Shipping Container Catering Units

Shipping container catering units are a flexible, secure and cost-effective way to create food and drink service space for bars, cafés, kiosks, restaurants, fan zones and even modern hotels. Cleveland Containers converts new and used containers into bespoke catering units, with layouts, serving hatches, access points, ventilation, lighting and finishes tailored to your operation.

Available in 10ft, 20ft and 40ft sizes, each container catering unit is built in-house and can be tailored for food preparation, customer service, storage or a combination of uses. With a wide range of fit-out options and UK-wide delivery, our container catering units offer a fast, flexible alternative to traditional builds.

Converted ice cream kiosk with cladding and serving hatch
Converted ice cream kiosk with cladding and serving hatch
Converted ice cream kiosk with serving hatch and worktops
20ft shipping container bar conversion with worktops and a serving hatch
20ft shipping container bar conversion with worktops and a serving hatch
20ft shipping container bar conversion with custom exterior and serving hatch
Shipping container fan zone bars with bespoke signage and serving hatches
Shipping container bar conversion with counters and electrics
Shipping container bar conversion with counters and electrics

Container Catering Unit Features & Fit-Out Options

We start with a standard shipping container and convert it into a catering unit suited to your operation.

Every stage is managed in-house, from layout and access points to electrics, ventilation and finishes, helping the finished unit work efficiently on site.

Our offerings include:

Full electrics and internal lighting
Serving hatches, roller shutters or fold-down counters
Steel personnel doors and lockable windows
Non-slip flooring and hygienic wall linings
Extractor fans and built-in ventilation
Partition walls for prep, storage or service zones
External cladding and custom paintwork
Sinks and water heaters for washdown and food prep
Wooden or stainless steel worktops built to spec

Benefits of Container Catering Units

Shipping container catering units are strong, weatherproof, and easy to relocate, making them suitable for changing locations, seasonal demand and temporary trading environments.

Compared to brick-and-mortar alternatives, they reduce cost, installation time and planning complexity.
Whether you're operating seasonally or scaling up long-term, these units offer:

Compact footprint and fast deployment compared to traditional builds
Secure, lockable space when not in use
Reconfigurable layout options
Suitability for off-grid or temporary sites
UK-wide delivery and after-sales support

WHY CHOOSE CLEVELAND CONTAINERS FOR YOUR CATERING UNIT?

A shipping container catering unit offers a practical, durable and cost-effective way to create a professional food service space.

Quick to install and easy to relocate, container catering units provide a secure, self-contained environment suited to events, street food, festivals and permanent pitches alike. Cleveland Containers supplies bespoke catering units tailored to your exact requirements. From an initial idea through to the finished unit, we manage the entire process in-house, giving you one experienced team from start to finish. Our CAD team produces clear drawings before our skilled technicians carry out all modifications, ensuring each unit supports efficient workflow, safe food preparation and reliable day-to-day operation.

With consistent build quality, straightforward project management, and delivery to your chosen location, we provide catering units that are ready to trade from day one.

Concept

Start with an idea, a sketch, or a simple brief. We work with you to understand exactly how the container needs to function.

Visualise

Our CAD team produces clear drawings so you can see how your container will look and work before build begins.

Build

Skilled technicians carry out all modifications in-house, ensuring a robust, high-quality finish built for real-world use.

Completion

Your finished container is delivered to site, ready to be used for its intended purpose.

Container Catering Unit Uses

Our catering shipping containers are in use across the Leisure & Accommodation sector, supporting UK businesses in:

Events & Festivals - Robust mobile catering points that can be positioned, stocked and staffed quickly, ideal for high footfall environments. These units are also ideal for fan zones, where crowd-friendly food and drink access needs to be fast, secure and adaptable.
Hospitality Venues - Container bars, kitchens or café-style additions that help expand serving capacity outdoors or across the site, especially during peak periods.
Retail & Leisure Parks - Self-contained container kiosks built to fit your brand style and operational needs, whether for food, drink or dual-use.
Pop-Ups & Street Food - Compact container kitchens configured for mobility and storage, including easy access for food trucks or trading units.

OUR LATEST CATERING UNIT CONTAINER PROJECTS

Our latest catering unit shipping containers show how standard containers can be transformed into practical and eye-catching food service spaces.

Built on durable base units, each catering container is configured for efficient workflow, safe food preparation, and reliable day-to-day operation.

Hopetown Darlington

Ready in time for its opening day, we provided a converted outdoor food and beverage takeaway facility and an outdoor toilet block for the Darlington Railway Museum.

Leisure & Accommodation

Darlington

Mitchells & Butlers

The modifications team created a cool and stylish 10ft bar from a shipping container for a pub in Swindon.

Leisure & Accommodation

Swindon

Stoke City Football Club

Cleveland Containers supplied four custom 20ft bar conversions for Stoke City FC’s Boothen Quarter Fan Zone at the bet365 Stadium.

Leisure & Accommodation

Stoke-on-Trent

Order Your Container Catering Unit

Our team can supply shipping container catering units built to your specifications and delivered nationwide.

If you need to convert a single catering shipping container or develop a full cluster for a hospitality site, we’ll guide you through sizing and delivery.

Your container project starts here

From one container to a full project, you’re in control.

Start Your Project

FAQ

We convert 10ft, 20ft, and 40ft shipping containers into catering units, with options for custom-length cut-downs and combined builds to suit your site layout or service capacity.

Yes. Each catering shipping container is built to order. We install serving hatches, counters, partition walls, lighting, and non-slip flooring to match your operational needs.

While we don’t supply or fit catering appliances, our shipping container catering conversions include all the necessary infrastructure, such as electrics, ventilation, and extraction, so your supplier can install safely and easily.

Yes. Container catering units are ideal for festivals, pop-ups, and seasonal venues. They're fully secure, easy to relocate, and quick to deploy.

Planning permission may be required depending on where the unit will be placed, how long it will remain there, and how it will be used. We recommend checking with your local authority before installation.

Yes. Catering containers can be finished with custom paintwork, external cladding, signage fixings, serving hatches and other visual features to match your brand or venue.