Food & drink
Catering quantity calculator.
Estimate how much food to cater — canapés, mains, sides and dessert — from your guest count, appetite and service style. Sanity-check a quote, then download the list. Free, no signup.
Portion sizes
Enough, with a little spare.
Catering quantities are mostly arithmetic once you know the per-guest portions. The calculator holds sensible defaults — protein, vegetables, a starch, a salad, bread, cheese and dessert — and scales them to your numbers, appetite and service style.
Buffets need a little more than plated meals because portions are less controlled, so the tool adds a waste margin when you choose buffet. Use the result to brief a caterer or to plan a self-catered celebration; either way, confirm the finals with whoever is cooking.
Questions
Catering questions.
How much food do I need per guest for a wedding?
As a guide, plan around 150–175g of main protein per guest, 150g of vegetables, 120g of a starch and a couple of canapés to several pieces during the reception. The calculator above scales all of these to your guest count, appetite and whether you are serving plated or buffet.
How many canapés per person?
For a cocktail hour before dinner, plan about four to six canapés per guest. If canapés are standing in for a meal, increase that to ten or more. The calculator uses around five per guest by default and scales with appetite.
Does a buffet need more food than a plated meal?
Yes. Guests serve themselves at a buffet and portions are less controlled, so caterers typically prepare around 15% more food to avoid running out. Tick the buffet option and the calculator adds that margin for you.
Can I use this to check a caterer’s quote?
Absolutely — it is a useful sanity check. If a quote is wildly above or below these quantities, it is worth a conversation. Always confirm final amounts with your caterer, who will tailor them to your menu.
Is the catering calculator free?
Yes — free, with no signup and no watermark, as part of a set of free wedding planning tools.
Plan the whole wedding
One free tool here. The whole celebration inside.
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