Calculating catering margins is like building a house – miss one foundation element and the whole structure collapses. Corporate lunch delivery eliminates platform fees but adds packaging, transport and labor costs that can silently devour your profits. Every cost component must be tracked to reveal your true margin.
All costs for corporate lunch catering
Catering delivery involves more cost components than standard restaurant service. Miss one element and your profitability vanishes – a mistake that costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month in hidden losses.
💡 Example cost structure:
Corporate lunch for 25 people at €12.50 per person:
- Ingredients: €4.50 per person = €112.50
- Packaging: €0.75 per person = €18.75
- Delivery (fuel + time): €15.00
- Extra labor (prep + delivery): €25.00
Total costs: €171.25 | Revenue: €312.50 | Margin: €141.25 (45.2%)
Calculate your food cost for catering
Catering calculations work per person, not per plate. Sum up every ingredient: rolls, fillings, vegetables, sauces, fruit, cookies.
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate using selling prices excluding VAT. Catering carries 9% VAT, so €12.50 becomes €11.47 excluding VAT for calculations.
Calculate packaging costs
Packaging represents a major cost component in catering delivery. Include every material:
- Lunch boxes or bags per person
- Napkins, cutlery (if provided)
- Drink cups or bottles
- Large carry bags for transport
💡 Packaging costs example:
- Lunch box: €0.45
- Napkin + wooden fork: €0.15
- Drink cup: €0.12
- Carry bag (divided by 5 lunches): €0.03
Total per person: €0.75
Delivery and labor costs
Self-delivery means you absorb all transport expenses. Calculate accurately:
- Fuel: Total kilometers × €0.30 per km
- Driver time: Travel + waiting + return × hourly wage
- Extra prep time: Packing and transport preparation
Margin calculation formula
For catering delivery, apply this formula:
Margin % = ((Revenue excl. VAT - All costs) / Revenue excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Complete calculation:
25 lunches at €12.50 = €312.50 incl. VAT
Revenue excl. VAT: €312.50 / 1.09 = €286.70
- Ingredients: €112.50
- Packaging: €18.75
- Delivery: €15.00
- Extra labor: €25.00
Total costs: €171.25
Margin: (€286.70 - €171.25) / €286.70 × 100 = 40.3%
Benchmarks for catering margin
Healthy corporate lunch catering margins range from 35-45%. Below 30% means insufficient compensation for delivery efforts.
⚠️ Note:
Don't overlook any cost component. Many caterers forget extra prep time or underestimate delivery expenses, causing margins to evaporate.
Digital help with catering cost prices
Systems like KitchenNmbrs track all cost components automatically without manual calculations. You can build per-person recipes and add packaging costs as standard ingredients.
How do you calculate catering margin? (step by step)
Calculate ingredient costs per person
Add up all ingredients: rolls, fillings, vegetables, fruit, drinks. Divide the total costs by the number of people.
Add packaging and delivery costs
Calculate all packaging materials per person plus total delivery costs (fuel + time). Divide delivery costs across all people.
Calculate your margin percentage
Subtract all costs from your revenue excluding VAT. Divide the result by your revenue and multiply by 100 for your margin percentage.
✨ Pro tip
Track your top 5 catering menu margins weekly for 4 weeks to identify your most profitable offerings. Focus marketing efforts on menus exceeding 42% margin.
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
Should I include VAT in my catering cost price?
No, always calculate using selling prices excluding VAT. Catering carries 9% VAT, so €12.50 becomes €11.47 excluding VAT for margin calculations.
What is a healthy margin for corporate lunch catering?
Margins between 35-45% are standard for catering delivery. Below 30% means you're not earning enough for the extra prep and delivery effort.
How do I calculate delivery costs?
Add fuel costs (km × €0.30) plus driver time (hours × hourly wage). Divide these total costs across all people in the order.
Should I calculate packaging costs separately?
Yes, packaging can cost €0.50-€1.00 per person. Sum up boxes, napkins, cutlery and drink cups. This represents a substantial catering cost component.
What if I'm not making a profit on catering orders?
Verify you've included all costs: ingredients, packaging, delivery and extra labor. Prep and delivery time are often underestimated.
How often should I recalculate my catering margins?
Review margins monthly or after any supplier price changes. Ingredient costs fluctuate frequently, and packaging prices can shift seasonally.
📚 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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