How to cater for 100 guests on a budget (2024)

FAQs

How to cater for 100 guests on a budget? ›

Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.

Serving budget-friendly cuisines like salads, sandwiches and pasta dishes can be a very cost-effective choice. Or, if you're looking for a more casual option, how about a barbeque? Burgers, hot dogs and other grill-oriented foods are sure to be crowd favorites, and they won't rack up a big bill.

$15–$35 per person

That would mean a total cost of between $1,500 to $3,500 to feed 100 people — not too bad.

Cheap catering food ideas include rice or pasta-based dishes, hot dogs, burritos, tacos, cookies, and muffins, which are loved by everyone and are often more affordable than sophisticated seafood or meat dishes.

Pasta is one of the cheapest and most filling pantry staples you can buy, and that's exactly why it's the perfect food to feed to a crowd! Plus, everyone loves a good pasta dish. Grab yourself a buffet server warming tray so you can pop your cooked pasta inside and keep it warm all evening long!

The number of full trays of food needed for 100 guests can vary depending on the type of food and serving style, but a rough estimate would be around 10-12 trays.

Divide the total ingredient costs by the number of guests. It's easier to price this out if you're doing a plated dinner, as you'll typically be serving four to six ounces of meat, two side dishes, an appetizer, and dessert per person. Remember, children will only eat half as much as adults.

How many finger sandwiches for a party of 100 people? ›

Plan three to four finger sandwiches per person when serving with a salad as a main dish. If you are incorporating finger sandwiches into an appetizer party menu, you will need one to two of each sandwich per person, depending on the time of day and length of the event.

Appetizers

If you're offering catered appetizers, plan for about six portions per guest. For a party of 100 guests, this adds up to roughly 600 appetizer portions.

So $100 can actually help to feed 500 hungry people, keep food waste from landfills and bring balance to social disparities.