How to Calculate Cost & Quantity of Catering Food
The best part about hiring a caterer is delegating someone else to prepare the food. You will still need to select a menu, figure the quantity of food needed and calculate the cost, but letting someone else worry about the cooking will reduce some of your entertaining related stress. Create a budget so you know how much money you are working with and if help you decide if you can afford to serve a meal or should stick with hors d'oeuvres. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Write out a guest list to determine the number of meals you will need for the event. Also consider the length of your event. The Caterista web site points out that "the longer guests remain, the more they'll consume." The site suggests if you are serving breakfast or lunch you plan on serving a 5-ounce entrée, but if you are serving dinner you might want to serve a 5- to 7-ounce entrée. This does not include hors d'oeuvres; if you are serving hors d'oeuvres serve six to eight pieces per person.
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Make a list of food you would like to serve such as beef, chicken or seafood. Visit different online catering sites like Just Catering, Gourmet Caterers and Tasty Catering, to get a few ideas of the food you would like to serve.
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Ask your catering company for the price per person based on the amount and type of food you'll need. Multiply the price by the number of people on your guest list. For example, if you are told $20 per plate and you have 100 guests you will pay $2,000. Take into consideration that the price can vary depending on whether you are having a buffet where people can pick up their own plates or a sit-down meal. Location can be a factor as well.
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References
- Photo Credit salmon steak image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
