Staffed event catering
Hot chocolate bar hire for events
A proper hot chocolate. A moment worth stopping for.
Bring freshly made hot chocolate to your office event, Christmas party or brand activation. Our team serves the drinks; you shape the occasion, from the chocolate flavours to the cups in your guests' hands.
Tell us your date, venue, guest numbers and service times.
The drinks
Milk, white or dark. Made for your event.
Our hot chocolate catering includes milk, white and dark chocolate options, made to order at the event. Start with a favourite flavour or talk to us about the menu you have in mind.
Choose dairy or vegan recipes, then decide whether you want one signature drink or a choice for guests. Branded marshmallows and a stencilled design on the hot chocolate can make the finishing touch part of the event too.
Planning for dietary requirements? We offer vegan and dairy recipes, but vegan does not mean allergen-free. Tell us about allergies and dietary needs before the menu is agreed so we can confirm ingredients, toppings and service arrangements.
Your brand, in their hands
From the cart to the cup
Make the service feel like part of your campaign, not an add-on. We can brand the cups, bar, cart or truck, with in-house design support to bring your artwork or idea into the setup.
Go beyond the cup with branded marshmallows or stencils on the hot chocolate. Choose the touches that suit your event rather than adding everything by default. We'll agree the design, recipe and production details with you.
The photographs show the red cart, canopy and cups from a real Monica Vinader activation; they do not show every available option. For a wider creative brief, Rolling Minds' brand activation and design services can bring the surrounding experience together.
Discuss a branded event
Choose the occasion
Office breaks, festive parties and brand activations
A winter office get-together
Give colleagues a shared break or plan a drop-in service around the working day. Tell us whether everyone will arrive together or visit between meetings.
A Christmas celebration
Consider hot chocolate for the welcome or a dessert moment. Building the wider celebration? Explore our corporate Christmas event catering.
A retail or brand activation
Make the service point somewhere to welcome people and start a conversation. Bring the drink, cup design and surrounding activity into the same brief.
Before you book
What’s included
Everything needed to deliver the hot chocolate bar / cart is in the package:
- Staffing
- Packaging
- All equipment
- Setup of the bar / cart
- Transport and logistics
- Product development, if your brief needs it
Pan-n-Ice branding, such as our branded cart and cups, comes as standard. Custom branding with your name, logo or theme is extra: tell us what you need in the enquiry and we’ll send a quote. Stickers on cups are a cheaper option with a lower minimum order.
Practical details
- Power: We run from one standard 13-amp plug socket. If a socket is not available, we can bring our own generators for a small extra charge.
- Space: About 1 m × 1 m for a compact setup.
- Access: Please tell us about stairs and how easy access is. Our compact, light kit can be carried upstairs.
- Setup / pack-down: Setup usually takes about 30 minutes. Pack-down takes about 15–30 minutes.
- Pricing: Every event is bespoke. As a guide, packages start from around £800 + VAT. Event location, travel logistics and any accommodation also affect the price.
Before the first cup
From a small gathering to a busy event
We can plan a barista coffee-machine service or a hot chocolate dispenser setup. The barista format prepares individual cups using coffee-machine steaming. The dispenser format serves prepared hot chocolate from dispensing equipment, with the recipe, replenishment and guest flow planned for your event.
Headcount and timing belong together. A short break with everyone arriving at once needs a different plan from a steady afternoon of visitors. Share both the guest total and your busiest period.
A past-project example: our team delivered 12,000 hot chocolates over an MWC weekend. That is a total across that project, not the capacity of one cart or a promised serving rate for your event.
- Space and access
- Send the venue or postcode, indoor or outdoor location, and any delivery, lift or setup restrictions. A floor plan and photographs are useful.
- Equipment and utilities
- Tell us if you have a preferred bar, cart or truck format. We'll confirm the chosen equipment's space, power and other requirements with you and the venue before finalising the position.
- Branding and coordination
- Share artwork or design ideas, the person approving them, and your on-site contact. Agree production and event timings together.
Something extra
Our signature chocolate tap
Looking for a chocolate dessert experience alongside the drinks? Ask about our signature chocolate tap and the options for your event.
A chocolate tap and a hot chocolate bar are different services. Include both in your enquiry if you would like to discuss a combined setup, with the menu and practical details agreed separately.
For other event treats, explore ice cream rolls or speak to us about the wider catering brief.
Good questions
Planning your hot chocolate hire
The details that help turn an idea into an event brief.
Is the hot chocolate service staffed?
Yes. This enquiry is for staffed event catering, rather than machine-only hire. Share your service window and event timings so the team and setup can be planned together.
What can we customise?
We can brand cups, bars, carts and trucks, as well as offer branded marshmallows and stencils on the hot chocolate. In-house design support is available. Share your priorities and we'll agree the chosen elements, artwork and production requirements for your event.
Can we choose the flavours and toppings?
Yes. We offer milk, white and dark chocolate options, with dairy and vegan recipes to discuss. Tell us your preferred drinks and finishing touches; we'll agree a menu rather than assume every option or photographed topping is included.
Can you cater for dietary requirements?
Dairy and vegan recipes are available. Vegan is not an allergen-free guarantee: share allergies and dietary requirements when you enquire so ingredients, toppings and service arrangements can be checked before the menu is agreed.
Can you serve both small and large events?
Yes. We plan around your guest numbers, service window and busiest arrival period, using a barista coffee-machine or dispenser format as appropriate. A past project total is not a per-cart capacity: we'll agree the equipment and staffing for your particular brief.
What is included in the hire?
Staffing, packaging, all equipment, setup, the bar/cart, transport and logistics, and product development if needed. Pan-n-Ice branding, such as our branded cart and cups, comes as standard. Custom branding with your name, logo or theme is extra: tell us what you need in the enquiry and we’ll send a quote. Stickers on cups are a cheaper option with a lower minimum order.
What space or power does the setup need?
We run from one standard 13-amp plug socket. If a socket is not available, we can bring our own generators for a small extra charge. A compact setup needs about 1 m × 1 m. Please tell us about stairs and access — our compact, light kit can be carried upstairs. Setup usually takes about 30 minutes; pack-down takes about 15–30 minutes.
How much does hot chocolate bar hire cost?
Pricing is bespoke to the brief. As a guide, packages start from around £800 + VAT. Event location, travel logistics and any accommodation also affect the price. Request a quote with the date, venue, guest numbers, service times and any branding ideas so we can discuss a proposal for your event.
Can hot chocolate be part of a larger event?
Yes. Tell us about the wider food, drinks and event brief. We can discuss the hot chocolate service alongside other catering and the event experience, rather than treating every element as a separate enquiry.
Let's plan it
Tell us what you have in mind
Send your date, venue, guest numbers and service times, plus any menu or branding ideas. Provisional details are fine; let us know what is still to be decided.
Request a hot chocolate quotePrefer email? info@pan-n-ice.co.uk
