Catering portion guide
A catering main is about 6 oz of cooked protein per guest, a hot side about 4 to 5 oz, and salad about 4 oz. The number that catches people out is purchase weight: meat loses up to half its weight to trim and cooking, while dry rice and pasta gain weight, so what you order is rarely what you serve.
Portions and purchase weights for the centre of the plate.
For 50 guests: order 33.1 lb, serves 16.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 33.1 lb, serves 16.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 37.5 lb, serves 18.8 lb.
For 50 guests: order 32.8 lb, serves 18.8 lb.
For 50 guests: order 50.1 lb, serves 18.8 lb.
For 50 guests: order 24.8 lb, serves 16.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 25 lb, serves 15.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 9.4 lb, serves 9.4 lb.
For 50 guests: order 12.5 lb, serves 9.4 lb.
For 50 guests: order 19.5 lb, serves 15.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 25 lb, serves 25 lb.
For 50 guests: order 25 lb, serves 25 lb.
For 50 guests: order 31.3 lb, serves 31.3 lb.
For 50 guests: order 3.9 gal, serves 3.9 gal.
For 50 guests: order 150 slices, serves 150 slices.
Starches and hot sides, planned alongside a main.
For 50 guests: order 19.5 lb, serves 15.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 15.6 lb, serves 15.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 4.1 lb, serves 12.5 lb.
For 50 guests: order 6.3 lb, serves 15.6 lb.
For 50 guests: order 5.6 lb, serves 12.5 lb.
For 50 guests: order 3.1 qt, serves 3.1 qt.
Cold sides, where trim loss is the thing to watch.
Served before the main, so portions run smaller.
These charts cover one dish at a time. The catering food calculator takes your whole dish list and guest count and returns quantities, trays, and a cost range together.
Open the catering food calculator