Banqueting Trolleys
A banqueting trolley is a mobile, insulated or heated cabinet used to transport large volumes of hot plated meals from kitchen to function room, essential for hotels, care homes and event caterers running banquets, weddings or ward meal services where dozens of plates must stay above 63°C during transit. Capacity (typically 40-120 plates per trolley) has to be balanced against corridor and lift widths, since banqueting trolleys are among the largest mobile units in a commercial kitchen. Alongside the heated and insulated models, the range includes cold banqueting trolleys for chilled plated courses.
Key specifications
Expect double-skinned insulated or actively heated (1-3kW, 230V) construction in 304 stainless steel, castors rated for continuous movement, digital thermostats holding 60-85°C, and either open-shelf or enclosed-door designs; some models plug in to maintain temperature between moves while others rely purely on insulation for shorter transit times. Warranty is typically 1-2 years parts and labour.
Banqueting Trolleys — FAQs
How many plates does a banqueting trolley hold?
Capacity ranges widely, from around 40 plates in compact hotel trolleys up to 120+ in large enclosed catering trolleys, so measure both plate diameter and corridor/lift access before ordering.
Does a banqueting trolley need to be plugged in?
Actively heated trolleys need a mains connection (typically single-phase 13A) to maintain temperature over long transit times or holding periods; purely insulated trolleys don’t, but hold heat for a shorter window, usually under an hour.
Brands typical of this category include Tournus, ScanBox and Cambro for hospital and hotel banqueting fleets, with Buffalo, Alto-Shaam, Victor and Moffat also well represented, suited to hotels, hospitals, care homes, schools and large-scale event caterers.