Shepherd's Pie Party Trays.
Whole trays for birthdays, potlucks and office lunches: how many to order for your headcount, when to order, and how to serve them hot.
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Why order shepherd's pie trays for a party?
Shepherd's pie trays suit parties because they are a complete hot dish in one container. Meat, gravy and potato arrive together, they cut into neat squares, they hold their heat well once reheated, and nobody needs a knife. A tray also travels better than a stack of individual pastry pies, which can crush or go soft in a warm car.
In Singapore, a chicken version is the safe choice for a mixed crowd: no lamb smell, mild enough for children, and familiar to most guests. DonChef's Chicken Shepherd's Pie, for example, is sold as a whole tray listed as feeding four to six. Check dietary needs before you order; our FAQ covers halal status and allergens.
How many shepherd's pie trays do I need per person?
These are rules of thumb for a whole tray that feeds four to six, not fixed portions. Adjust for your crowd.
- Main dish, adults: one tray per four to five people. With a salad and bread on the side, lean towards five; for a hungry crowd or a dinner with nothing else, lean towards four.
- Buffet with several dishes: one tray per eight to ten people. Cut each tray into eight to ten small squares so guests can take a taste.
- Children under about ten: count two children as one adult.
- Office lunch: treat it as a main dish. If people will eat at their desks at different times, personal-size pies are easier than trays.
- Always round up. Leftover shepherd's pie keeps for a day or two in the fridge. Running out at a party is worse.
For a broader calculation across different pie types and occasions, donpieshop.com has a party pie calculator for working out how many pies per person.
| Guests | As the main dish | On a mixed buffet | Main-dish cost at $33.80 a tray* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3 trays | 2 trays | $101.40 |
| 20 | 5 trays | 3 trays | $169.00 |
| 30 | 7 trays | 4 trays | $236.60 |
| 50 | 12 trays | 6 trays | $405.60 |
*Uses the whole-tray price of DonChef's Chicken Shepherd's Pie on the February 2026 menu, as of October 2026. Check the official site for current prices, delivery fees and any minimums before you order.
How far ahead should I order party trays?
Order party trays at least a day ahead, and earlier for big numbers or busy seasons. Kitchens that bake in small batches, as DonChef's does, plan each day's bake, so a large order placed on the morning of your party may not be possible.
- One to four trays: order a day ahead. Some online systems accept shorter notice, but a day gives you a choice of time slots.
- Five to fifteen trays: order two to three days ahead and confirm the collection or delivery time.
- Corporate or bulk orders: contact the kitchen a week ahead. DonChef's kitchen takes bulk orders from 100 pieces upward through its contact page.
- Christmas, Chinese New Year and year-end parties: book two to three weeks ahead. For office Christmas events, ordering by mid-November is a sensible habit.
Read the ordering terms before you pay. The official ordering site for DonChef's pies does not allow orders to be amended or cancelled once placed, so settle your headcount first. The fine print on minimums, quotes and invoices for large orders is laid out in donpieshop.com's note on minimums and lead times for bulk orders.
Should I collect the trays or have them delivered?
Both work, with different risks. Self-collection gives you control over timing; plan to collect no more than an hour or two before you serve, and keep the trays flat in the car. Delivery saves a trip, but most pie kitchens use third-party drivers on a best-effort time window, so book a slot that lands well before guests arrive. DonChef's kitchen states free islandwide delivery above $200 on its home page, with fees otherwise based on distance; check the official ordering site for the live figure on the day.
Confirm headcount and dietary needs, including anyone who needs halal-certified food.
Check the pantry: is there an oven, or will the trays need to arrive hot?
Order serving spoons, plates and napkins if the office has none.
Name one person to receive the delivery and put the trays in the fridge or oven.
Office catering has its own rhythm of meeting times and pantry fridges. donpieshop.com covers that side in its guide to pies for office catering, including when to schedule delivery around a lunch meeting.
How do I serve shepherd's pie trays hot at a party?
Serve shepherd's pie trays straight from the oven in waves rather than all at once. Keep trays chilled until you reheat them, then put the first batch in so it comes out as guests sit down and the next batch 20 minutes later. Reheat at 180°C, covered with foil at first and uncovered at the end, until the centre reaches 75°C. Our guide on how to reheat shepherd's pie has full timings, and donchickenpie.com's experiment on batch timing and holding pies warm for a crowd is worth a read if your oven is small.
Do not let cooked trays sit at room temperature for more than two hours, and less at an outdoor event in Singapore's heat. Put leftovers in the fridge as soon as the meal winds down and eat them within a day or two.
What goes well with shepherd's pie trays?
- A big green salad with a sharp dressing to cut through the mash.
- Buttered peas or roasted vegetables for a fuller plate.
- Crusty bread for mopping up gravy.
- A few personal chicken pies alongside, for variety and for guests who prefer pastry.
- Something sweet to finish: a slice of kueh lapis or a fruit platter works well for a local crowd.
If budget is the deciding factor, our shepherd's pie price guide compares tray prices across Singapore so you can work out a cost per guest.