Catering Quantity Calculator

The Number of Courses input only scales the Side Dishes estimate, not the Meat / Protein figure -- a formal multi-course meal typically centers on a single main protein course regardless of how many appetizer, salad, or dessert courses surround it, so this calculator holds the protein allowance fixed per guest. Side Dishes scale up one-for-one with Number of Courses from 1 through 4 courses, then hold steady -- courses beyond four are typically a palate cleanser or an extra dessert round rather than another side-worthy course.

In a cocktail or heavy-appetizer format, small bites function as the entire meal rather than a starter before a plated or buffet main course, so this calculator allocates roughly 10 appetizer pieces per guest for that format versus 3-5 pieces for buffet or plated dinner service, while giving cocktail service a much smaller protein and side-dish portion since guests aren't also eating a separate seated meal.

At a buffet, guests serve themselves and tend to take somewhat more generous portions than a kitchen plating an exact serving would provide, so this calculator allocates 8 oz of protein and 6 oz of sides per guest for buffet service, compared to 6 oz of protein and 5 oz of sides for plated dinner service, where portion control is tighter.

Drinks Estimate assumes 2-3 drinks per guest in the first hour of the event (2 for buffet or plated service, 3 for cocktail-format events, which tend to be drink-forward) plus 1 more drink per guest for every additional hour, using the Event Duration input -- so a longer event raises the estimate proportionally. Non-Alcoholic Drinks is a flat 1 per guest regardless of duration or meal type, meant as a baseline rather than a duration-scaled figure. Neither output is broken out by specific beverage type, so use them alongside your own sense of your guests' drinking habits.

Yes -- these figures are reasonable per-person planning averages, but actual consumption varies with your specific guest mix (a crowd skewing toward larger appetites, a long cocktail hour before dinner, or a hot day driving up drink consumption can all push real needs above the estimate). Most caterers build in some margin above calculated minimums, and it's worth doing the same rather than ordering to the exact number.