Know your cost per head before you quote.
CostReady turns a menu, a guest count, and your staffing into a price per head you can defend, and keeps it right when supplier costs move.
The problem
Catering quotes go wrong in the gap between the menu and the invoice. Food is the easy part. What gets missed is the staff hours on site, the travel to a venue two counties away, the hire that came back short, and the guest count that dropped from 120 to 96 after you had already bought. Quote per head on food cost alone and a fully booked season can still lose money.
How you sell, per head, per platter, or per event
You quote per head, per platter, or per event, so that is how CostReady costs. Enter the food for the whole event, the guests you are serving, and your staff and travel, and you get a defensible per-head figure with the event total beside it. Change the guest count and everything re-prices, because the fixed costs do not fall just because the numbers did.
How a quote comes together
Cost the menu for the event
Enter what each dish costs to produce for the whole booking, not per portion. Buying is done in event quantities, so cost it that way.
Add staff, travel and hire
Hours on site at your real staff rate, the round trip to the venue, and anything hired in. These are the lines that decide whether an event makes money.
Divide by guests, then add margin
You get a per-head price with the event total beside it. Change the guest count and every figure follows.
Where catering quotes lose money
The lines that get missed
- Staff hours on site: two staff for an eight hour wedding at £14 an hour is £224 before anyone eats.
- Travel: a 90 mile round trip in a loaded van is fuel, wear, and two hours nobody is being paid for.
- Hire and disposables: chafers, linen, and crockery, plus whatever comes back broken.
- Prep the day before: the kitchen hours that happen before the event starts still cost you.
| A 100 guest buffet | Food only | Fully costed |
|---|---|---|
| Food for the event | £850 | £850 |
| Staff on site and prep | Not counted | £392 |
| Travel and hire | Not counted | £165 |
| Cost per head | £8.50 | £14.07 |
| Quoted at £16 per head | Looks like 47% margin | Actually 12% |
Calculators for caterers
Free, no signup. Pick what you sell for tailored guidance and a FAQ for that product.
Guides for caterers
Cornerstone caterer guide. The full method from menu cost to quoted price per head, covering staff, travel, hire and margin.
Catering Cost Per Head: How to Work It Out (UK)The per-head calculation itself, why it moves with guest count, and the fixed costs that do not scale.
How to Price a Buffet (UK)Buffet specifics: quantity per head, the replenishment problem, and why buffets are cheaper to staff than plated service.
Pricing Catering Labour and Travel (UK)The two lines that decide whether an event makes money, and how to price both without losing bookings.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do I work out a catering cost per head?
Total the food for the whole event, add staff hours on site, travel, and any hire or disposables, then divide by the guest count and apply your margin. Dividing food cost alone by guests is the single most common way caterers underquote.
What food cost percentage should a caterer aim for?
Food is commonly 25 to 35 percent of the price per head for UK event catering. Below 25 percent usually means you have underestimated staffing rather than that you are doing well; above 35 percent leaves too little for labour, travel, and profit.
Should I charge for travel separately?
Either include it in the per-head figure or show it as a separate line, but never absorb it. A 90 mile round trip with a van and two staff is a real cost, and it does not shrink because the booking is small.
What happens when the guest count drops?
Your fixed costs do not drop with it. Staff, travel, and hire stay much the same whether you serve 96 or 120, so the cost per head rises. Re-cost at the confirmed number and set a minimum charge for small events.
Do I need a different price for a buffet and a plated meal?
Yes, and the difference is mostly labour. A buffet is served once; a plated meal needs staff through the whole service. The food can be near identical while the staffing cost is very different.