In Belgium, communions cluster into three or four weekends in April and May. For a caterer, that is a whole season compressed: services of 40 to 150 covers, often several on the same day, with a higher expectation on the table setting than usual. And a full cover — container, plate, cutlery, table covering — comes to under €0.50 in consumables.
What a banquet actually gets through
The calculation below applies to a catering service delivered or served in a hall, excluding hired crockery. Catalogue prices as of 14 October 2026.
| Item | Reference | Pack size | Cost per cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plate | DU-205762 — bagasse Ø 22 cm | 400 pieces — €59.59 | €0.149 |
| Cutlery + napkin | ST-D11 — wood, 3-in-1 | 250 pieces — €25.80 | €0.103 |
| Main course delivered | FLA-A29 — 2-compartment box | 200 pieces — €39.42 | €0.197 |
| Starter or dessert presented | FRI-C41 — Octaview + lid | 200 pieces — €63.58 | €0.318 |
| Table covering | GAR-104.78-B — Airlaid 1.2 × 50 m | 1 roll — €58.40 | €1.168 per metre |
| Finger wipe | GLD-516 — F&G lemon | 700 pieces — €89.00 | €0.127 |
A full cover therefore comes to about €0.47. On a menu invoiced at €35 to €50 a head, consumables weigh around 1% — and yet it is the only item that can wreck a service if it runs out.
The three first-season mistakes
- Counting covers instead of containers. A three-course menu delivered separately is three containers per person. On 120 covers, the gap between the two calculations is 240 pieces.
- Forgetting the weekend's second service. Communions fall on Saturday AND Sunday. Stock calculated for one day forces an emergency purchase on Saturday evening, when everything is closed.
- Underestimating the table covering. A table of eight needs about 2.50 m. Across fifteen tables that is nearly 40 metres — and you need a changeover set if a second service follows.
The remedy is simple: order for the whole weekend, not for one service. The consumables on this list keep indefinitely in practice, and the cost of an emergency order always exceeds that of overstocking.
The season's real calendar
Communions do not fall at random: they follow the liturgical calendar, so Easter. In 2027 Easter falls on 28 March, which places communions in April and the first half of May — earlier than in some years.
Three consequences for a caterer: The date is known a year ahead. There is no reason to discover the season in March: the calendar is public and families often book as early as autumn. The weekends overlap with Mother's Day and neighbouring parishes' communions. A single Saturday can carry three services within ten kilometres — so three caterers ordering the same week. Table covering runs out first. It is the bulkiest product and the one wholesalers stock least deeply. Ordered in March it is available; ordered mid-April, far less so. The rule for a first season: place the full order as soon as the first weekend's bookings are confirmed, not when the service approaches. Setting a table for a family celebrationA communion is not a corporate service: photographs are taken, the table is looked at, and grandparents compare it with what they knew. Two items make the difference for a few cents — the table covering, seen before anything else, and the finger wipe, which stands out because it is not expected.
The
paper versus fabric tablecloth
comparison covers the materials, and our article on the
- cost of a delivered cover
- compares containers by how the customer takes them. For serving the dish itself, see
- tray or caterer's container
.
📅 Three weekends, one season
Communions cluster in April and May, Saturday AND Sunday. Stock calculated for one service forces you to buy when everything is closed.
🧮 Count containers
A three-course menu is three containers per person. On 120 covers, the gap with a per-cover count is 240 pieces.
💐 The table gets photographed
This is not a corporate service. The table covering and the finger wipe get noticed, for a few cents per cover.
Duni bagasse plate Ø 22 cm (DU-205762)
Bagasse is a fibre from sugar cane: rigid, taste-neutral, and far more presentable than a plastic plate on a celebration table.
- Box of 400 pieces — €59.59
- €0.149 per plate
- Ø 22 cm, main course size
- Compostable in industrial facilities
Wooden cutlery set + napkin, 3-in-1 (ST-D11)
Pre-assembled: you pay neither the filling time nor the composition mistakes on a day when 120 covers have to be laid in two hours.
- Box of 250 pieces — €25.80
- €0.103 per set
- Wooden cutlery, compostable
- Ready to lay, no handling
Frequently asked questions
What does a full cover cost for a communion banquet ?
About €0.47 in consumables: bagasse plate, wooden cutlery with napkin, container, table covering and finger wipe. On a menu invoiced at €35 to €50 a head, that is roughly 1% of the selling price.
How much table covering for a banquet ?
Count about 2.50 m for a table of eight. Across fifteen tables that is nearly 40 metres — so a 50 m roll covers one service but not a weekend with a changeover. It is the most underestimated item.
Order per service or per weekend ?
Per weekend. Communions fall on Saturday and Sunday, and stock calculated for one day forces an emergency purchase on Saturday evening. These consumables keep indefinitely in practice: overstocking always costs less than an emergency order.
Bagasse or plastic plate for a family celebration ?
Bagasse, made from sugar cane fibre, is rigid, taste-neutral and noticeably more presentable on a table that gets photographed. The price gap with plastic is small per cover, and the difference shows immediately.
When should you order for the communion season ?
In March. April and May concentrate demand from every caterer in the region at once, and table covering references go first. GL Distribution delivers to Belgium, Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands and Germany.
Get your spring season ready
Containers, tableware and table covering for banquets, in stock, delivered before the weekend.
See the bagasse platesSee the 3-in-1 cutlery