Last minute catering Singapore

Last minute catering, at one day's notice

Most catering in Singapore wants three to five working days. We work to one, subject to vendor availability on your date.

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Last minute catering delivered in warmer bags ready to serve in Singapore

Why one day is possible here and not everywhere

The reason most catering needs three to five days is not cooking time. It is production scheduling: a single kitchen plans its week, and a new order has to fit a slot that was allocated days earlier. Ask on Tuesday for Wednesday and the honest answer from one kitchen is usually no.

We are not one kitchen. Livingmenu is a multi-vendor catering platform, so a date that is full for one vendor is frequently open for another. That is the whole mechanism, and it is also why availability is the honest caveat rather than a disclaimer: it depends on who has room on your date, not on how quickly anybody can cook.

Same-day orders are not something we can promise in advance, but we do try to make them happen. Message us with the date, the headcount and where it is going, and a specialist will check what is open and come back to you either way.

  • One day's notice

    A real cutoff, not a target. Subject to vendor availability on your date.

  • Many kitchens, one date

    Full for one vendor usually means open for another. That is why one day works.

  • Nothing to set up

    A mini buffet arrives ready to serve with disposable plates, cutlery and serving gear.

  • Same day, we will check

    Not a promise in advance, but message us and a specialist will look and come back either way.

What is orderable at short notice

The formats that move fastest

A mini buffet is the quickest thing to arrange: it starts at 10 pax, arrives in insulated warmer bags with everything disposable, and needs no setup crew. On the everyday menus that is $18 per pax plus $30 delivery at 10 people, $15 with delivery free from 15.

A buffet with setup takes more arranging because equipment and a setup slot have to be found alongside the food, and it starts at 30 pax. Bento sits in between, from 12 pax depending on the menu, with delivery included.

  • Curry Chicken with Potato
  • Crispy Fish with Salted Egg Yolk Coating
  • Stir Fried Nai Bai with Crispy Garlic Topping
  • Superior Soy Sauce Egg Tofu with Seasonal Greens
  • Egg Fried Rice with Scallion
  • Malaysian Style Quick Cook Noodles Tossed in Dark Sauce and Fragrant Oil
  • Chilled Longan & Sea Coconut

This is the entry-level Chinese mini buffet exactly as it comes at 10 pax. There are 43 free swap options on it, and swapping does not slow an order down.

What to send us

Four things make a short-notice order fast

The date and the time you actually want to eat. The headcount. The delivery address including floor and lift access. And whether anyone needs halal or vegetarian.

With those four we can tell you what is open within minutes rather than going back and forth. Without the address in particular, we cannot check delivery coverage, and that is usually what holds up a same-day answer.

Before you order

How ordering works

  • Book early for popular dates

    Our cutoff is one day before your event. In practice, order earlier: festive periods, year-end parties and weekend slots fill up well ahead, and booking early secures both your slot and the dishes you want.

  • Mini buffet and bento delivery $30

    Drop and go: food arrives in insulated warmer bags that are yours to keep, with serving gear, cutlery, plates, bowls, a disposable table cloth and a trash bag. Free on promotional menus above $225.

  • Buffet delivery and setup $90

    One fee covers delivery, a full setup with a skirted table and cloth, warmers, serving gear, disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, and our team returning to collect the equipment after your event.

  • Changes up to 24 hours before

    Adjust your headcount, menu or timing more than 24 hours before your event, subject to availability. Within 24 hours the food and manpower are already committed, so changes and cancellations are normally not accepted and a fee of 50% to 100% of the order may apply.

Additional charges may apply for outlying areas (Tengah, Lim Chu Kang, Tuas, Sentosa, Changi Airport and Alps Avenue), deliveries before 10am or after 7.30pm, and venues without lift access. Every charge is confirmed in your quotation before you pay. See full terms.

How to order catering

Your menu in three simple steps

  1. 1

    Tell us about your event

    Headcount, date, budget per pax and any dietary needs like halal or vegetarian.

  2. 2

    Get your best-matched menu

    Our menu planner, with a little help from AI, matches a customised menu with prices to your budget and requirements in 60 seconds.

  3. 3

    Customise and confirm

    Swap any dish to fit your requirements, then confirm with our team on WhatsApp or email.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the shortest notice you accept?

One day, subject to vendor availability on your date. That is a real cutoff rather than a target — most catering in Singapore asks for three to five working days, and working to one is the thing we are set up for. Same-day orders are not something we can promise in advance, but we do try to make them happen. Message us with the date, the headcount and where it is going, and a specialist will check what is open and come back to you either way.

Can you do same-day catering?

Same-day orders are not something we can promise in advance, but we do try to make them happen. Message us with the date, the headcount and where it is going, and a specialist will check what is open and come back to you either way.

How can you work to one day when most caterers need a week?

Because we are not one kitchen. We are a multi-vendor catering platform, so a date that is full for one vendor is usually open for another, and we are looking across all of them rather than fitting you into a single production schedule. That is also why availability is the honest caveat: it depends on who has room on your date, not on how fast anyone can cook.

Does last minute cost more?

No. The rates are the same whether you order three weeks out or tomorrow — there is no rush surcharge. What changes at short notice is choice, not price: fewer vendors have room, so fewer menus are open to you.

What is the minimum order at short notice?

The same as any other time: 10 pax for a mini buffet, 30 pax for a buffet with setup, 12 pax for bento depending on the menu.

Can I still change the dishes on a short-notice order?

Yes. The entry-level menus carry 43 free replacement options and swapping does not slow the order down — it is the same kitchen either way.

How far in advance should I order catering?

The latest we can take an order is one day before your event. We recommend booking earlier than that: popular dates such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas and the year-end party season are taken weeks ahead, and ordering early secures your slot and the dishes you want. For large events, the earlier the better.

Is there a delivery fee?

Delivery is free on mini buffet and bento orders of $225 or more before GST. Below that it is $30, and a 10 pax order always carries the fee whatever the order comes to. On the entry-level mini buffet menus $225 is reached at 15 pax. A buffet with setup instead carries a $90 setup fee, charged once per order, which covers delivery, laying out the buffet line and collecting the equipment afterwards. Remote postal codes, deliveries at 9.59am or earlier or 7.31pm or later, and venues without lift access can add a surcharge on top; every one is published and appears in your quotation before you confirm.

What is included with the food?

Mini buffet orders are drop and go: the food arrives in insulated warmer bags that are yours to keep, with serving gear, cutlery, plates, bowls, a disposable table cloth and a trash bag, so you can bag everything up and bin it after your event. Bento meals come individually boxed with cutlery. Buffet with setup includes a skirted table and cloth, warmers, serving gear, disposable plates, cutlery and napkins, and our team returns to collect the equipment.

Can I change or cancel my order?

Yes, with more than 24 hours' notice before your event, subject to availability. Within 24 hours the food and manpower are already committed, so changes and cancellations are normally not accepted and a fee of 50% to 100% of the order may apply.

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