Italian Catering for Your Next Event in Fresno and Clovis: A Guide from Sam's

Sam's Italian Deli & Market caters Italian food for events throughout Fresno and Clovis, including corporate lunches, weddings, graduations, birthdays, holidays, and family gatherings. Orders include sandwich trays, antipasto platters, hot Italian entrees, deli salads, and desserts, with pickup or local delivery available.

Quick Answer

Five things to know about Italian catering from Sam's:

• We serve Fresno and Clovis. Sam's caters events across Fresno and the Clovis area with pickup at our First and Clinton location or local delivery, Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Delivery windows are scheduled around the customer's event time.
• Full Italian catering menu. Orders can include sandwich trays, focaccia sandwich trays, antipasto platters, charcuterie-style trays, hot entrees, deli salads, executive lunch boxes, breads, and Italian desserts. Every item uses the same ingredients and recipes from our deli and market that customers already know.
• 24 hours lead time, minimum. Every catering order needs at least 24 hours notice so our team can prep the food fresh. Larger or more complex orders benefit from more advance notice, especially around holidays and peak dates on the Fresno and Clovis calendar.
• Delivery rules are simple. Delivery is free on orders over $500, $45 on orders between $250 and $500, and not available under $250 (those orders are pickup only at our First and Clinton location). Cancellations require 24 hours notice for a refund or credit.
• Order online or by phone. Customers can order catering through Toast or ChowNow for standard packages, or call Sam's directly to talk through a custom spread. Larger orders are typically handled by our catering team one step at a time on the phone.

What kinds of events does Sam's cater?

Sam's caters just about every kind of event that happens in Fresno and Clovis, from a Monday office lunch for 15 to a Saturday wedding reception for 150. The menu adjusts to the occasion, but the food is always the same food customers know from our deli counter and market.

The most common events Sam's caters:

• Corporate lunches and meetings. Executive Lunch Boxes, Mini Sandwich Trays, and Deli Style Sandwich Boxes are the most-ordered picks for offices in Fresno and Clovis. Easy to serve, easy to clean up, no plates required.
• Weddings and wedding-adjacent events. Antipasto platters, Focaccia Sandwich Trays, and Nick's Gourmet Tray cover rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, wedding brunches, and reception spreads.
• Birthdays and family gatherings. Hot entrees (lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken Parmigiana) alongside trays and salads handle birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, and Sunday family get-togethers.
• Graduations and open houses. Sandwich trays, antipasto platters, and desserts scale well for graduation parties and open houses where guests come and go across several hours.
• Holiday parties and office holiday lunches. December and Easter are our busiest catering weeks. Antipasto platters, hot Italian entrees, focaccia, and Italian desserts like tiramisu and cannoli show up on most holiday orders.

The food is the same either way. What changes is the format, the portion sizes, and whether the order is a few trays or a full table buildout. Our catering team can help customers pick what works best for the headcount and the setting.

What's on Sam's catering menu?

Sam's catering menu is built around trays, platters, and entrees that can be served at room temperature or reheated. The packages below are the core of what Sam's caters for events in Fresno and Clovis. Availability of specific items can rotate with the season.

Sam's most-ordered catering packages:

• Mini Sandwich Tray (Large). Our top-ordered catering package. A tray of smaller sandwiches built from Sam's sliced-to-order meats and cheeses on our fresh breads. Works for lunches, receptions, showers, and open houses where guests pick and graze rather than sit down for a meal.
• Executive Lunch Box. An individually packed box that typically includes a sandwich, side, and a sweet item. Sized for one person and built for office lunches, client meetings, and any event where separate boxes are easier than shared trays.
• Mini Sandwich Tray (Small). A smaller version of the mini tray for groups of 10 to 15. Same sandwiches, scaled down. Works well for team meetings, small birthdays, and intimate family events.
• Classic Antipasto Platter. A platter of imported Italian meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables, olives, and other antipasto items. Designed to set the table at the start of a gathering and give people something to graze on before the main food arrives.
• Focaccia Sandwich Tray (Large). A tray of our signature focaccia sandwiches on fresh daily tomato focaccia and fresh daily garlic herb butter white focaccia. Works for events where the sandwich is the centerpiece rather than a side.
• Nick's Gourmet Tray. A premium charcuterie-style tray featuring Calabrese salami, prosciutto, Madrigal Swiss, Grana Padano, marinated fresh mozzarella, marinated artichoke hearts, Peppadew peppers, and olives. Small serves 12 to 15. Large serves 20 to 25.
• Deli Style Sandwich Box. An individually portioned sandwich box built for offices, meetings, and casual group lunches. Each box contains a full Sam's sandwich and usually a side, designed for fast serving with no setup.

Hot entrees, deli salads by the pound, breads, and Italian desserts round out most catering orders. Customers can add lasagna, chicken Parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs, penne chicken Alfredo, meatballs with marinara, eggplant Parmigiana, and more to any tray-based order.

How much Italian food should I order per person?

Ordering catering works better when customers know roughly how much food the group is going to eat. These are the rules of thumb we use when customers ask, based on 45+ years of catering events in Fresno and Clovis. Every order is different, so our team will verify the numbers before we lock in the spread.

Rule-of-thumb portions for Italian catering:

• Sandwich trays. Plan for 1 to 1.5 sandwiches per person at a lunch, depending on how long the event runs. Mini sandwiches count as a half or two-thirds of a full sandwich.
• Antipasto platters. A Classic Antipasto Platter or Nick's Gourmet Tray is usually a starter or grazing piece, not a meal. Budget 2 to 4 ounces of antipasto per person as a starter alongside other food.
• Hot entrees. Plan for about 6 to 8 ounces of a pasta entree or a half-serving of lasagna per person. Hot entrees are typically paired with a salad or a smaller tray rather than served on their own.
• Deli salads. Budget 3 to 4 ounces of deli salad per person as a side. Pasta salads, potato salads, and vegetable salads fit well next to sandwich trays.
• Desserts. Plan for one to one-and-a-half dessert portions per person (cannoli, tiramisu, or a cookie tray). Slightly more for holiday events and weddings where dessert is part of the attraction.

