Planning an event and not sure how much food to order? Use our free event catering calculator to get an instant guide to quantities — canapés, buffet dishes, BBQ portions and drinks — based on your guest numbers and style of service. When you’re ready, get an exact, tailored quote from Fresh N Funky within 4 hours.
As a guide, allow 4–6 canapés per person before dinner, 6–8 for a drinks reception, and 10–12 when canapés replace a meal. Our calculator works this out for your exact guest count.
For a finger buffet, allow around 5 items per person for light bites and 8–10 for a substantial spread, across several dishes. For bowl food, plan on 3–5 bowls per guest depending on whether it’s a snack or the main meal.
A good rule of thumb is about half a bottle of wine per guest for a meal (one bottle per two guests), plus a welcome drink and soft drinks. For a drinks reception, allow two to three drinks per guest over the first two hours.
For a BBQ, plan on roughly 250–300g of meat per person (about two to three grilled items each), around one and a half buns per guest, and three to four salads or sides, with vegetarian and vegan options for about 15% of guests.
It gives a reliable planning guide based on standard catering ratios. For exact quantities tailored to your menu, venue and event, request a free quote and our team will confirm everything for you.
