Event & Festival Catering Trends 2027

Quick Answer: The Big Event Catering Trends for 2027

The biggest event and festival catering trends heading into 2027 are Greek food overtaking BBQ as the most popular cuisine, plant-based food doubling to 8.4% of festival sales, and average on-site food and drink spend rising to £32 per head. Indian food is the fastest-growing cuisine, iced coffee now makes up nearly a quarter of coffees sold, and chips account for a quarter of all sales after 10pm. For organisers, that means planning a varied, modular food court with strong plant-based and late-night options, rather than a row of identical burger vans.

• Most popular cuisine: Greek, at 8% of all festival food sales in 2026.
• Fastest-growing cuisine: Indian, up 16% year on year.
• Plant-based share: 8.4% of sales, up from 4.2% in 2025.
• Average spend per head: £32, up from £27 in 2025 and £21 in 2024.
• Busiest hour: 6pm to 7pm, with 12.4% of all orders.
• Who we are: British Event Catering is a family-run event caterer founded in 1983, running food courts, street food units and mobile bars at festivals, sports events and shows across the UK.

Source: Togather analysis of 933,789 transactions at UK live events, summer 2026.

Introduction

Festival and event food has changed more in the last two years than in the decade before it. Crowds are spending more, eating more widely and expecting the food to be part of the experience, not just fuel between sets.

The clearest picture of that shift comes from Togather’s analysis of the 2026 festival season, which tracked more than 930,000 transactions and 1.7 million items sold at UK live events. Alongside it, Mintel’s latest research on the UK contract and event catering market points to steady growth, but with buyers more focused on value than ever.

We have been running festival catering and food courts since 1983, and these numbers match what our teams have seen at the serving hatch this year. Below, we break down the eight event catering trends that matter most for 2027 and what each one means if you are planning a festival, show, sports event, or large corporate event.

1. Greek Food Overtakes BBQ

For years, barbecue was the safe bet at any outdoor event. In 2026, Greek food took its place as the most popular cuisine at UK festivals, making up 8% of all food sales. The chicken souvlaki wrap was the standout dish, and it now sits just behind burgers and hot dogs as one of the best-selling items on site.

It is easy to see why. Gyros and souvlaki are quick to serve, easy to eat standing up, feel lighter than a burger and work for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike with a halloumi or falafel option.

What it means for 2027: if your food court doesn’t have a Greek or Mediterranean offer, it is missing the cuisine crowds now look for first. Our Greek gyros unit is one of the busiest in our fleet, and it is one of the street food concepts we recommend most for festivals and family events.

Burgers aren’t going anywhere. They are still the single best-selling item, but their share slipped 16% in 2026. Keep them on the menu, just don’t build the whole menu around them.

2. Plant-Based Food Doubles

Vegan items made up 8.4% of all festival food sales in 2026, double the 4.2% recorded in 2025. Just as telling, those sales were spread evenly across cuisines rather than confined to a single vegan stall.

Togather’s co-founder put the rise down less to veganism and more to the quality of the dishes on offer. In other words, people are choosing plant-based food because it tastes good, not because they have to.

What it means for 2027: plant-based options belong on every unit, not just one. A vegan gyros, a plant-based burger, a vegetable curry wrap and loaded fries with vegan toppings let groups eat together without anyone being sent to a separate queue. It also makes dietary requirements far easier to manage on site.

3. Indian Food Is the Fastest-Growing Cuisine

Indian food grew faster than any other cuisine in 2026, with sales up 16% year on year. The best-seller was the masala dosa, a sign that crowds are looking past the familiar curry-and-rice tray towards regional street food.

This sits within a wider move towards global flavours. Event-goers who eat out at street food markets during the week now expect the same variety at the weekend.

What it means for 2027: a spread of cuisines beats several versions of the same one. Pair a Greek unit with Indian wraps, a noodle bar or Mexican burritos, and you give people a reason to come back to the food court more than once. You can see the full range of cuisines we run in-house on our menus page.

4. Iced Coffee and Premium Coffee Bars

Nearly one in four coffees sold at festivals in 2026 was iced, up from one in six the year before. Iced coffee sales rose 32%, while hot coffee fell by 20%.

Coffee is no longer an afterthought served from the corner of a burger van. Crowds want a proper coffee offer, with iced lattes, cold brew and oat milk as standard, especially at daytime events, family days and sports fixtures.

What it means for 2027: plan a dedicated coffee point with an iced menu, and keep it open from the moment gates open. For multi-day events and workforce sites, a mobile cafe keeps queues away from the main food court and serves crew and early arrivals before the food units fire up.

