How Much Does a Caterer in London Cost Per Person for a Corporate Event? (2026)

Corporate catering in London costs about £10 to £180 per person in 2026, excluding drinks: £18–£55 for a buffet, £18–£45 for canapés, £25–£65 for bowl food and £50–£120 for a seated dinner. With extras that can add 20–40%, bowl food comes to £900–£2,700 for 30 guests, £1,500–£4,600 for 50 and £3,000–£9,100 for 100.

Last updated: November 2026 · By Woolly Mammoth

We reopened the price pages of London caterers and event guides in November 2026 and turned their per-head prices into totals for 30, 40, 50 and 100 guests. Prices exclude drinks and are shown as published: the VAT basis varies by source, and most don't say. Where a caterer publishes prices including VAT (Salters Events), we divided them by 1.2; the VAT column of the table below shows each source's basis.

How much does corporate catering cost per person in London?

Here are the figures we checked in November 2026, source by source. Filter by service style:

Humdingers and venues.london write "£50–£100 or more" and "£80–£150pp+" / "£100–£180pp+": the top of those ranges is open. venues.london also lists finger food buffets at £6.50–£13 per head, left out here because it is food only.

What this means for you: the service style moves the budget more than the menu. Ask every caterer whether the price per head includes staff: Vlamber's bowl food menus include staffed service, while Salters Events' prices cover food only.

How much does catering cost for 30, 50 or 100 guests?

We multiplied the calculator's ranges by each group size and added the extras venues.london lists on top of headline prices: service charge (10–15%), equipment hire, glassware and corkage, which together "can add 20–40%". Totals are rounded to the nearest £100 above £1,000, as in the calculator.

Calculation: low price per person × 1.2 × guests, to high price per person × 1.4 × guests. Price ranges from the catering ladder above (London caterers and guides, 2026). The extras apply to a working lunch too, though a drop-off lunch usually has no service charge.

What this means for you: the price per head usually falls as numbers rise, so ask for a quote at your real guest count. venues.london gives the example of a caterer quoting £75 per head for 50 guests and £65 for 150.

What is the average cost of catering for 30 guests in the UK?

Across the UK, catering for 30 guests costs about £360–£750 for a buffet and £900–£2,250 for a formal sit-down meal, before extras, based on the per-head ranges of British Event Catering (£12–£25 and £30–£75). Bark's UK price guide gives similar averages: about £15 per person for a cold buffet, £20 for a hot buffet and £40 for a three-course meal. Bark adds that "catering costs in London can be nearly double that outside the capital".

What this means for you: a UK-wide average underestimates a London event. For 30 guests in London, budget £650–£2,300 for a buffet and £1,800–£5,000 for a seated dinner once service charge and other extras are added (table above).

How much will it cost to feed 40 guests?

For 40 guests in London, a delivered working lunch costs about £480–£1,700, a buffet £860–£3,100, bowl food £1,200–£3,600 and a seated dinner £2,400–£6,700, including extras that can add 20–40% and excluding drinks. These are the calculator's results at 40 guests.

Forty is also a common minimum. Arens & Heriot, a caterer serving London and the Home Counties, prices its corporate menus "for a minimum of 40 people", subject to VAT: its breakfast and lunch menu costs £14.50 per head without service and £24.50 with service (6 hours of staff), so £580 or £980 for 40 guests, plus VAT.

What this means for you: under 40 guests, check the caterer's minimum numbers first. Owen Brothers Catering notes that "smaller events (typically fewer than 20 guests) may be subject to minimum order values or higher per-person pricing", and Vlamber's bowl food menus start at 20 guests.

How much is a buffet for 100 people?

A buffet for 100 people in London costs about £1,800–£5,500 for the food alone, at £18–£55 per head, or £2,200–£7,700 with extras that can add 20–40%, excluding drinks. The top of the range comes from venues.london, which prices sharing platters and buffets at £30–£55 per head: £3,000–£5,500 for 100 guests before extras. Across the UK, Bark's averages give £1,500 for a cold buffet and £2,000 for a hot one.

