Everyone needs to eat, and Americans often get their food from grocery stores and prepare it at home. But that’s far from the only option. Many Americans like to eat out, and many statistics are kept about how often Americans go out to eat at restaurants or buffets and how much money they spend. Trends also show that a fantastic variety of foods are enjoyed across the United States, many of them distinctive ethnic foods at restaurants, diners, and as catering packages for special events. After all, the United States is distinctive for being a melting-pot nation, and that reflects in how Americans eat. There is no single “typical” American meal, not even hamburgers or steaks. Still, many Americans do enjoy grilling and smoking meat in grills and smokers, some of which are portable. Several regional styles of grilling and grill sauces and rubs have proven popular, such as from Texas or Kansas City (a city famed for its barbecue). Many Americans love grilled meats and vegetables for events such as Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, but that’s not all. Catering packages may also serve popular ethnic foods such as Mexican, Greek, Chinese, or Italian.
Catering of All Sorts
The catering industry is a large one in the United States and around the world, and the numbers show this clearly. Today in the United States, the catering industry employs around 261,189 people, and the global contract catering market is due to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 4% from 2016 to 2021. This is according to data available from recent industry analyses conducted by Azoth Analytics. An average party that a caterer serves may be 100-250 people or so, too many for a fast food restaurant to handle.
It may be noted that caterers are indeed distinct from sit-down restaurants or fast food restaurants in that the customers don’t visit those caterers to eat. Rather, the caterer will go to them, and may arrive with a van or truck loaded with all the food, beverages, and accessories like paper plates, plastic utensil and cups, and more. A person hosting a large event such as a large-scale birthday party, a charity run, or a wedding may contact local caterers that serve the type of food that they want. The customer may then specify how many people are being served and request options such as drinks and utensils and paper napkins, and where and when to have everything delivered.
What sort of foods might be served when catering packages are ordered? Few, if any, caterers will have every single type of food available like a supermarket will, but catering packages from different catering companies may have some popular options. One of them is grilled and smoked meats. Americans are known for their enthusiasm of cooking and consuming meats, and that includes chicken (the nation’s premiere protein), beef, and pork, among others such as fish or shrimp. As mentioned above, a number of different styles of grilling and sauces are possible, and some people in Kansas City may prefer local barbecue styles. The same may be true in Texas or Kentucky, other grilled meat-heavy states. Many Americans like to own their own grills and prepare meats for a small and private property, but a larger gathering calls for catering that can provide grilled meats and vegetables.
What about Latin foods? Many different types of ethnic food can be found across the United States, and with the proximity of Mexico and Cuba, Latin foods rank first among those ethnic foods. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and more are staples across the United States, both near and far from the Mexican border. Many grocery stores provide the ingredients for Mexican foods, and many caterers may offer it, too. Customers, once the food arrives, may make their own tacos and burritos with all the ingredients provided, and many Americans have a taste for Mexican catering.
Finally, other ethnic foods such as Chinese, Greek, Indian, and Italian may prove popular cor catering, as Chinese chicken and rice, or Italian pasta or Greek gyros or salads may appeal to a party. A party might even vote on what sort of ethnic food to get for their meal.