering Services in Nairobi?
By Arvin Maushe
Planning an event in Nairobi often comes with one big question: what exactly does a catering service include? Understanding this helps you avoid confusion, unexpected costs, and last-minute stress. In this guide, we break down what most catering services in Nairobi offer — and what you should expect when booking.
🍽️ 1. Food Preparation & Menu Options
The core of any catering service is, of course, the food. Most caterers in Nairobi offer:
- Main dishes (local and/or international)
- Carbohydrates (rice, chapati, ugali, etc.)
- Proteins (beef, chicken, vegetarian options)
- Sides and accompaniments
- Desserts or light bites (optional)
Menus are usually flexible and can be customized based on your event and budget.
🧑🍳 2. Cooking & Food Handling
Catering services handle all food preparation, ensuring proper hygiene standards, freshly prepared meals, and safe food handling and storage. This removes the burden from you and ensures your guests are well taken care of.
🍴 2b. Serving Equipment & Setup
Most professional catering services in Nairobi include basic setup, such as serving tables, chafing dishes (to keep food warm), and serving utensils. Depending on the package, this may also include buffet setup and table arrangement.
👨🍽️ 4. Service Staff
Policies vary by caterer — some treat serving staff as an optional extra, especially for smaller or informal events. At Nagira, serving staff are included as standard on every booking, not billed separately, so you're not caught off guard by an add-on fee close to your event date.
🧼 4b. Cleanup After the Event
Many catering services also handle clearing serving areas and basic cleanup after food service. Always confirm what level of cleanup is included before booking.
💡 What's Often Extra — and What Isn't
Practices vary across caterers in Nairobi, and it's worth asking directly rather than assuming. Cutlery, plates, and glassware are sometimes billed separately elsewhere — at Nagira, they're included as standard alongside serving staff. What we don't provide is full event infrastructure — tents, chairs, and venue décor sit outside catering and are worth planning separately with your venue or an event planner.
- Event décor and styling
- Drinks and beverages
- Tents, chairs, and full event setup
Always ask your caterer for a clear breakdown of what's included before booking.
📊 What's Typically Included, by Event Size
What a catering package looks like in practice depends heavily on guest count — a 40-person birthday and a 400-person wedding need very different levels of staffing and setup, even with the same menu:
| Guest count | What's included | Setup notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small (30–50) | Full meal (main dishes + sides), buffet setup, serving equipment, cutlery, small serving team | Usually quick — often handled within a single room or garden space |
| Mid-size (100–200) | Same core inclusions, plus a larger serving team and multiple chafing dish stations | Longer buffet line managed to avoid a queue; more setup lead time on the day |
| Large (300+) | Full kitchen and service team on-site, multiple buffet or plated service points running in parallel | Coordinated with your venue or planner so food service lines up with the rest of the event |
This can vary depending on your needs and budget — see our full range of Nairobi catering services to see all services included.