How to quote for catering jobs
Catering is the one profession where the quote and the profit can be separated by a single phone call: "we're now 90, not 70". This guide covers how to build a per-head price that holds, how to staff an event properly, and the terms that stop late headcount changes from wiping out your margin.
Build a per-head catering quote — menu, staffing, hire and headcount terms — in minutes with QuoteRocket.
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How to price a catering job
Build the price per head from raw ingredient cost, then layer staffing, hire, transport and overheads on top. A per-head figure plucked from a competitor's website tells you nothing about your kitchen, your suppliers or your travel.
1. Cost the menu per head, ingredient by ingredient
Price each dish at your current supplier cost, including the trimmings and wastage you actually generate — a 200g cooked portion is rarely 200g bought. Add 5–10% for spoilage and the extra portions you always make. This is your raw food cost per head, and everything else builds on it.
2. Apply a food cost percentage
Most event caterers target food at 25–35% of the food element of the price. If your raw cost is £11 a head, a 30% target puts the food line at roughly £37. Buffets and canapés sit at the lower cost end; multi-course plated service with premium proteins at the higher.
3. Staff the event to a real ratio, and bill it
Plated service usually needs one server per 10–15 guests, buffets one per 25–30, plus kitchen staff, a supervisor for larger events, and travel time each way. Bill staff hours from arrival on site to the end of clear-down — not just service — and include the setup hours nobody sees.
4. Itemise hire, equipment and transport
Crockery, cutlery, glassware, linen, chafing dishes, hot boxes, a mobile kitchen or generator for a field wedding, and the van run to collect and return it all. Add a breakage allowance on hired glass and china; it happens at every event.
5. Fix a headcount deadline and a minimum
State the final numbers deadline — typically 10–14 days before — and that numbers can rise but not fall after it. Add a minimum spend or minimum guest count for the date. This one clause is the difference between a profitable Saturday and cooking for 90 while being paid for 70.
What to put on a caterer quote
- Menu by course, with dietary and allergen alternatives
- Confirmed guest number and the price per head
- Service style: canapés, buffet, family-style or plated
- Staff attending, their roles and hours on site
- Setup, service and clear-down times
- Crockery, cutlery, glassware and linen hire
- Kitchen equipment, hot boxes or on-site kitchen requirements
- Transport, mileage and any overnight costs
- Final headcount deadline and how changes are priced
- Deposit, balance date, cancellation terms and VAT treatment
Realistic UK price ranges for caterers
Indicative UK figures for 2026, excluding VAT. Premium proteins, London venues and remote sites without kitchen facilities push these upward.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Canapé reception (6–8 pieces per head) | £16 – £35 pp |
| Hot fork buffet | £22 – £40 pp |
| Three-course plated wedding service | £45 – £95 pp |
| Front-of-house staff per hour | £16 – £26 |
| Chef / kitchen staff per hour | £20 – £35 |
| Crockery, cutlery & glass hire per head | £3 – £8 |
Run your own numbers in the free quote calculator or check your margin with the markup & margin calculator.
Common quoting mistakes for caterers
- Quoting a per-head price with staffing baked in invisibly, then having no way to charge for the extra server the venue insists on.
- Costing ingredients at last season's prices — proteins and dairy move fast enough to erase a margin between quote and event.
- Ignoring travel and clear-down hours; a 6pm dinner two hours away is a 14-hour day for your team.
- No final headcount deadline, so numbers move twice in the last week and you absorb both changes.
- Forgetting kit for sites with no kitchen — generator, water, hot boxes and a prep tent are costs, not goodwill.
- Not putting dietary and allergen alternatives in writing, which turns into free extra dishes on the day.
Pricing FAQs
How much should a caterer charge per head in the UK?
In 2026, a hot fork buffet typically runs £22–£40 per head and three-course plated wedding service £45–£95, before VAT and staffing. Always build your own figure from ingredient cost and a target food cost percentage rather than matching a competitor's headline price.
What food cost percentage should event caterers target?
25–35% of the food element of the price is the usual target. Below 25% you are probably underserving the plate; above 35% the job struggles to carry staffing, hire, transport and your overheads.
How many staff do I need for a catered event?
Roughly one server per 10–15 guests for plated service and one per 25–30 for buffets, plus kitchen staff and a supervisor once you pass about 60 guests. Quote the hours from arrival to clear-down, not just the service window.
When should the final headcount be confirmed?
Ten to fourteen days before the event, with a written clause that numbers can increase but not decrease after that date. Ordering and staffing both get locked in at that point, so the cost is already committed.
Build a per-head catering quote — menu, staffing, hire and headcount terms — in minutes with QuoteRocket.
Accepted in one tap, invoiced in one click. Free trial, no card needed.
More reading
Want the long-form version with a worked example? How to quote a catering job →