How much does catering cost per head in the UK?

Self-catered buffets cost £5-£12 per head. Catered buffets run £15-£30. Sit-down meals from caterers cost £25-£60 per head. Canapes are £8-£20 per person for 6-10 pieces. Drinks add £10-£25 per head depending on whether you include alcohol.

How do I reduce catering costs?

Self-cater with batch-cooked dishes. Choose a buffet over a sit-down meal. Limit the bar to beer, wine, and one cocktail. Buy drinks wholesale. Ask guests to bring a bottle. Serve fewer courses. Choose seasonal ingredients and avoid premium items.

Do I need to hire catering staff?

For a sit-down meal with 40+ guests, you will need waiting staff (typically £12-£18 per hour each). Buffets need fewer staff. Self-catered events can manage without hired staff for under 30 guests if friends help. Allow 1 waiter per 20-25 guests for a buffet, 1 per 10-12 for table service.

What percentage of my budget should go on catering?

Food and drink typically account for 35-45% of a total party budget. For weddings, it can be 40-50%. If your venue includes catering, this combined cost (venue + food) might be 60-70% of total spend.

Catering Budget Calculator — Food & Drink Costs

Budget for food and drink costs per head for any party or event.

Number of Guests

Total number of people attending

Service TypeSets the default per-head food rate if you leave Food Cost per Head blank

Food Cost per Head

Food spend per guest (leave blank to use a typical rate for the service type)

Drinks Cost per Head

Drinks spend per guest — UK average £10-25 with alcohol

Staff / Waiting Costs

Total cost of waiting or bar staff (typically £12-18/hr each)

Equipment Hire

Crockery, glassware, linen, chafing dishes and other hire

Catering Budget

Total amount you have available for catering

How We Calculate This

This calculator estimates total catering costs from per-head food and drink rates plus fixed costs, then adds a service charge, optional gratuity and a contingency buffer.

Formula

Food total = food cost per head × guests
Drinks total = drinks cost per head × guests
Subtotal = food + drinks + staff + equipment hire
Total catering = subtotal × (1 + service charge% + gratuity% + contingency%)
Cost per head = total catering ÷ guests
Budget remaining = your budget − total catering

Defaults applied in Advanced Options: 12.5% service charge (the UK convention for waited catering), 0% gratuity and a 5% contingency buffer. Leave Food Cost per Head blank to use a typical UK rate for your chosen service style (self-catered ≈ £8, catered buffet ≈ £22, sit-down ≈ £42, canapés ≈ £14 per head).

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Adjust quantities based on your guests and event type.