Outdoor catering brings extra risks and costs that many caterers overlook. Changing weather can bump up your cost price through extra materials, staff and protection. You need to include all weather-related costs in your calculation to avoid losing money.
Basic cost price for outdoor catering
Outdoor catering carries the same basic costs as indoors, but with extra risks. Start with your normal cost price per person and add the weather-related costs on top.
💡 Example basic costs:
Barbecue for 100 people:
- Food: €18 per person
- Staff: €8 per person
- Transport: €3 per person
- Materials: €2 per person
Basic total: €31 per person
Weather risks and extra costs
Outdoor events bring specific risks that can increase your cost price:
- Rain: Tents, coverings, extra staff
- Wind: Heavier structures, equipment protection
- Cold: Warming equipment, extra fuel
- Heat: Cooling, shade, more water
⚠️ Watch out:
Most caterers only calculate with 'nice weather' scenarios. That can cost you serious money if conditions turn bad.
Rain scenario - extra costs
Rain means you need extra materials and staff to save your event:
💡 Example rain costs:
Extra costs in rain (100 people):
- Tent rental: €400
- Extra kitchen covering: €150
- Equipment protection: €100
- Extra staff (1 hour): €120
- Cleaning materials: €50
Total: €820 = €8.20 per person extra
Wind and cold - fuel and construction
Wind and cold increase your fuel consumption and require stronger structures. Calculate with 30-50% more gas in bad weather.
- Extra gas: €2-4 per person in bad weather
- Wind screens: €200-500 per event
- Heavier tent: €150-300 extra cost
- Warming equipment: €1-2 per person extra
Calculate risk surcharge
Build a weather risk surcharge into your price. Most caterers apply a 10-15% surcharge for outdoor events. But here's something most kitchen managers discover too late: this percentage should vary by season and location, not stay fixed year-round.
💡 Example calculation:
Total cost price with weather risk:
- Basic cost price: €31 per person
- Average weather costs: €4 per person
- Risk surcharge (10%): €3.50 per person
Total: €38.50 per person
Season and weather forecast
Adjust your risk surcharge based on season and weather forecast. Summer events have less weather risk than fall or winter.
- May-August: 5-10% weather risk surcharge
- September-October: 10-15% surcharge
- November-April: 15-20% surcharge
Contractual agreements
Make clear agreements about what happens in extreme weather. Who pays the extra costs? Can you cancel?
⚠️ Watch out:
Without clear contractual agreements you'll end up paying for all weather costs. Establish this in advance.
Food cost calculators for catering scenarios
Food cost calculators let you calculate different scenarios per event. Create recipes for 'basic outdoor', 'rain scenario' and 'winter outdoor' to calculate quickly.
How do you calculate outdoor catering costs? (step by step)
Calculate your basic cost price per person
Add up: food, staff, transport and standard materials. This is your starting point for all weather situations.
Make a list of possible weather costs
Think about: tents, extra gas, protection, extra staff, cleaning. Calculate what each scenario costs per person.
Determine your risk surcharge percentage
Look at the season and historical weather data. Summer 5-10%, fall 10-15%, winter 15-20% surcharge on your base price.
Calculate your final price including weather risk
Base cost price + average weather costs + risk surcharge = your selling price per person. Test this on different scenarios.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual weather-related costs for 12 months across different seasons. You'll discover your risk surcharge should be 8% higher in October-November than most caterers realize.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How much surcharge should I calculate for outdoor catering?
Calculate a 10-15% surcharge for weather risks. In summer this can be 5-10%, in fall and winter 15-20%. This compensates for extra materials and staff in bad weather.
Can I pass weather costs on to the customer?
Only if this is agreed contractually in advance. Most caterers build weather risk into their price instead of charging extra later. That causes less discussion.
Which weather costs do I forget most often?
Extra cleaning costs, increased fuel consumption due to wind, and extra staff for setup and breakdown in bad weather. These costs can quickly add up to €5-10 per person extra.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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