5. Late-Night Food Is a Service Window, Not an Afterthought

After 10pm, chips outsell everything else, making up 25% of all sales. Sales between 9pm and 10pm also doubled year on year. Earlier in the evening, the busiest hour for orders is 6pm to 7pm, which accounts for 12.4% of the day’s orders.

That gives organisers two clear peaks to plan for: a big early-evening rush, and a late-night window where people want something hot, quick and cheap.

What it means for 2027: staff up for the 6pm peak, then keep a late-night menu running rather than closing units early. Fish and chips, loaded fries and pizza are ideal after headliners. A strong late offer also helps people get home safely and keeps the site calmer as crowds leave.

Dessert habits are shifting too. Crêpes and waffles have overtaken churros, although ice cream still accounts for 70% of dessert sales.

6. Spend Per Head Keeps Rising, but Value Matters More

Average on-site food and drink spend at festivals rose 18% in 2026, from £27 to £32 per head. In 2024 it was £21, so spend has climbed by more than half in two years.

At the same time, Mintel’s research on the UK contract and event catering market finds that buyers are more price-sensitive than before, and that food price inflation has been slow to ease. People are willing to spend more, but they expect to see where the money goes: generous portions, quality ingredients and fast service.

What it means for 2027: price for value, not for captive audiences. Clear pricing across all units, a couple of lower-priced options and meal deals that pair a main with a drink keep spend high without leaving visitors feeling short-changed. For organisers running catering concessions, higher spend per head also means a stronger case for better-quality traders and a well-planned food court.

7. Modular Food Courts and Flexible Formats

Organisers are moving away from fixed catering packages towards flexible, experience-led set-ups that can scale up or down with the crowd. Mintel’s research highlights the same shift, with demand growing for modular menus and formats that adapt to the event.

In practice, that means a food court designed as a whole: a balanced mix of cuisines, a bar, a coffee point and somewhere comfortable to sit, rather than a line of vans that each sell the same thing.

What it means for 2027: plan the food court as a destination. At the D-Day 80 commemoration in Portsmouth, we ran 16 food stalls and bars for 20,000 guests with picnic-style seating, and we can supply up to 30 full-size picnic benches for a single site. Add a mobile bar next to the food and people stay longer, spend more and spread out across the day.

Modular set-ups work for corporate events too. A staff day or conference can start with a coffee unit and a couple of street food outlets, then add more as numbers grow. Find out more on our corporate event catering page.

8. Provenance and Sustainability You Can See

Visitors increasingly want to know where their food comes from, and Mintel points to visible provenance as one of the ways caterers can show value. Organisers, councils and sponsors are also asking harder questions about packaging, waste and sustainability.

What it means for 2027: name your suppliers on the menu boards, use compostable packaging and have a clear plan for food waste. At larger events, ask your caterer how they manage waste, recycling and deliveries. British butchers’ sausages, locally sourced meat and Biopac packaging behind the bar are simple, visible ways to show the effort.

You can read more about our approach in our green policy.

You can also see where our ingredients come from on our produce page.

How to Plan Your 2027 Event Catering Around These Trends

• Balance the cuisines. Include a Greek or Mediterranean unit, at least one global street food option such as Indian or Mexican, and a classic like burgers or fish and chips.
• Put plant-based on every menu. Aim for a vegan option at each unit rather than a single vegan stall.
• Add a proper coffee point. Include iced coffee and plant milks, and open it when the gates open.
• Plan for two peaks. Staff up for 6pm to 7pm, and keep late-night units serving after 10pm.
• Price for value. Use clear pricing, a few lower-cost options and meal deals.
• Design the food court as a whole. Plan seating, bars, coffee and food together, and allow space to add units if numbers grow.
• Ask about waste and sourcing. Agree packaging, recycling and supplier information with your caterer before the event.
• Book early. The best caterers and units for summer 2027 will be allocated over the winter.

Why Work With British Event Catering in 2027?

British Event Catering is a family-run business that started in 1983 with a single mobile unit. Today we run a fleet of around 20 food units and 5 mobile bars, and we hold catering concessions at festivals, country shows, sports venues and commemorations across the UK, including more than 12 years at the Frampton Country Fair and 15 years supporting the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.

• Trend-ready menus: Greek gyros, Indian wraps, noodles, burritos, vegan burgers, loaded fries, fish and chips, coffee and desserts, all run in-house.
• High capacity: from a single unit to a full themed food court with seating, bars and coffee.
• Fully managed: pre-event planning, health and safety and EHO management, and a debrief after every event.
• Flexible: add or remove units as your numbers change, from family fun days to crowds of 20,000 or more.