Staffing scales with numbers. Catersoft, a catering software company, gives this sample plan: "Buffet service for 80 guests: 4 waiting staff + 2 runners". venues.london puts servers at £15–£30 an hour, or £200–£500 for a full day.

What this means for you: for 100 guests, ask how many serving points and staff the price includes, and whether service charge is added on top.

How much does catering for 50 guests cost? A worked example

Here's bowl food for an evening event with 50 guests, step by step:

Totals rounded to the nearest £100, as in the calculator. Drinks are not included.

At one server for every 20–25 guests (venues.london), that is two or three servers. The range is wide because the menu matters: Vlamber's bowl food menus, for example, start at £36 per person for 3 bowls and scale to £105 with two live stations and a dessert close, excluding VAT, staffed service included.

How much does catering cost by type of corporate event?

Another way to budget is by the kind of event. venues.london's 2026 guide gives these indicative ranges per person:

Which catering style should you choose?

Buffet (£18–£55 per person)

• What to expect: hot or cold dishes on a shared table; guests serve themselves.
• Works for: workshops, training days and conference lunches. venues.london notes that buffets "typically cost less per head" and allow dietary flexibility.
• Staffing: Catersoft's sample plan has 4 waiting staff and 2 runners for 80 guests.
• What to ask: how many serving points will there be for your numbers?

Canapé reception (£18–£45 per person)

• What to expect: small bites served on trays while guests stand. Salters Events prices canapés by quantity, "e.g. 3, 6 or 9 per guest".
• Works for: launches, networking evenings and drinks after a conference.
• Staffing: about one server for every 25–30 guests (venues.london).
• What to ask: how many pieces per person does the price include?

Bowl food or fork buffet (£25–£65 per person)

• What to expect: small dishes such as slow-cooked meats, seasonal risottos or curries, with several bowls per guest (Humdingers).
• Works for: offsites, client events and standing dinners.
• Staffing: about one server for every 20–25 guests (venues.london).
• What to ask: how many bowls per guest, and is crockery included?

Seated dinner (£50–£120 per person)

• What to expect: two or three courses served at the table.
• Works for: client dinners, leadership events and award evenings.
• Staffing: Catersoft's sample plan has 8 waiting staff for 100 guests with plated service, and 1 staff per 10 guests for fine dining.
• What to ask: are table linen, plates and glassware included in the price?

What affects the cost of catering in London?

• Service style: "service style drives cost more than ingredients": canapés and bowl food need more staff than buffets and sharing platters (venues.london).
• Guest numbers and minimum orders: per-head costs typically fall as numbers rise, but not linearly (venues.london); caterers set minimum guest numbers or order values (Humdingers, Arens & Heriot).
• Venue logistics: at ground-floor venues with on-site kitchens, "caterers work efficiently and equipment needs are minimal"; blank-canvas spaces cost the most because the caterer brings everything (venues.london).
• Date: December is the busiest month; January and February are typically the most affordable, and midweek events often get better rates (venues.london).
• Dietary needs: standard menus usually cover vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free; kosher, halal, complex allergies or bespoke menus for large numbers may cost extra (venues.london).

What hidden costs should you budget for?

venues.london lists service charge (10–15%), equipment hire, glassware and corkage, which "can add 20–40% on top of headline per-head prices". Here's how a £50 menu becomes the final bill:

Before comparing quotes, check whether each one includes:

• Staff: staffing often represents 25–40% of a catering quote (venues.london). Servers cost £15–£30 an hour (venues.london, Owen Brothers Catering). Arens & Heriot's lunch menu is £14.50 per head without service and £24.50 with 6 hours of staff.
• Service charge: "Most caterers add 10–15% service charge on top of quoted prices" (venues.london); Owen Brothers Catering gives 12.5–15%.
• Equipment: crockery, glassware and serving equipment are often quoted separately (Salters Events).
• Delivery and minimums: around £20–£60 for delivery when an order is under the caterer's threshold, and a minimum order value of about £250 for most London caterers (Owen Brothers Catering).
• VAT (20%): some caterers include it, others add it. Ask which.

Catering is only part of the event budget: venue hire, AV and transport come on top. See what a meeting room costs in London.

Which Woolly Mammoth venues fit 30 to 100 guests?

