Start from grams, not dishes
Guest counts tell you almost nothing on their own. A five-dish buffet for 80 people and a three-dish buffet for 80 people cost the same to feed correctly, because what matters is total cooked weight per head, not how many labels sit on the line.
Working caterers plan in grams. Once the total is right you can split it across as many dishes as the budget and the kitchen allow.
| Component | Per head |
|---|---|
| Curry and main dishes (combined) | 300–350g |
| Rice | 120–150g cooked |
| Breads | 1–1.5 pieces |
| Starters and canapés | 3–4 pieces |
| Salad, chutney and raita | 80–100g |
| Dessert | 1 portion, ~90g |
Adjust for the shape of the event
- Standing buffet with no seating: people eat roughly 15% less because plates are balanced in one hand.
- Seated buffet with a return trip: plan the full weight above — second helpings are the norm, not the exception.
- Plated service: portions are fixed, so you can cut 10% from the totals and waste almost nothing.
- Late-evening reception after a long ceremony: add 10–15%. Hungry guests eat like they missed lunch, because they did.
- Children under 12: count two children as one adult.
How many dishes is the right number
More dishes is not more food — it is the same food cut into smaller pots. Below about 60 guests, three mains plus rice and bread reads generous. Above 150, five to six mains stops the line stalling because people spread across the counter instead of queueing at one dish.
Keep the ratio roughly two meat to one vegetarian to one vegan or dairy-free, then check it against the dietary numbers on your RSVP list rather than assuming.
The mistakes that cause a shortfall
- Counting the guest list instead of the guest list plus staff, photographers, the band and the venue team.
- Ordering rice by dish count rather than by weight — rice is the first thing to run out.
- Forgetting that a popular starter disappears in the first 20 minutes and cannot be re-cooked on site.
- Assuming a two-hour service window means two hours of eating; most of a buffet leaves the line in the first 35 minutes.