The cost of having an event catered can vary widely.  The following guidelines should provide you with a good idea of what you can expect and help you in designing the vision for your event.  While this page gives estimates on costs every event is different and can incur other charges.  Gourmet Bay Catering is always available to customize any menu and provide appropriate estimates.

Type of Event and Menu

The type of event can be the biggest determining factor in price, and also has the widest variability.  Does the event require substantial service staff (a served dinner), medium staff (passed hors d’oeuvres), or light staff (dining stations)?  Is the menu simple or complex?  The following are rough estimates as to what you can reasonably expect to pay for your food costs:

Light Hors d’oeuvres $16 – $23 per person
Heavy Hors d’oeuvres $20 – $36 per person
Dining Stations $24 – $38 per person
Plated Dinner $29+ per person
Simple BBQ $18+ per person
Gourmet To-Go Lunch $9 – $15 per person
Dinner Pick-Ups & Deliveries $12 – $25 per person

(Staff, rentals, taxes and fees are not included in these estimates)

Rentals

Often people forget about the cost of rental items.  Consider if your event can be done with paper and plastic or if you need glass and china.  Do you need tables and chairs?  Cloth Napkins?  You can expect the following prices for standard items.

Glass and China $6 to $10 per person
Table and Chairs with Linen $8 to $15 per person
Cloth Napkin $.40 per person

Most events require rental items.  Gourmet Bay has a close relationship with our local vendors and can bring you rental items of high quality at standard prices, while we handle all the arrangements and transportation.

Service Staff

Having a professional serving staff can make a world of difference.  The number and type of servers at your function depends upon the number of guests, the menu, and the size of the facility.  Most events require service staff.  Please contact Nicole for more about staff fees.

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