Food Truck Catering: How much food should you offer?

Posted on 05/24/2022 by FTB

The guests for your catering event will be arriving soon, but as usual, the question is whether the planned number of guests will arrive or whether there will be more or fewer people than expected. This is a frequently asked question worth pondering. No FoodTrucker wants to be in a situation where he or she can no longer offer food. It is also not good to prepare too much food, spend too much money, and then maybe have to throw away leftovers. Therefore, in this article, we will reveal the best way to calculate how much food should be offered for a catering event.

PREPARATION IS KEY

There are many factors to consider when determining the amount of food for the catered event. First and foremost, you need to know how many people will attend the event. But the length of the event is also very important, as is the type of event and the type of food you want to serve: cold, hot, finger foods, etc.

For example, an evening of cocktails requires much less food than an all-day event. The longer guests stay, the more food they will consume. It's funny, but as time goes on, people get hungrier and hungrier.

When estimating how much food to buy, always round up when in doubt. Some will eat more, others less. In the end, everything will balance out. Try to anticipate what foods/drinks will be most popular so you can buy more of them. In this sense, keeping a consumption list can help you better determine which drinks and foods are always popular. Also, remember that a varied menu means it's better to serve food on small plates so your customers can try everything.
GENERAL GUIDELINES

Starters
- If you are planning an evening event without dinner, you should plan for 6-10 appetizers per person. Round this amount up depending on whether you are serving the food as a buffet or on trays, as people will eat more if they can go directly to the food.
- If you are serving an appetizer, plan for 2-4 appetizers per person. Try to choose light and not too large finger food dishes, as dinner will start afterward.
- If the event is in the afternoon before lunch, also offer 2-4 tapas per person, perhaps a little richer than at dinner, when people will want to eat less.
- Drinks: Plan on about 3 drinks per person and about 1 to 3 cups of coffee for coffee drinkers.
Breakfast
- Each person drinks an average of 2.5 drinks, either juice, coffee, tea, etc. Plan one main course per person (eggs, toast, cereal), along with two side dishes, including bread.
- Fruit is an excellent dessert for breakfast. About 3-5 pieces of cut fruit or a cup of fruit salad should be served per person.
Lunch
- For pre-dinner snacks, plan on two to four pieces per person, e.g., olives, pieces of cheese, or cold cuts. Offer the main course with two or three side dishes, including rice or potatoes, and dessert.
- Offer a choice of drinks, including water, soft drinks, beer, and wine.
- If you are serving more sandwiches, plan 1-2 per person.
Dinner
- Offer the main course with 2 or 3 side dishes, e.g., vegetables, beans, pasta, etc. Think about the vegetarians!
- Offer bread, salad, or soup as an appetizer.
- Offer a piece of cake, pie or pastry, or a creamy dessert, e.g., chocolate mousse. If you have a large selection, serve smaller portions.
- Coffee is usually consumed after dessert. Count on less than at lunch, because many people don't drink coffee in the evening.