Cocktail reception with food: what quantities per person?
Nothing sticks in guests’ minds like an empty buffet at 9pm, except perhaps full platters going back to the kitchen. Between the two, a few simple benchmarks help you order the right amount. They are rough guides, to be fine-tuned with your caterer according to your guests.
Budget and prices 5 min read Updated on
How many pieces per person for a cocktail reception with food?
The first question is not the number of guests but the role the cocktail reception plays in the evening. Drinks before a seated dinner and a standing dinner that serves as the meal are two completely different things. Here are the benchmarks caterers use most often:
| Format | Duration | Pieces per person | Of which sweet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome drinks before a dinner | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 4 to 6 | None |
| Extended drinks, afterwork | 1.5 to 2 hours | 8 to 12 | 1 to 2 |
| Standing dinner that replaces the meal | 2.5 to 3 hours | 15 to 20 | 4 to 5 |
| Standing dinner with hot food stations | 3 hours or more | 12 to 16 pieces plus 1 or 2 visits to the stations | 3 to 4 |
These figures are only a guide. Revise them upwards for a young, sporty crowd, for an evening that starts late after a day of seminar sessions, or when there is nothing else to eat. Revise them downwards for a midday reception or for guests who have had a large lunch.
How should you split savoury, sweet, cold and hot?
A balanced cocktail reception offers roughly three quarters savoury pieces and one quarter sweet. Within the savoury, alternate cold (verrines, open sandwiches, wraps, vegetables) and hot (mini burgers, skewers, puff pastries), with at least one or two vegetarian pieces in each round. Sweet pieces arrive at the end of service, with coffee.
- Serve in rounds: three or four spaced-out rounds carry the evening better than a fully laden buffet from the start.
- Include filling pieces: a small hot dish or a hot food station stops guests from leaving hungry.
- Label allergens: a small label per platter saves the waiting staff questions and reassures guests.
- Think about dietary needs: vegetarian, no pork, gluten-free. Ask for them in the invitation.
How many drinks should you plan per guest?
Consumption depends on the length of the event, the heat and the guests. A common rule of thumb is one glass per guest per hour, after a first welcome drink. For a summer evening on a terrace facing the sea, plan more water and cold drinks.
| Drink | Safe benchmark | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Still and sparkling water | Around half a litre per person | Much more in summer or outdoors |
| Wine, beer | Around one glass per person per hour | Less if a cocktail bar is running alongside |
| Champagne | One or two glasses per person for a toast | A 75 cl bottle pours 6 to 7 glasses |
| Cocktails | 2 to 3 per guest over 4 hours | Less if there is a full open bar |
| Soft and alcohol-free drinks | For a large share of guests | Drivers, personal preferences |
At a corporate party, the proportion of guests who drink little or no alcohol is often higher than you would think. A carefully designed alcohol-free offer, such as an alcohol-free signature cocktail, means these guests don’t have to make do with a glass of water all evening. And for responsible drinking, make sure there is food from the first glass.
How many waiting staff, bartenders and high tables?
Quantities are no use if the service can’t keep up. A few organisational benchmarks:
- Waiting staff: for a cocktail reception with passed canapés, caterers generally plan one server for 20 to 30 guests. Ask for the exact ratio in the quote.
- Bartenders: one bartender for about fifty guests; beyond that, a second bar station.
- High tables: about one for every 8 to 10 guests, somewhere to put down a glass and a plate.
- Seating: a few chairs or benches for around a quarter of the guests, especially for a 3-hour reception.
- Ice: this is the most common oversight. For a bar and for chilling bottles, plan generously, especially from June to September.
How do you adapt quantities to the time and the season?
A cocktail reception starting at 6.30pm after a day of seminar sessions is not eaten the same way as one at 8.30pm after an awards ceremony. In the first case, participants are hungry straight away: savoury pieces must arrive as soon as it opens. In the second, many have already nibbled and consumption is spread over the evening. In summer, on a terrace or a beach, guests eat less hot food and drink more; in December, it is the opposite. Also tell your caterer if a dance party follows the buffet: a second, lighter round around 11pm always goes down well.
What budget for a cocktail reception with food?
In Marseille, a cocktail reception with food in a private-hire venue (restaurant, beach, rooftop) generally costs €35 to €60 per person, with or without drinks depending on the package. The difference comes from the number of pieces, the quality of the produce, the open bar and the service. For an overview of a whole evening, see our article on the budget for a corporate party.
How do you avoid food waste?
Ordering the right amount also means respecting your budget and your CSR (corporate social responsibility) commitments. Confirm guest numbers a few days before the event, not on the day: actual attendance at a corporate party is often lower than the number of people who signed up. Ask the caterer what happens to leftovers and whether untouched platters can be packed up for your teams or a charity. Finally, choose reusable tableware over disposable plates.
Questions we are often asked
How many canapés per person should you plan for a cocktail reception with food?
Caterers generally allow 6 to 10 pieces per person for a drinks reception of about an hour, and 15 to 20 pieces for a standing dinner that replaces the meal over 2.5 to 3 hours, around a quarter of them sweet. These figures are adjusted for the time of day, the age of the guests and whether there are hot food stations.
How many drinks should you plan per guest at a cocktail reception?
A common rule of thumb is one glass per guest per hour after a first welcome drink, plus unlimited water, around half a litre per person and more in summer. A 75 cl bottle of champagne pours 6 to 7 glasses. For a cocktail bar, allow 2 to 3 cocktails per guest over a 4-hour evening.
More advice
A well-judged cocktail reception
Give us your guest numbers and timings: we build the bar, the service and the atmosphere around the buffet with you, within 48 hours.