Catering Calculator
Enter adults and children, choose buffet, plated or appetizers, and get pounds of protein, starch, vegetables and salad, or appetizer pieces, with the per-person rule shown for every line.
counted as half an adult
Adult-equivalent plates
54
50 adults + 8 × ½
Main protein
20.3 lb
6 oz per plate, boneless raw weight
Starch
13.5 lb
4 oz per plate
| Item | Buy | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Main protein (one main) | 20.3 lb | 6 oz per adult, raw weight for boneless; 8-9 oz bone-in |
| 1 additional main | 13.5 lb | |
| Starch (potato, rice, pasta) | 13.5 lb | 4 oz per adult, cooked weight |
| 2 vegetable sides | 27 lb | |
| Salad greens | 6.8 lb | 2 oz per adult, about 1.5 cups loosely packed |
| Bread / rolls | 81 pieces | 1.5 per adult |
| Dessert | 81 pieces | 1.5 per adult |
Plated meals use the same portions but waste less; order 5% over for a buffet and to the count for plated. Bone-in meat needs 8-9 oz per plate; add 25% if the crowd is mostly young men or the event is late.
Buffet quantities by crowd size, one main and two sides
| Adults | Protein | Starch | 2 veg sides | Salad greens | Rolls | Desserts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 9.4 lb | 6.3 lb | 12.5 lb | 3.1 lb | 38 pieces | 38 pieces |
| 50 | 18.8 lb | 12.5 lb | 25 lb | 6.3 lb | 75 pieces | 75 pieces |
| 75 | 28.1 lb | 18.8 lb | 37.5 lb | 9.4 lb | 113 pieces | 113 pieces |
| 100 | 37.5 lb | 25 lb | 50 lb | 12.5 lb | 150 pieces | 150 pieces |
| 150 | 56.3 lb | 37.5 lb | 75 lb | 18.8 lb | 225 pieces | 225 pieces |
| 200 | 75 lb | 50 lb | 100 lb | 25 lb | 300 pieces | 300 pieces |
The per-person plate
| Item | Per adult | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Main protein (one main) | 6 oz | raw weight for boneless; 8-9 oz bone-in |
| Each additional main | 4 oz | when two or more mains are offered |
| Starch (potato, rice, pasta) | 4 oz | cooked weight |
| Vegetable side | 4 oz | cooked weight, per side |
| Salad greens | 2 oz | about 1.5 cups loosely packed |
| Bread / rolls | 1.5 pieces | |
| Dessert | 1.5 pieces | slices, bars or cookies |
Appetizers by the hour
Before a meal, guests eat about five pieces an hour, so a 40-person cocktail hour is 200 pieces across four or five kinds. When appetizers are the meal, count twelve pieces per adult for the first two hours and four an hour after, so a three-hour party for 40 is 640 pieces across 6 kinds. Heavier pieces (sliders, skewers) count as two; a cheese board covers about 1 oz per guest and stands in for roughly two pieces each.
All figures are cooked or ready-to-serve weights except protein, which is raw boneless; meat loses about a quarter of its weight in cooking, which the 6 oz figure already allows for. Rounded to 0.1 lb.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much food per person for a party?
For a buffet or plated dinner: 6 oz of protein, 4 oz of starch, 4 oz of each vegetable side, 2 oz of salad greens, one and a half rolls and one and a half dessert pieces per adult, with children under 12 counted as half. For 50 adults that is about 19 lb of meat, 12.5 lb of potatoes or rice and 12.5 lb per vegetable side. Appetizers are counted by the piece: five per adult per hour before a meal, twelve in the first two hours when they are the meal.
How much meat per person for catering?
Six ounces raw, boneless, for a single main. With two or more mains, keep six ounces for the first and add four ounces for each additional one, since guests take some of each but not a full portion of both; bone-in cuts need 8-9 oz. For 100 adults with one main, buy about 38 lb; with two mains, about 38 lb of the first and 25 lb of the second.
How many appetizers per person?
Five pieces per adult for each hour before dinner, so ten for a two-hour cocktail hour. If appetizers are the whole meal, twelve pieces per adult across the first two hours and four an hour after. Offer more kinds as the crowd grows: four kinds for 25 guests, six for 50, eight to ten for 100 or more.
How much should I order over?
Five to ten percent over the calculated amount for a buffet, because the first guests through the line take more and the last ones must still see a full tray. Order to the count for plated service. Late-evening parties and crowds of teenagers or young men need 25% more protein.
Does the calculator handle dietary needs?
It counts plates, not menus. Plan on 10-15% of guests wanting a vegetarian option and order that as one of the mains; the calculator's multi-main portions already assume people take smaller amounts of each.
These tools use the caterer's and bartender's planning rules (drinks per guest per hour, ounces per plate, pounds of ice per guest, square feet per seat, Wilton's cake chart), all stated on each page. They are planning estimates for an average crowd: know your guests, round up, and check what your venue, caterer and local alcohol rules require.