How to use the catering cost per head calculator
- Enter the catering quote and the number of guests.
- Optionally enter flat delivery, setup or rental fees, a service charge percent, a sales tax percent and a tip percent.
- Read the cost per guest, the total, and each part of the total.
- Compare the total cost per guest with the quote alone to see how much the extras add.
Formula
Service charge = quote x service charge %
Sales tax = (quote + fees + service charge) x tax %
Tip = (quote + fees) x tip %
Total = quote + fees + service charge + sales tax + tip Cost per guest = total / guests
Whether tax and tip apply to each part depends on your caterer and location. Enter the figures from your own quote.
A $4,200 quote for 70 guests
With no extras, $4,200 / 70 guests = $60.00 per guest.
Now add $200 of fees, a 20% service charge, 8% tax and a 10% tip. The service charge is $4,200 x 20% = $840. Tax is ($4,200 + $200 + $840) x 8% = $419.20. The tip is ($4,200 + $200) x 10% = $440. The total is $6,099.20, so the cost per guest is $87.13, compared with $60.00 for the quote alone.
Why the quote is not the cost
A quote often covers food and service labor but leaves out charges that appear later. A service charge, delivery, rentals, tax and a tip can add a large share to the base price, so cost per guest from the quote alone can mislead when you compare caterers. Entering each charge separately shows where the increase comes from.
If a quote already includes tax or a service charge, leave that box blank so you do not count it twice.
Budgeting for the event
Use the per guest figure to compare options or to see how a change in guest count moves the budget. A smaller group may cost more per head if there are fixed fees. To plan quantities rather than prices, see the party food and drink calculator, and to add staffing, the bartender staffing calculator.
For a whole celebration use the wedding budget calculator, and for splitting a tip on your own, the tip calculator.
Assumptions and limits
- Fees, percents and the guest count are numbers you enter from your quote.
- Tax applies to the quote, fees and service charge, and the tip applies to the quote plus fees.
- Drinks, gratuity policies and deposits are not modeled unless included in the numbers.
- Prices and tax rules vary, so check your contract.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate catering cost per person?
Divide the total cost by the number of guests. A $4,200 quote for 70 guests is $60 per guest before any extras.
What extras should I add?
Add any fees, service charge, sales tax and tip that are not already in the quote. Leave a box blank if it is already included.
Is tax applied to the service charge?
That depends on the caterer and location, so the tool applies tax to the quote, fees and service charge. Check your contract and adjust the figures if yours differs.
Why does cost per head change with the guest count?
Fixed fees spread over fewer guests raise the cost for each one, while the same fees over more guests lower it.