How much does catering cost?

The honest answer is: it depends on the headcount and how much of the day you own. Pick your guest count for realistic 2026 ranges by service style, plus a live calculator to price your own event. Numbers come from our open market-range table — not AI, not a lead-gen wall.

Catering for 25 guests

Staffed buffet: $737.50 – $1,225.00 total

Small office lunch, intimate dinner, or a baby or bridal shower

Catering for 50 guests

Staffed buffet: $1,475.00 – $2,450.00 total

The most-searched number: a milestone birthday, company lunch, or small wedding

Catering for 75 guests

Staffed buffet: $2,212.50 – $3,675.00 total

A mid-size reception or corporate event — the buffet sweet spot

Catering for 100 guests

Staffed buffet: $2,950.00 – $4,900.00 total

A wedding or large corporate event — rentals and staff start to matter

Catering for 150 guests

Staffed buffet: $4,425.00 – $7,350.00 total

A full wedding reception — service style dominates the number

Catering for 200 guests

Staffed buffet: $5,900.00 – $9,800.00 total

A large event — staffing, rentals, and logistics are the cost story

Ready to price your own job? Cost a menu in the food-cost & margin calculator — the same math CaterKit runs — or open the price-per-person calculator. See a sample quote a client could accept from their phone, or the full pricing.

Two words do most of the work on these pages. Per-head pricing is how the totals above are built, and plated service is the style that moves them most.