Catering & events / Portions
Plan catering portions
Work out portions and trays for one menu item.
Event plan
Portions to prepare
Enter guests.
How it works
Put in your numbers
Use your own rates, times and measurements.
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It works it out as you type.
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Send it on, or keep it with the job.
What it covers: Plan portions and whole trays for one menu item.
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How to work out catering portions for an event
Running short of food is stressful, but ordering too much wastes money. Planning one menu item at a time keeps it simple. This planner turns guests and portions per guest into base portions, extra portions, whole trays or batches and an optional food cost.
- Pick one menu item, such as a dish, snack or canapé. Repeat the planner for each item on the menu.
- Enter the guests expected and the portions per guest for this item. For canapés this is pieces per guest, and for a plated main it is often one.
- Add an extra allowance as a percentage to cover second helpings, late additions or spills. Base it on how past events went.
- Enter the portions one tray or batch gives. The planner works out whole trays or batches.
- Open Costs, choose your currency and add a food cost per portion if you want the food cost. It is worked out on all planned portions, including the extra.
- Read the portions to prepare, with the base portions, extra portions and whole trays or batches. Use them to order ingredients and plan the kitchen.
Tips and common mistakes
- Do not use the same portions per guest for every item. Guests take less of each item when the menu has more choices.
- Keep the extra allowance sensible. Track leftovers after each event and tune the percentage.
- Rounding up to whole trays already adds some food on top of your allowance, so check the total before adding more.
- Check the rules where you work on food safety, including how long food can be held and at what temperature.
Questions
How much food do I need per person for a party?
Decide portions per guest for each item based on your menu, the time of day and how long the event runs. Multiply by the number of guests and add a small extra allowance. No fixed amount suits every event, so use your own past events as a guide.
How many canapés per person should I plan?
It depends on whether canapés are the whole meal or come before a main, and how long they are served. Set the pieces per guest for each canapé, multiply by guests and add an allowance. Plan each variety as its own item.
How do I work out how many trays of food to make?
Multiply guests by portions per guest, add your extra allowance, then divide by the portions in one tray or batch. Always round up to a whole tray. As an illustration, 132 portions at 24 per tray needs 6 trays.
What extra percentage should I add for catering?
Use an allowance based on your past events. A very popular dish, an uncertain guest count or self-service often needs more. Record leftovers each time and adjust the percentage for next time.
How do I cost catering per guest?
Work out a food cost per portion from your recipe and ingredient prices and enter it in the planner to get the food cost for that item. Divide the food cost by the number of guests to get a cost per guest. Add up all items for the full menu.
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