The table below shows suggested catering package sizes for typical group counts. These are starting points, not hard rules. Our team will adjust for event length, whether food is the main course or a grazing spread, and any dietary considerations.

How does pickup and delivery work in Fresno and Clovis?

Sam's catering runs through either pickup at our First and Clinton location or local delivery in the Fresno and Clovis area. Delivery is handled by our team for larger orders so the food arrives ready to set out, not dropped at the curb.

Pickup and delivery rules for Sam's catering:

• Pickup location. 2415 N First Street in Fresno, at the corner of First and Clinton. Same place customers come in for a sandwich or groceries.
• Delivery area. Fresno and Clovis. Our catering team will confirm the delivery address and time window when the order is placed.
• Delivery hours. Monday through Saturday, 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Deliveries are scheduled around the customer's event time.
• Minimum order for delivery. $250. Orders under $250 are pickup only.
• Delivery fees. Free on orders over $500. $45 flat fee on orders between $250 and $500.
• Lead time. 24 hours minimum on every catering order. More notice is strongly recommended for weekends, holidays, and orders over $500.
• Cancellation policy. Cancellations require at least 24 hours notice for a full refund or credit. Orders canceled under 24 hours cannot be refunded because the food is already in production.

The 24-hour rule matters because catering food is prepped fresh. When a customer books an order, our kitchen blocks time, pulls product, and scales recipes for that headcount. Changes and cancellations inside the 24-hour window hit the food that has already been started, which is why the policy exists.

Which Sam's catering packages are the most popular?

Most catering customers in Fresno and Clovis gravitate toward a few core packages that handle the majority of what they need for their event. These are our most-ordered catering options, based on what our team builds every week.

The top-ordered Sam's catering packages, in order:

• Mini Sandwich Tray (Large). The most-ordered catering package at Sam's. Versatile, group-friendly, and priced for regular office and event use.
• Executive Lunch Box. The most-ordered individual-packaging option, typically for corporate lunches and client meetings.
• Mini Sandwich Tray (Small). Same format as the Large, sized for smaller groups.
• Classic Antipasto Platter. The most-ordered shared-starter platter, ideal for receptions, showers, and open houses.
• Focaccia Sandwich Tray (Large). The most-ordered focaccia-specific package, chosen when the sandwich is the centerpiece.
• Nick's Gourmet Tray (Large). The most-ordered premium tray, chosen when customers want to impress guests with charcuterie.
• Deli Style Sandwich Box. A go-to for offices that want individual packaging without the premium feel of an Executive Lunch Box.

New customers usually start with one of the top two. Returning customers mix and match across all seven depending on event type, headcount, and whether the catering is a grazing spread or a full lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sam's deliver catering in Fresno and Clovis?

Yes. Sam's delivers catering in the Fresno and Clovis area Monday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Delivery requires a $250 minimum order. Orders over $500 get free delivery, and orders between $250 and $500 have a $45 flat delivery fee.

How far in advance do I need to order catering from Sam's?

Every catering order from Sam's requires at least 24 hours advance notice so our kitchen has time to prep the food fresh. Larger orders, orders over $500, and catering for weekends and holiday dates benefit from more advance notice. Call early for December and Easter weeks.

What is the minimum order for Sam's catering delivery?

The minimum order for Sam's catering delivery in Fresno and Clovis is $250. Orders between $250 and $500 have a $45 delivery fee. Orders over $500 receive free delivery. Orders under $250 are available for pickup only at our First and Clinton location in Fresno.

What is Sam's catering cancellation policy?

Catering orders require at least 24 hours notice to cancel for a full refund or credit. Cancellations made inside the 24-hour window cannot be refunded, because the food is already in production at the time of cancellation. Always call our team as early as possible if plans change.

How do I order catering from Sam's?

Customers can order Sam's catering online through Toast or ChowNow, or by calling our First and Clinton location directly. For larger orders or custom spreads, calling is the better option because our catering team can walk through the menu, headcount, and delivery logistics together. Sam's Italian Deli & Market Catering

Can I customize a Sam's catering order for dietary needs or special requests?

Yes, Sam's catering orders can be adjusted for common dietary needs and special event requests. The easiest way to handle customization is to call our catering team at the time of ordering so we can walk through the spread, confirm ingredients, and suggest alternatives from the full deli and market.

How to order catering from Sam's

The best way to order Sam's catering is to start early and tell us what the event looks like. A few steps customers typically follow:

• Decide the headcount, date, and event type. Know roughly how many people, what time the food needs to be ready, and whether the food is a full meal or a grazing spread.
• Browse our catering menu online. Open Toast or ChowNow to see our packaged catering options, or visit our catering page to explore the full menu.
• Place your order at least 24 hours in advance. Use Toast or ChowNow for standard orders, or call Sam's directly for larger orders, custom spreads, or special-request events.
• Confirm pickup or delivery. Pickup at 2415 N First Street in Fresno, or local delivery in the Fresno and Clovis area Monday through Saturday, 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
• Let us handle the food. Our team preps your order fresh the day of your event using the same ingredients and recipes from the deli and market. The food arrives ready to set out and serve.

Forty-five years of catering in Fresno has taught us one thing. Good catering is not complicated. It is just real food, prepared the right way, delivered on time, for people who want to enjoy their event instead of worrying about the menu.

Ready to experience it yourself?