Seated, buffet, stations or passed

The four formats

Seated, plated

$85–$165 a head. The most formal and the most staff-intensive: roughly one server per 12–16 guests. Everyone eats at the same time, which suits speeches. Needs the most floor space per guest and the longest service window.

Buffet

$45–$85 a head. Fewer staff, more choice, and a queue. Two lines for anything over 80 guests, or the last table eats forty minutes after the first.

Stations

$55–$95 a head. Several small setups around the room, which keeps people moving and mixing. The most sociable format and our usual recommendation for a party rather than a dinner. Costs more floor space than a buffet.

Passed canapés

$30–$60 a head for a reception, not a meal. Budget 6–8 pieces per guest for something standing in for dinner, 3–4 alongside a later meal. Needs plenty of staff to actually reach everybody.

What actually drives the price

Protein choice and service style, in that order. Beef and seafood cost multiples of chicken and pasta, and a plated dinner needs two to three times the service team of a buffet. Everything else — the number of canapé varieties, whether there is a dessert course, how many dietary variants you need — moves the number far less than people expect.

The two lines that surprise people are the service charge, frequently 18–25% and often quoted separately, and rentals. Most caterers do not include tables, chairs, linen, glassware or flatware. If your venue does not either, that is a real line item and it belongs in the comparison.

Ask what the per-head number includes

Food only, or food plus service, plus rentals, plus tax?

Ask for the staffing count

Not a ratio — the actual number of people who will be in the building, and for how long.

Ask about the kitchen

A venue without one means the caterer brings equipment or works cold, and both cost money.

Ask how dietary requirements are handled

Separate plated alternatives, or a menu that is already largely vegetarian? The second is usually better and cheaper.

Quantities, if you are self-catering part of it

Canapés

6–8 pieces per guest to replace a meal, 3–4 as an opener.

Buffet protein

Around 6 oz per guest cooked weight, plus 10% margin.

Sides

Two to three per protein, around 4 oz per guest each.

Cake and dessert

Roughly 60–70% of guests take dessert at a party where dinner has been substantial. A full slice each is usually over-ordering.

Late-night food

If the bar runs past 10pm, something at the end is the most appreciated $8 a head you will spend.