Catering Food Quantity per Person
Plan how much of each dish to cook for weddings, conferences and parties, based on guest count, veg and non-veg mix and the number of menu items.
How to use the free Catering Food Quantity per Person
- Enter your figures in the fields above – use real numbers from your PMS, channel manager or accounts.
- Tap the button to see the result instantly. Change any value to compare scenarios.
- Copy, print or save the result and use it in your daily or monthly review.
This Catering Food Quantity per Person runs fully in your browser on mobile or desktop – no sign-up and nothing is uploaded. Free catering quantity calculator. Enter guests, veg/non-veg split and menu items to get kg of starters, mains, rice, breads and desserts to prepare.
How catering quantities are worked out
Experienced caterers do not multiply a fixed portion by every dish. When the menu has more items, guests take a smaller helping of each, but the total they eat in that category rises only a little. This calculator follows the same logic.
Per item quantity = Category per guest ÷ Items × Eaters × (1 + Buffer %)
Base portions per guest (cooked weight) for dinner are: starters 120 g in total, veg mains 150 g, non-veg mains 175 g, rice or biryani 150 g, breads 2.5 pieces and desserts 100 g. Lunch uses slightly lighter starters. High tea increases snacks and cuts mains, rice and breads to small portions.
Worked example
A dinner for 200 guests, 60% vegetarian, with three starters and a 5% buffer: starters total 120 × 1.4 = 168 g per guest, or 56 g of each item. That is 56 × 200 × 1.05 = about 11.8 kg of each starter. With two veg mains and one non-veg main, the 120 veg guests and half of the 80 non-veg guests are counted for veg mains, so each veg main needs about 15.1 kg.
Tips for accurate planning
- Confirm the guaranteed number 48 to 72 hours ahead and record it on the function sheet.
- Live counters such as chaat, dosa or pasta reduce the quantity guests take from the buffet; trim mains slightly.
- Wedding and late-night events usually eat more than corporate lunches.
- Raw rice is roughly 40% of cooked weight; each roti needs about 35 g of atta.
- Keep a buffer of 5 to 10%, not more; large buffers become waste.
Record the confirmed menu and numbers in a banquet event order, and price the plate with the banquet menu pricing calculator. GST on outdoor catering is usually 5%, or 18% at specified premises; check with your CA. All figures here are planning estimates.
Frequently asked questions
How much food per person should I plan for an Indian dinner buffet?
A common guide is about 120 g of starters, 150 g of veg mains, 150 g of rice, 2 to 3 breads and 100 g of dessert per guest, adjusted for the number of items and the crowd.
Does adding more dishes mean more food per person?
Only slightly. Guests take smaller helpings of each dish, so total consumption per category rises a little while the quantity per dish falls.
How much buffer should caterers keep?
A buffer of 5 to 10% over the planned quantity is usual. Confirm final numbers in advance to keep it small.
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