Planning an event but not sure how much your budget should cost? If, for example, you were getting paid $1000, two percent of that would be $1000*0.02 = $20. For example, a caterer specializing in fancy meals with themes and elaborate decorations will spend more on accessories, while a caterer who uses premium ingredients may incur especially high food costs. The average cost for a Caterer is $30. They may include flat fees for additional rental items, but these fees are not impacted by the length of the event. You’ll typically need one event staff member per table of 8–12 people for seated dining, and two event staff members per buffet station. That depends on how much you were getting paid initially. The average hourly pay for a Caterer is $12.55. A name-brand large-scale New York City catering company will make a lot more than a small-potatoes conventioneer in Boise, Idaho. When planning an event one of the most common questions people ask us is ‘How much food do I need?‘. The most difficult task in catering is learning how to calculate food portions for the number of guests and the type of event you have. A simple hors d’oeuvres reception will cost around $500-$650, and a full fancy dinner with cocktail hour and more will see costs going above the $3,000 mark. A good caterer lets a host enjoy his own dinner party. Caterers typically charge per guest, not per hour. To hire a Caterer to cater your event, you are likely to spend between $20 and $30 total. So the cost of your wedding catering will depend on the number of guests that you expect to have at your wedding. Successful caterers who make money at their craft build a clientele and a reputation over time, diligently marketing their companies enough to bring in a steady stream of business. How Much Food Do I Need For My Event? The higher the guest count, the more is discounted from each price. You don’t want people to go … Charging 15%-20% gratuity is the general range for most catered events. Whether it is a wedding reception, birthday party, fundraising event, small networking function, or any other event catering, ordering foods for your event is not always a straightforward and easy task. The national average salary for a Caterer is $41,873 in United States. For example, an average plated meal can be anywhere from $30 to $120 per person, and for a fancier event or wedding, plated service can cost anywhere from $70 to $250 per person on average. Wedding caterers usually charge for catering on a per head basis. For example, for 50 people a filet mignon dinner costs $25.00 per person, but for a guest count of 200 it may only cost $18.00 per person. With the 2% raise, you would then be paid $1020. It’s important to work with your caterer to make sure that you have enough people on hand to ensure a smooth reception. If you want to retain competent staff, it is a good idea to make it worth their while to work a catered function rather than a dining room shift, where they will make more money. Typically nothing, and you can be criminally charged in some jurisdictions. The intermittent nature of many catering jobs makes it difficult to earn a consistent profit, even though a single event may be profitable. How Much Does a Caterer Charge Per Hour? One of the most difficult aspects of catering your party is to know how much food you should order. I had around 2-300 people swamp my catering van every day, as we were the only food source in the area. It’s recommended that you have at least one bartender for every 50 to 70 guests—or more if you are serving blended alcoholic beverages or specialty cocktails with more than three ingredients like a Long Island Iced Tea. Using ezCater’s quantity field makes it easy to order the right amount of food for everyone. However, based on an informal review of caterer profitability by price point, we believe that midrange caterers are generally more profitable than either boutique caterers or budget caterers. For an event of a hundred people, small-time buffet catering should cost no more than $200 all in all. The cost of a caterer is going to greatly depend on the size of the party, the type of … Staffing: From your event manager to cooks, servers, bartenders, and more, there are lots of staffers that will go into making your wedding day a success. Visit PayScale to research caterer hourly pay by city, experience, skill, employer and more. Accurate, reliable salary and compensation comparisons for United States by Louis Gervais / In Tips & Advice.