How Many Party Trays? Filipino Trays for 10, 20 or 50
How many Filipino party trays do you need for 10, 20 or 50 people? Tray sizes, a simple way to plan, starting points by headcount, and when to switch to catering, from Barrios in Halifax.
Barrios Restaurant & Bar
11/7/20263 min read
Filipino Party Trays in Halifax: How Much Food for 10, 20 or 50
The hardest part of ordering party trays is not choosing the dishes. It is working out how many trays to get. This guide from Barrios Kitchen & Bar, the Filipino restaurant at 1571 Barrington Street in Halifax, gives you a simple way to plan it, with starting points for 10, 20 and 50 guests.
Start with the tray sizes
A family size tray serves about 5 people, or 4 to 6.
A party size tray serves about 10 people, or 8 to 12.
Rice comes in a party size tray, steamed or garlic, and one tray serves about 10 people.
Lechon belly is sold by weight: 5 lb serves about 12, and 8 lb serves about 20.
A simple way to plan
A Filipino party table works best with one dish from each of these:
A main, something saucy or roasted, like caldereta, kare-kare or lechon belly.
A noodle, like pancit bihon. At a birthday, the long noodles stand for a long life.
Something crisp or grilled, like spring rolls or pork barbecue skewers.
Rice, for the saucy dishes.
Then size it this way as a starting point: plan enough mains and rice to cover every guest, and let the noodles and starters fill in around them. Order a little more if the trays are the whole meal, and a little less if there are other snacks and desserts on the table.
These are starting points, not rules. If you tell us your headcount and the kind of event when you order, we can help you adjust.
Party trays for about 10 people
A main: one party size tray, or two family size trays, such as roast beef caldereta.
A noodle: one family size pancit bihon.
A starter: one family size spring rolls.
Rice: one party tray of steamed rice or garlic rice.
Party trays for about 20 people
Mains: an 8 lb lechon belly, or two party size mains, such as caldereta and chicken inasal.
A noodle: one party size pancit bihon.
Starters: one party size spring rolls or pork barbecue skewers.
Rice: two party rice trays, steamed, garlic or one of each.
If there are children coming, add a family size tray of Filipino-style spaghetti. For guests who do not eat pork, chicken inasal is pork free.
Food for 50 guests or more
At this size, look at our catering buffet instead of trays. It is $37 per person for 50 guests or more, plus 14 per cent HST on the food and a 15 per cent service fee, which has no HST, and our staff set up and refill the food at your venue or in our restaurant. Off-site events also add transportation, with HST on it. Give us one to two weeks' notice.
If you would rather order trays for 50, call us and we will plan it with you.
Tray prices
Family size unless noted. Prices shown are from our current party tray menu and may change:
Roast beef caldereta, $45. Chicken inasal, $40.
Pancit bihon, $35. Filipino-style spaghetti, $40.
Spring rolls, $20. Pork barbecue skewers, $70.
Steamed rice, $20, and garlic rice, $22, per party tray for about 10.
Lechon belly, by weight: $75 for 5 lb, $120 for 8 lb.
Party size prices and the full tray list are on our party trays page.
How to order
Order 24 to 48 hours ahead, and enter your pickup date and time at checkout. For sooner, call or message us; it depends on the day.
Trays are pickup only, at 1571 Barrington Street, Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 AM to 8 PM and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 4 PM. We are closed on Mondays. You can book an Uber courier in the Uber app to collect them.
Hot trays hold their heat for the trip and the first serving, then cool over a long party.
For Christmas and New Year order deadlines, check our Facebook or Instagram page, call 902-444-2515 or message us.
Have containers ready. Guests at a Filipino party often take a plate home.
Quick answers
How many people does a party tray feed?
A family size tray serves about 5 (4 to 6) and a party size tray serves about 10 (8 to 12).
How many trays do I need for 20 people?
About six trays: two party size mains or an 8 lb lechon belly, one party size noodle, one party size starter and two party rice trays.
Should I order trays or catering for 50 people?
For 50 or more, our catering buffet is usually simpler, at $37 per person plus HST on the food and the 15 per cent service fee.
How much notice do you need?
24 to 48 hours for trays, and one to two weeks for catering.