Catering Calculator: How Much Food for Your Group
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Tell the calculator how many people you are feeding and how you want to serve it. It shows how much to order, what Zerocater groups that size spent, and how far ahead they booked. Then pick a group size below to see the catering partners that fit.
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Lunch 
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Appetizers 
Dinner
How much food to order
What to order: lunch for 40 people, buffet
| Plates | 50 |
|---|---|
| Pans per main dish | 1 to 2 |
| Pans per side dish | 2 |
| Serving lines | 1 |
| Time to serve everyone | about 12 minutes (6 serving from both sides) |
Lunch orders for groups this size cost $16 to $24 a person before tax. Estimated for 40 people: about $640 to $960. Half were placed 1 to 15 days ahead.
What to order for 40 people
The same numbers the calculator gives, for every way of serving the food. Counts round up to whole units.
| Meals to order | 42 to 44 |
|---|---|
| Spares included | 2 to 4 |
| Plates | 50 |
|---|---|
| Pans per main dish | 1 to 2 |
| Pans per side dish | 2 |
| Serving lines | 1 |
| Time to serve everyone | about 12 minutes (6 serving from both sides) |
| Medium main trays (each feeds 12 to 15) | 3 to 4 |
|---|---|
| Vegetable trays | 2 |
| Fruit trays | 2 |
| Dessert trays | 2 |
| Serving lines | 1 |
|---|---|
| Taco bar | |
| Tacos | 120 to 160 |
| Tortillas | 160 to 200 |
| Cooked protein (lb) | 10 to 15 |
| Pasta bar | |
| Dry pasta (lb) | 10 to 13 |
| Sauce (quarts) | 5 |
| Protein (lb) | 5 |
| Salad bar | |
| Greens (lb) | 5 to 8 |
| Protein (lb) | 5 to 8 |
| Dressing (quarts) | 3 |
| Sandwich bar | |
| Sandwiches | 60 |
| Deli meat (lb) | 8 to 10 |
| Pieces, before a meal | 120 to 200 |
|---|---|
| Pieces, with drinks | 320 |
| Pieces, as a light meal | 400 to 480 |
| Pieces, instead of dinner | 480 to 600 |
Lunch orders for groups this size cost $16 to $24 a person before tax. Estimated for 40 people: about $640 to $960. Half were placed 1 to 15 days ahead.
How much food per person
| Food | Per person |
|---|---|
| BBQ meat, two or more proteins | 1/3 lb cooked |
| BBQ meat, one protein or BBQ is the whole meal | 1/2 lb cooked |
| Fajita or taco meat | 4 to 6 oz cooked |
| Tacos | 3, or 4 when tacos are the meal |
| Pasta at a pasta bar | 4 to 5 oz dry |
| Pasta from trays | a half tray feeds 8 to 10 as one dish among several, about 6 as the only pasta |
| Salad bar protein | 2 to 3 oz |
| Sandwiches | 1.5 |
| Pizza | 2 to 3 slices (a large pie cuts into 8) |
| Sushi as the meal | 10 to 12 pieces |
| Sushi with other food | 4 to 6 pieces |
| Appetizers | 3 to 5 before a meal, 10 to 12 as a light meal, 12 to 15 instead of dinner |
| Rice and curry (Indian) | 1 cup rice, 1/2 cup of each curry, 1.5 to 2 naan |
| Coffee, morning meeting | 1.5 cups (a to-go box holds 10 to 12 cups) |
| Drinks, two-hour event | 2 to 3 drinks and 1 lb of ice |
| Yogurt bar | 6 to 8 oz yogurt, 1/4 cup granola, 1/2 cup fruit |
Catering by group size
Large Groups (200+) Staging, lead time and catering partners for 200+. Learn More about Large Groups (200+) Looking for more food options for your office?
Zerocater partners with hundreds of chefs, restaurants, caterers and food trucks in your area to provide curated menus designed to evolve with your team’s tastes, preferences, and budget. Zerocater’s office catering experts are ready to help you with your company’s catering needs!
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Not sure where to start? Browse by meal, cuisine, dietary need, or occasion and jump straight to the catering partners that fit.
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