Free tool for caterers and restaurant owners
Catering price per person calculator
Price per guest = (food + labor + rentals + overhead) ÷ guests ÷ (1 − margin). In the example, an event for 80 guests costs $1,040 of food, $720 of labor, $400 of rentals and disposables and a $240 share of overhead: $2,400 in all, or $30.00 a guest. For a 25% margin the price is $30.00 ÷ 0.75 = $40.00 a guest, $3,200 for the event, leaving $800 of profit; food is 32.5% of the price.
Last updated 2026-11-12.
- Price per guest
- Cost per guest
- Event price
- Event cost
- Profit
- Food cost % of the price
Check the inputs: guests and food above 0, other costs not negative, margin from 0% to below 100%.
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Example scenarios
Three sets of example inputs worked through the same formulas as the calculator above. They are illustrations, not averages or statistics.
| Scenario | Inputs | Cost per guest | Price per guest | Event price | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 30 guests; food $360, labor $240, rentals $0, overhead $90; 20% margin | $23.00 | $28.75 | $862.50 | $172.50 |
| Typical | 80 guests; food $1,040, labor $720, rentals $400, overhead $240; 25% margin | $30.00 | $40.00 | $3,200.00 | $800.00 |
| High | 200 guests; food $4,200, labor $2,600, rentals $1,800, overhead $900; 30% margin | $47.50 | $67.86 | $13,571.43 | $4,071.43 |
Method: Event cost = food + labor + rentals + overhead share; cost per guest = event cost ÷ guests; price per guest = cost per guest ÷ (1 − margin %); event price = price per guest × guests; food cost % = food ÷ event price. Figures checked against the same formulas on 2026-11-12.
How the calculator works
Add up what the event costs you: food, labor for prep, service, cleanup and travel, rentals and disposables, and a share of your overhead such as kitchen rent, insurance and vehicle costs. Divided by the guests, that is the cost per guest.
The margin is profit as a share of the price, so the price is cost ÷ (1 − margin): a 25% margin means the cost is 75% of the price. That is different from a 25% markup on cost, which gives a lower price.
Worked example
80 guests: $1,040 of food, $720 of labor, $400 of rentals and disposables and $240 of overhead make $2,400, or $30.00 a guest.
With a 25% margin the price is $30.00 ÷ 0.75 = $40.00 a guest and $3,200 for the event. The profit is $3,200 − $2,400 = $800, and food is $1,040 ÷ $3,200 = 32.5% of the price.
Choosing the inputs
Labor is staff hours × hourly cost including payroll taxes, counted for prep, travel, service and cleanup. For overhead, one way is to divide a month's fixed costs by the events you run in a month.
Compare the result with local catering prices before you quote, and add sales tax, service charges or gratuity the way your area requires. This is an estimate, not financial or tax advice.
What this tool does not do
It does not cost the menu for you, add tax, or handle deposits and minimum guest counts. It is arithmetic on your numbers and keeps nothing after you close the page.
Questions
Is a 25% margin the same as a 25% markup?
No. A 25% markup on $30.00 gives $37.50; a 25% margin gives $40.00, because the profit is 25% of the price, not of the cost.
Should rentals be in the price per guest?
Many caterers list rentals separately on the quote. Enter 0 for rentals here and bill them as their own line if you do.
Does this page store my numbers?
No. The math runs in your browser; nothing is sent or saved.
Made by Bardach Technologies. We also make Larderly, a separate food cost sheet for Excel and Google Sheets that works out the food cost of every dish, plus a weekly stock count (USD 29.99, instant download on Gumroad). It can give you the food cost line for a catering menu; it does not build catering quotes. This calculator is free and needs no sign-up; nothing is charged on this page. Get Larderly on Gumroad (USD 29.99)