How much paella per person?

Allow roughly 250g of cooked rice base per head plus protein — chicken, chorizo, seafood. Giant pan catering at Salt Wind Catering plates this fresh from the pan as part of a live cook service.

How many finger-food pieces per person?

For a drinks reception before a meal allow 4 to 6 finger-food pieces per head from a delivered platter. If a finger-food platter replaces a meal allow 10 to 14 pieces per head across a 90-minute window. Salt Wind Catering delivers finger-food platters as part of larger event packages — we don't offer a passed-tray canape service.

Should I order extra food in case?

A 10% buffer on the headline number is sensible for buffets and BBQs. Avoid ordering 25% over — it inflates the bill and most of the surplus goes to waste because guests rarely eat 30% more than the planned portion.

How Much Catering Food Per Person?

Q: How much BBQ food per person?

Allow 300 to 350g of meat per head, which is roughly 2 to 3 items per person — for example a burger, a sausage and a piece of chicken — plus salads and a starch. Add 10% if the BBQ is the main meal and guests are arriving hungry.

Q: How many items per person on a buffet?

Plan 5 to 7 items per head on a mixed cold and hot finger buffet. For a fork buffet, allow one main, 2 to 3 sides and around 450 to 550g of food per head in total.

Q: How many sandwiches per person on a platter?

Allow 1.5 sandwich rounds per head (six quarter-cut pieces) plus 1 to 2 sides such as crisps, fruit or a sweet item. A typical 24-piece platter feeds 4 to 5 adults as a working lunch.

BBQ: allow 300 to 350g of meat per head. Buffet: 5 to 7 items per head. Sandwich platters: 1.5 rounds per head. Hog roast: 80 to 100 guests per whole hog. Paella and giant pan: 250g per head. Below is the working calculator we use at Salt Wind Catering across Cornwall and Devon.

Portion guide at a glance (per head)

BBQ: 300 to 350g of meat per head (2 to 3 items: burger, sausage, chicken). Buffet (finger): 6 to 8 pieces per head. Buffet (fork): one main plus 2 to 3 sides per head, around 450 to 550g total. Sandwich platters: 1.5 rounds (6 quarters) per head plus 1 to 2 sides. Hog roast: 80 to 100 guests per whole hog (around 60kg dressed weight). Paella / giant pan: 250g cooked rice base per head plus protein. Finger-food platters: 4 to 6 pieces per head as drinks reception, 10 to 14 if replacing a meal. Dessert: one portion per head plus 15% buffer.

Why portions vary by event

Three things move the numbers. Time of day matters most. A noon BBQ eats more than a 6pm finger-buffet because people arrive hungry, not grazing. A late afternoon wake eats less than a daytime birthday lunch. Plan to the meal slot, not the guest count alone.

Guest profile is the second lever. A rugby club lunch eats roughly 20% more than a wedding reception of the same size. Older guests at a christening or wake eat 15 to 20% less than a younger crowd. Children under twelve count as half a head for portioning. Tell us the demographic — it changes the order.

Format is the third lever. Standing buffets eat more than seated plated meals because guests circle back. Live cook stations — paella, hog roast, giant pan — pace consumption naturally because there is a queue, so 10% goes further than a help-yourself buffet.

How much BBQ food per person?

Plan 300 to 350g of meat per head across 2 to 3 items. A typical adult plate at a Cornwall BBQ runs to one burger, one sausage and a piece of chicken or a side of pulled pork, with two salads and a carb. Add 10% if BBQ is the main meal. Our on-site BBQ minimum is 50 guests; delivered options start at 20.

How many items per person on a buffet?

For a mixed cold and hot finger buffet plan 6 to 8 pieces per head across savoury items, with a sweet round at 1 portion per head plus a 15% buffer. Fork buffets settle around one main plus 2 to 3 sides, totalling 450 to 550g per head. If the buffet is the only meal — wedding, milestone birthday — push to 7 to 8 items.

How many sandwiches per person on a platter?

A working lunch needs 1.5 sandwich rounds per head, which equals 6 quarter-cut pieces, plus 1 to 2 sides. A standard 24-piece sandwich platter feeds 4 to 5 adults. For a half-day meeting add a savoury platter and a fruit platter and you have an 8-person spread done properly.

How many people does a whole hog feed?

One whole hog at around 60kg dressed weight feeds 80 to 100 guests in a roll with stuffing and apple sauce. Below 50 guests, hog roast is not economical and we recommend BBQ or buffet instead. For 100+ guests we run two pigs or a hog plus a slow-roast joint to handle queue speed.

How much paella or giant pan food per person?

Allow 250g of cooked rice or tagine base per head plus protein — chicken, chorizo, seafood, or slow-cooked lamb. Our giant pan service plates fresh from the pan, which paces consumption naturally — the queue itself sets portion control. A 90cm pan serves up to 80 guests in one cook.

What about vegetarian and vegan portions?

Plan vegetarian and vegan portions at full headcount, not a quarter ratio. Meat-eaters take a vegetarian dish too at most buffets, so portioning to 25% of guests leaves vegetarians empty-handed. Tell us the firm dietary breakdown when you book and we plan portions accordingly. Allergens are available on request — FIR 2014 loose food rules apply.

How we portion at Salt Wind Catering

We plan portions per booking, not per template. The numbers above are the starting point. Real quotes adjust for time of day, demographic, format and whether food is the headline. Call 01209 206255 or use the quote form. We are based in Redruth and cover Cornwall and Devon.

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