Catering is a fantastic way to spice up any event. From corporate lunches to family weddings, event catering takes the stress of cooking out of your hands and leaves you with a full stomach. There are various things to consider before booking a catering service for your event, with the main one being the costs.
How much does event catering cost? It depends on many factors – such as the type of catering you’re looking for – but we will break down all of the average prices and fees for you below.
Average Buffet Cost Per Head
Firstly, buffets are typically charged per head, which refers to how many people will be partaking in the buffet itself. Again, the average costs do vary throughout the industry based on numerous factors.
Average Cost of Buffet Catering
Typically, buffet catering costs between £6 – £15 per head. The discrepancies in price are largely down to companies and their own rates, though there are different influences that we will discuss later on!
BBQ Catering Cost
If you’re interested in BBQ catering for your buffet, you are looking at around £10 – £30 per head. The reason for the price increase is because more equipment is needed for a BBQ, and the food is cooked on-site for you.
Average Cost of Office Lunches
An office lunch is a great way to treat employees after a hard week at work. Many companies hire event catering services every Friday as a treat, and the costs begin at £8 per platter. Prices can rise depending on the complexity of your platter!
You also have many other catering options to choose from – we’ve listed the main ones below, as well as the average prices for them:
- Starters: £6 – £15 per head
- Buffet style mains: £10 – £30 per head
- Table mains: £15 – £45 per head
- Desserts: £5 – £10 per head
- After dinner cheeses: £4 – £10 per head
- Canapes: £6 – £14 per head
- Tea & Coffee: £2 – £4 per head
- Evening Food: £5 – £15 per head
Please be aware that all of the average prices shown above will include VAT. If you spot catering companies offering much cheaper prices, check to see if they’re added VAT on or not. Don’t be fooled into thinking you’re getting a great deal, only to end up with VAT charges that make your event catering more expensive than you’d like.
Catering Company Prices
The size of your group will be a key factor in determining how much event catering costs. Naturally, the more people there are to serve, the more food is required, leading to more expensive costs. To give you some sort of reference for how much your event might cost to cater, read below:
How much does Catering for 50 Guests Cost?
Of course, the costs do depend on the style of catering you are looking for. With buffets, when you take into account starters and mains, you could look at anything between £6 and £45 per head, translating to around £300 – £1,350 for 50 guests.
A sit-down meal with three courses can cost between £25 and £70 per head, so £1,250 – £3,500 for 50 guests.
How much does Catering for 125 Guests Cost?
Using those same figures, we can work out that buffet catering for 125 guests can be between £750 and £5,625.
For sit-down meals, it would rise to around £3,125 – £8,750.
How much does Catering for 150 Guests Cost?
If you have 150 guests, you’re looking at buffet catering for approximately £900 – £4,050.
For sit-down catering, it’s around £3,750 – £10,500.
How much does Catering for 250 Guests Cost?
If you have 250 guests, the average costs are around £1,500 – £11,250 for buffet catering.
If you’d prefer a sit-down meal of three courses, it would be between £6,250 – £17,500.
Of course, all of these prices are averages and the exact amount depends on the catering company you’ve chosen, along with some other factors that we’ll discuss in the next section.
Things To Consider That Could Change Your Catering Costs
What can influence the cost of event catering, besides the size of your group?
Location
Where is your event located? Naturally, an event hosted in Central London will be more expensive than one on the outskirts of the city – or even further away. As with all services, the geographical location plays a vital role in the going rates.
Event
What type of event are you hosting? Weddings tend to be expensive events as a lot of food is required, while an office lunch can be more affordable as it’s easier to provide catering for, and the numbers are much lower.
Food Quality
The quality of the food dictates the price of catering in a lot of instances. If you want high-quality food, be prepared to pay a premium price. As the old saying goes; you get what you pay for.
Staff
The number of catering staff required at your event is going to have a big impact on the rate. This ties into the point about your event; certain events require more staff than others, particularly if it’s a sit-down meal that requires table service. Catering companies need to pay the people that work for them, and this is reflected in the cost of catering for that event. One of the best ways to reduce the cost of catering is to demand less staff at your event. This is why buffets are so popular as they don’t require a lot of catering staff, reducing the overall costs.
Contact Faze Caterers For Any Event Catering Enquiries
Are you looking for a professional and reliable event catering service? Call Faze Caterers today, and we can discuss everything over the phone. Our team has lots of industry experience and is capable of catering for a whole plethora of events. From office lunches and corporate catering to wedding catering and BBQ catering – with everything in between. We’ve got you covered, so call us today to enquire!
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