Pricing guide
How much to charge for catering for 100 guests (2026 numbers)
A client says 100 guests and asks for a number. Here are realistic 2026 market ranges, per person and total, for the four common service styles, at a standard protein, three sides, and the national cost average.
These are market ranges, not your number. Your number comes from your recipes, your labor, and your margin. The ranges below tell you whether your quote lands where clients expect.
The 2026 ranges for 100 guests
| Service style | Per person | Total for 100 |
|---|---|---|
| Drop-off (delivered, no staff) | $23.50 – $39.00 | $2,350.00 – $3,900.00 |
| Buffet (staffed) | $29.50 – $49.00 | $2,950.00 – $4,900.00 |
| Plated dinner (full service) | $43.50 – $71.00 | $4,350.00 – $7,100.00 |
| Appetizers & stations | $26.50 – $46.00 | $2,650.00 – $4,600.00 |
Assumes a standard protein tier, three sides, and the national cost average — the calculator adjusts all three.
What moves the number
Service style is the biggest lever: a plated dinner carries service labor and equipment a drop-off never sees. Protein tier is next: chicken and beans price very differently from steak and shrimp. Each extra side adds a little per person, and your region can swing the whole range by 15% either way.
Guest count itself barely changes the per-person price at this size. Your fixed costs spread thinner, but shopping, prep, and staffing scale with plates. Quote per person, then sanity-check the total.
How to quote it
Work from per-person: pick your dishes, cost them per portion, load labor and overhead, and set your margin. Multiply by guests, add a deposit line, and put an expiry date on the quote. Dates you hold have to be worth something.
Send it the same night. Quotes answered within a day book at a visibly better rate than quotes answered over the weekend. Speed reads as professionalism.
Get exact costs from YOUR recipes
These are market ranges. CaterKit photographs your menu, costs every recipe from your ingredients, and prices the quote at your margin — free to start.
Adjust these ranges for your event. 100 guests are pre-filled.