Two catering quotes for the same date and the same guest count can be twice as far apart as you expect, and both can be fair. The difference is almost never the food alone. It is how the food is served, who is on site to serve it, and what the venue asks of the caterer. Here is what actually moves the price, and where you can save without it showing.
Service style moves the price most
The single biggest decision is how the food reaches the plate, because each step up needs more people. A drop-off lunch needs a driver. A buffet needs staff to set up, keep it stocked and clear away. Stations need someone at each one. A plated dinner needs a server for roughly every 15 to 20 guests, plus a kitchen team plating to order.
That is why a plated dinner can cost more in total than a buffet with richer food. Our guide to choosing a catering service style walks through what each format involves.
Labor is the part people forget
Food cost scales with the guest count. Labor scales with the hours and the service style, and it starts before your guests arrive. Setup, the event itself and clearing down all count, and so does travel to the venue. An event that runs two hours longer than planned costs more even if nobody eats another bite.
The menu
Within the food itself, a few choices carry most of the weight:
- The protein. Beef tenderloin and seafood sit at the top. Chicken, pork and vegetarian mains cost less and are no less impressive done well.
- The number of courses. Each extra course adds food, plates and service time.
- The season. Ingredients at their peak cost less and taste better. Asparagus in May costs less than asparagus in December.
- Cheese, on a grazing table. It is the largest single line, and the gap between a domestic cheddar and an aged import is wide. More in our grazing table guide.
Guest count
The cost per person usually falls as numbers rise, because a chef, a setup crew and a delivery cost much the same for 60 guests as for 40. It does not fall forever. Past a certain size an event needs more staff, a second serving line or another station, and the cost per head steps up again.
The venue
A venue with a full commercial kitchen is the easiest and cheapest to cater. A kitchenette, or no kitchen at all, means the caterer brings ovens, holding equipment and water, and plans the menu around what can travel. Stairs, a long walk from the van and tight setup windows add labor. Some venues also charge an outside caterer fee. We have written up what the common Kenosha venues require.
Does catering include plates?
It depends on the caterer and the service style, and it is one of the most common gaps between two quotes. Drop-off often comes with disposable serveware. Buffet and plated service may include china, cutlery and glassware, or may need them rented. Linens, tables and chairs are often separate again, and some venues supply them.
When you compare quotes, check whether each one includes plates, cutlery, glassware, linens and serving equipment. A lower quote that leaves them out can end up costing more.
Date and timing
Saturdays in wedding season and the middle of December book first and leave the least room to negotiate. Fridays, Sundays and weekday events often have more flexibility. Short notice is workable, but a caterer buying ingredients and arranging staff in a few days has fewer options.
The bar
Bar service is the other line that moves the total. A staffed bar, beer and wine only, or no bar at all change the quote, the staffing and sometimes the permits the venue requires. Decide early, because it shapes the timing of the whole evening.
Where to save without it showing
- Change the service style before you cut the menu. Moving from plated to family style or a buffet saves more than removing a dish.
- Cook with the season. Let the caterer build around what is good that month.
- Trim a course rather than the portions. Fewer courses done generously read better than more courses done thinly.
- Be flexible on the date. A Friday or a Sunday can make a real difference.
- Get the headcount right. Paying for 20 guests who never come is the most common way to overspend. Our guide to how much food per person helps with the numbers.
How to get an accurate quote
Send the date, a realistic guest count, the venue, the service style you have in mind, and anything you know about dietary needs or the bar. The more of that a caterer has, the closer the first quote will be to the final bill. Have a look at wedding catering, private dinners and celebrations or corporate and event catering, then tell us about your event and we will put a figure to it.