We counted the Woolly Mammoth venues that can seat each group at tables, the layout for a seated dinner or a buffet with seating. Most of our venues accept an outside caterer (a few work only with approved caterers, and some charge a fee, shown on the venue page). At most venues you bring your own drinks.

There is no booking fee. The rate on each venue page is a starting price, plus VAT, that can vary with the date and the type of event.

• The Glasshouse Penthouse (West London) seats 50 at tables and lists an oven and a hob, from £225 an hour.
• The Hammersmith Vault (West London) seats 80 at tables and lists an oven; it also offers its own catering on quote. From £260 an hour.
• The Regency House, five Grade II listed Victorian townhouses with views of Hyde Park, seats 140 at tables, from £470 an hour.

For client dinners, see more corporate dinner venues in London.

What should you ask a caterer before booking?

Menu and dietary needs

• Can we have a tasting, and is it charged?
• How do you label allergens and keep allergy-safe dishes separate?
• What's the deadline for final numbers and dietary requirements?

Pricing

• Does the price per person include staff, equipment, delivery and VAT?
• Is there a service charge, and how much?
• What is your minimum number of guests, and what happens if numbers change?

Logistics

• How long do you need to set up and clear away?
• Do you need a kitchen, or do you bring everything?
• Have you worked at this venue before? venues.london recommends a site visit when a caterer doesn't know the venue.

How can you reduce catering costs?

• Choose drop-off catering for internal meetings (Salters Events).
• Pick a buffet or sharing-style service: it needs fewer staff than canapés or bowl food (venues.london).
• Keep the menu focused, and use the venue's own equipment to avoid hire costs (Salters Events).
• Book midweek, or in January or February, when rates are typically lower (venues.london).
• Compare a few quotes side by side, on the same basis (Heycater, venues.london).

Frequently asked questions

What is the average cost of catering for 30 guests in the UK?

UK guides put a buffet at £12–£25 per person and a sit-down meal at £30–£75 (British Event Catering), so about £360–£750 and £900–£2,250 for 30 guests, before extras. In London, with extras that can add 20–40%, budget £650–£2,300 for a buffet and £1,800–£5,000 for a seated dinner, excluding drinks.

Can I use my own caterer at a Woolly Mammoth venue?

At most venues, yes. Most of our venues accept an outside caterer (a few work only with approved caterers, and some charge a fee, shown on the venue page). At most venues you bring your own drinks. Check the venue page before you book a caterer.

How early should I book a caterer in London?

venues.london advises 3–6 months ahead for large or complex events, and 4–8 weeks for smaller events with flexible requirements. For Christmas parties at popular venues, it notes that the best caterers book up as early as January.

Can caterers handle dietary requirements?

Standard menus usually include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options at the quoted price; kosher, halal, complex allergies or bespoke menus may cost more (venues.london). Share numbers early.

Find a venue for your event

Browse unique venues for hire in London, with a starting rate on every venue page, or corporate dinner venues for a seated meal.

Sources

• venues.london, How much does event catering cost? A London pricing guide, 26 February 2026 (last updated February 2026): prices by service style and event type, extras, service charge, staffing ratios and rates, booking times
• Salters Events, How much does corporate catering cost in London? (2026 guide), 21 April 2026: prices including VAT, food only, converted here to excluding VAT
• Humdingers, From working lunches to gala dinners: London corporate catering costs in 2026, 30 July 2026
• Owen Brothers Catering, Corporate catering cost in London: 2026 price guide, 24 July 2026
• Vlamber, Bowl food party catering London, accessed 2 November 2026: menu prices excluding VAT
• Arens & Heriot, Corporate caterers in London & the Home Counties, accessed 2 November 2026: corporate menus, minimum 40 people, prices subject to VAT
• Heycater, How much does office catering cost in London?, 14 June 2026
• Catersoft, Staffing, accessed 2 November 2026: sample staffing plans
• Bark, How much does catering cost 2026, accessed 2 November 2026 (no date on the page): UK averages
• British Event Catering, How much does event catering cost in the UK?, accessed 2 November 2026: UK ranges
• Woolly Mammoth, public venue listings (65 venues), 2 November 2026