How far in advance should you order catering?
There's no fixed lead time for catering. Here's how to plan, and why ordering early for your date matters more than any rule.
There’s no fixed number of days. Order as soon as you know your date and headcount, and call the store if you want to check a date first. Every platter is made to order, so what matters is your date and the size of your order.
Why there isn’t a single number
A lot of catering guides give a flat rule like “72 hours” or “one week.” Domo doesn’t publish one. Instead, order online early for the date you want, and call the store you’re picking up from if you want to confirm a date works before you order.
When to order earliest
Graduation season, May and June on Oʻahu, is one of the busiest times of year for sushi catering: big headcounts, several parties on the same Saturday, and lots of pickups around the same early-afternoon window. Holidays work the same way: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and three-day weekends. If your event lands in one of those windows, order early.
A Tuesday office lunch in a quiet month is less pressure, but the approach is the same. Order once you know your date and a headcount you’re confident about.
Weddings and receptions usually get planned months out. If sushi is part of the plan, put the catering order on the same timeline as your other vendors so the date is covered.
Settle the headcount, then order
Plan for the number you’re confident about. Our per-person planning guide gives you a starting piece count, and the catering planner turns a headcount into a platter mix. If some guests don’t eat raw fish, add a California Platter, 32 pieces for $56.95.
If your numbers might still move, call the store before you order and ask what’s possible for your date.
What to have ready when you call
Your date, the pickup location (Kahala or Pearl Kai), a rough headcount and the kind of event. Kahala is at (808) 888-8860 and Pearl Kai at (808) 312-1385.
Next step
If you have a date, order online now and choose your pickup time.
More questions
What's Domo's lead time for catering orders?
There isn't a fixed number of days published. Order online as early as you can for your date, or call the store you're picking up from and ask about that specific day.
Is it too late if my event is next week?
Not necessarily. Call the store you're ordering from and ask about your date. Every platter is made to order, so the answer depends on that day, not a fixed cutoff.
Can I change my order after I place it?
Call the store you ordered from and ask. They can tell you what's possible for your date and order.
What this looks like at Domo
Every item below is on the current menu with its published price. See the full menu.
Menu number #4Mixed Combo Platter
Forty-six pieces: ebi, local ahi, salmon and unagi nigiri, California roll and assorted hosomaki.
$61.95
Menu number #11Kazoku Sushi Platter
Forty pieces: ahi, salmon and California roll, with seared garlic ahi and seared garlic salmon.
$76.95
Menu number #7California Platter
Thirty-two pieces of California roll.
$56.95Upgrade to all Volcano rolls $71.95
Related guides
How Much Sushi Do I Need Per Person?
A starting number for 10, 20, 30 or 50 people, worked through with real platter piece counts, plus the adjustments that change the number.
Planning Food for a Graduation Party
How to plan a graduation party menu backward from the date, with headcounts that grow, mixed generations, guests who skip raw fish and split pickup times.
How to Choose a Sushi Platter
A decision guide to Domo's sushi platters, sorted by group makeup, raw versus cooked, piece count and price, with every platter named and a comparison table.