In short
- Industry guides suggest 4-6 pieces of finger food per person in the first hour, then 2-3 for each hour after that.
- For buffet dishes: 150-200 g of cold starters, 120-150 g of pasta, 100-120 g of main per person.
- Keep a margin of 10-15% on food and 20% on drinks, as the same guides advise.
- Quantities change with time of day, length and format: an aperitivo before dinner is not an apericena.
"Will there be enough?" is the question every host asks the night before. The answer depends on three things: how long the event lasts, what time it takes place, and whether the buffet is the meal or a starter. Here you will find reference quantities, with their source, and a method to adapt them to your party.
Before counting: three questions
- Does the buffet replace the meal? An apericena (an aperitivo substantial enough to be dinner) at 8pm has to feed people. An aperitivo at 6pm before dinner doesn't.
- How long does it last? People eat more in the first hour, then the pace drops.
- Who are the guests? A group of colleagues at lunch, an 18th birthday party, a christening with many children: appetites differ.
Finger food: how many pieces per person
Industry guides suggest a calculation by the hour:
| Length of event | Pieces per person (indicative) |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | 4-6 |
| 2 hours | 6-9 |
| 3 hours | 8-12 |
| 4 hours | 10-15 |
The rows after the first are the result of the calculation "4-6 in the first hour, 2-3 for each hour after". If finger food is the only thing to eat at dinner time, stay at the top of the range and add a hot dish, such as a mini portion of pasta.
The size of the piece also counts. A whole supplì fills you up more than a spoonful of tartare. Ask the caterer for the indicative weight or size of the pieces: it is the way to compare two quotes that both promise "12 pieces per person".
Buffet dishes: grams per person
For a buffet with several courses, the same guides suggest these quantities:
| Course | Grams per person |
|---|---|
| Cold starters | 150-200 g |
| Pasta and first courses | 120-150 g |
| Mains | 100-120 g |
| Sides | 80-100 g |
| Desserts | 80-120 g |
| Bread | 80-100 g |
These quantities are designed for a full buffet. If you remove a course, the others must grow. If you serve three different pasta dishes, you don't need 150 g of each: guests try a bit of everything, so ask the caterer to divide the total quantity among the three.
The dishes that run out first
Some things disappear faster than others, and it is worth knowing.
- Pizza al taglio and focaccia: eaten standing, everyone likes it, plan generously.
- Fried dishes (supplì, croquettes, tempura): they should be served hot, so it is better to bring them out in waves, not all at the start.
- Artichokes in spring, courgette flowers in summer: seasonal dishes that go quickly.
- Pasta: a mini portion of pasta at an apericena, whether cacio e pepe, a risotto or pasta with tomato, draws everyone. Assume almost every guest will take one.
Drinks: how to estimate them
For drinks there is no table that suits everyone. Industry guides suggest keeping a 20% reserve. The rest is estimated with a simple method.
Water. It is drunk at every event, more in summer. A Roman garden in July will need much more water than a function room in December. Ask the caterer how much they plan and whether ice is included.
Wine and sparkling wine. A 75 cl bottle fills about six 125 ml glasses. Do this:
- count the adult guests who drink alcohol;
- estimate how many glasses each over the length of the event (the figure is indicative: it depends on time of day, season and type of party);
- multiply, divide by six, add the margin.
For a toast with sparkling wine, one glass per person is almost always enough.
Soft drinks and juices. For children and those who don't drink alcohol. At a children's party they become the main drink.
Coffee. At the end of lunch or dinner almost everyone asks for it. At a corporate coffee break it is the centre of the break.
A useful arrangement: ask whether unopened bottles can be returned or deducted from the bill. That way you can be generous without paying for the excess.
An example calculation
Take a graduation apericena for 40 people, from 7pm to 10pm, in a function room in Ostiense. With the indicative rule (4-6 pieces in the first hour, 2-3 for each of the next two) you reach 8-12 pieces per person, that is between 320 and 480 pieces in total. Since it replaces dinner, you stay near the top of the range and add a mini portion of pasta. Then you apply the 10-15% margin. It is a guideline calculation: the caterer will adjust it according to the size of the pieces.
Buffet space: how long it should be
Guides on buffet receptions suggest about three metres of table for every twenty guests and seating for about half the guests. For 80 people that means about twelve metres of buffet, which can be split into several stations. More stations means fewer queues, but more staff to restock them.
The margin: how much extra
Industry guides advise allowing an extra 10-15% on food and 20% on vegetables and drinks. It is a good starting point. The margin can be lower if the caterer cooks on site and can restock in real time, higher if all the food arrives at once.
Also ask what happens to leftovers. Some caterers leave leftover food to the client, others don't for food safety reasons. There are also associations that collect surplus food: it is worth asking.
Questions to ask the caterer
- How many pieces per person do you plan, and what size?
- Does the finger food arrive all at the start or in waves?
- How many grams of pasta and main do you calculate per person?
- Are the quantities designed for a full meal or for an aperitivo?
- How many bottles of wine and water are included?
- Can unopened bottles be returned?
- Is ice included?
- How many buffet stations do you plan for our guests?
- Who restocks the buffet during the party?
- What happens to leftovers?
To finish
The right quantities come from three facts: guests, length and format. With these, a reliable caterer proposes quantities and writes them into the quote. Use this guide to judge whether they are reasonable, and the guide on how to read a catering quote to compare them.
If you are thinking of an aperitivo, see the caterers for finger food and apericena. For seasonal ideas there is the guide to finger food ideas for events. Once you have the numbers, you can request a quote with no obligation.
