Add up every cost of the event, divide by the guest count, then add a margin. ProfitDrawer's catering guide prices a 50-guest buffet: food $9.00, disposables $1.20, labor $10.80, kitchen rental $3.00, travel $0.80 and overhead $1.00 per person, for $25.80. Adding 20% gives $30.96, rounded to $31 per person, or $1,550 for the event. These are example numbers, not market rates.
How the per-person numbers are built in the example:
| Cost | Event total | Per person (50 guests) |
|---|---|---|
| Labor: 2 helpers x 6 hours x $20, plus your 10 hours x $30 | $540 | $10.80 |
| Kitchen rental: 6 hours x $25 | $150 | $3.00 |
| Fuel and travel | $40 | $0.80 |
At $31, food is about 29% of the price ($9.00 / $31.00).
Tips:
- Quote extras such as rentals, extra staff hours or delivery on top of the per-person price.
- Fewer guests means fixed costs like labor and kitchen rental are shared by fewer people, so the per-person price rises.
- Take a deposit when the client books, and set a date for the final guest count so you do not buy food for people who do not come.
The free price per job calculator can run this math for each quote.
Source: How to Start a Catering Business (From Home or a Rented Kitchen) · Updated
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