What changes the price per person
- The menu: the number of dishes, how many are hot, and premium items such as seafood or beef.
- The service level: drop-off costs least; setup adds equipment and a second trip; staffed service adds staff hours.
- Serveware: disposable is simplest; reusable serveware is collected after the event and may carry a charge or deposit.
- Extras: table decoration, hot holding equipment and drinks are separate lines.
- Logistics: the route, the delivery window, building access and how long service runs.
- Guest count: some costs, such as delivery and setup, are shared across guests, so the per-person price usually falls as the group grows.
What a complete quote should list
Compare catering quotes on the whole service, not one per-person number. A complete quote lists the dishes and portions, delivery, equipment, setup, any staff and their hours, cleanup scope, serveware, extras, taxes or invoice basis, and payment and cancellation terms. If a quote leaves one of these out, ask, because it is often where the difference is.
Our three service levels
Classic: drop-off in an agreed window with disposable serveware. Signature: delivery and buffet setup with reusable serveware, collected after. Prestige: setup plus staff who stay to serve and clear, reusable serveware and table decoration. Each tier comes with a default number of dishes that you can change.
How to keep the cost down
- Choose drop-off for internal meetings where your team can serve.
- Favour dishes that do not need hot holding.
- Give a flexible delivery window instead of an exact minute.
- Confirm the final headcount before the order is fixed, so you do not pay for empty seats.