Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Price per head
$29.67
Total event quote
$2,967
Total cost per head
$17.80
Total labor cost
$480
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How to use this
- 1Enter guest count.
- 2Enter food cost per head ($).
- 3Enter total staff hours needed.
- 4Enter blended staff pay rate ($/hr).
- 5Enter rentals + delivery + misc fixed ($).
- 6Enter target gross margin (%).
- 7Read your price per head on the right — it updates as you type.
- 8Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Catering pricing has more moving pieces than a la carte menu pricing because labor, delivery, rentals, and service staff all scale with the event rather than sitting in fixed overhead. This calculator builds a quote from the ground up: per-head food cost, staffing hours needed for the guest count, rental and delivery flat fees, then applies your target margin to land on a per-head price and total event quote. A common mistake is pricing catering at the same food-cost percentage as the dining room — catering typically needs a higher margin, often 35-45% gross margin versus 65-70% for standard dine-in, because of the added labor for setup, service, and breakdown that a plate at the restaurant doesn't require. Always quote a guest-count range with a minimum guarantee, since catering costs (especially rentals and staffing) don't shrink proportionally if the final headcount drops.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Guest count: 100
- Food cost per head: 9 $
- Total staff hours needed: 20
- Blended staff pay rate: 24 $/hr
- Rentals + delivery + misc fixed: 400 $
- Target gross margin: 40 %
Results
- Price per head: $29.67
- Total event quote: $2,967
- Total cost per head: $17.80
- Total labor cost: $480
What each field means
Inputs
- Guest count
- The guest count used in the calculation. Starts at 100 so you have a working example on load.
- Food cost per head ($)
- The food cost per head used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 9 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Total staff hours needed
- The total staff hours needed used in the calculation. Starts at 20 so you have a working example on load.
- Blended staff pay rate ($/hr)
- The blended staff pay rate used in the calculation, measured in $/hr. Starts at 24 $/hr so you have a working example on load.
- Rentals + delivery + misc fixed ($)
- The rentals + delivery + misc fixed used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 400 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Target gross margin (%)
- The target gross margin used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 40 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 5–70 %.
Results
- Price per head
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total event quote
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total cost per head
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total labor cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why does catering need higher margin than dine-in?
Catering carries costs the dining room doesn't: transport, setup and breakdown labor, equipment rental, and the risk of a one-off event with no repeat-customer relationship to fall back on if something goes wrong. A 35-45% gross margin is standard versus 65-70% typical for in-restaurant sales.
Should I quote a flat price or per-head with a minimum?
Per-head with a stated minimum guest count protects you when headcounts shrink close to the date, since your fixed costs (delivery, rental minimums, base staffing) don't shrink with a few fewer guests. Most caterers lock the guaranteed minimum 48-72 hours before the event.
How do I estimate staff hours for an event?
Rule of thumb for plated service: 1 server per 15-20 guests plus kitchen staff scaled to menu complexity, each working the full event window plus 1-2 hours setup and 1 hour breakdown. Buffet service needs fewer servers but more setup/breakdown labor.
What if the client wants a tasting before booking?
Charge for it, typically $25-75 per person credited toward the final invoice if they book. Free tastings are a common way caterers erode margin before the contract is even signed.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Catering Quote Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/catering-quote-calculator
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/catering-quote-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Catering Quote Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Catering Quote Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/catering-quote-calculator) (2026).