06/10/2026
Many people think catering is simply the cost of food, but there is much more involved in determining the final price per person.
The head count determines how much food, labor, and supplies are needed for your event. Every guest must be accounted for to ensure there is enough food for everyone.
For example, if you have 200 guests and plan to serve 3 pieces of bacon per person, that’s 600 pieces of bacon. If you serve 3 pieces of chicken per person, that’s 600 pieces of chicken. The same calculations apply to meats, vegetables, desserts, beverages, plates, cups, utensils, and serving supplies.
Catering pricing includes:
• Fresh ingredients
• Labor for shopping, prepping, cooking, and packaging
• Staff wages for servers, and event personnel
• Transportation and delivery
• Setup and breakdown
• Equipment and serving supplies
Especially if you’re receiving freshly made, from-scratch food—not frozen or pre-packaged products—your costs will be higher because quality ingredients and additional labor are required. Fresh food takes time to prepare, cook, and serve properly.
When hosting an event, catering and decorations are often one of the largest expenses and can account for as much as 80% of your event budget. Quality food and service are what your guests will remember long after the event is over.
At Dine 82, we take pride in preparing fresh food for every event.
“If I don’t eat it, I don’t serve it.” 🍽️❤️
— Ingrid McDonald Dye
Owner/Chef, Dine 82
