Over 73% of restaurants underestimate their true catering delivery costs by failing to account for packaging and extended delivery time. Corporate drinks events require different pricing calculations than regular orders. You're dealing with larger volumes, specialized packaging, and longer service times.
Why catering delivery is different
Catering delivery involves different cost items than regular delivery. You often deliver larger volumes, need more packaging material and must account for longer delivery times.
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate excluding VAT for your cost price. Food is subject to 9% VAT, including delivery.
The cost structure of catering delivery
A catering delivery order has different cost items that you need to include:
- Food cost: ingredients per person
- Packaging costs: containers, bags, cutlery, napkins
- Delivery costs: time and fuel
- Platform fee: if you work through Deliveroo or Uber Eats
- Extra time: packing and loading takes longer
Calculate food cost per person
Catering charges per person, not per plate. This makes scaling to different group sizes much simpler.
💡 Example charcuterie board:
Costs per person (20 people):
- Cheese and cured meats: €4.50
- Bread and crackers: €1.20
- Vegetables and fruit: €2.30
- Dips and spreads: €0.80
Food cost per person: €8.80
Don't forget packaging costs
Catering delivery requires more packaging material than regular orders. Always include this in your cost price.
💡 Example packaging costs (20 people):
- Large catering trays: €8.00
- Plastic cutlery and napkins: €6.00
- Transport bags: €3.00
- Stickers and labels: €1.50
Packaging per person: €18.50 / 20 = €0.93
Delivery costs and time
Catering delivery costs more time than regular delivery. You need to pack everything, load it, deliver it and often unpack it at the customer's location.
- Packing time: 15-30 minutes extra
- Delivery time: often further away than regular orders
- Unpacking time: customer often expects service
Calculate at least €25-40 delivery costs for catering orders, depending on distance and size.
Platform fees for catering
If you work through platforms like Deliveroo, you pay 15-30% commission on the order value. You need to compensate for this in your pricing. From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, catering orders through platforms typically see commission rates at the higher end of this range.
⚠️ Note:
Platform fees are calculated on the total order value including delivery costs. Account for this in your calculation.
Calculate total price
Now you can calculate the total price by adding up all costs and adding your desired margin.
💡 Example total calculation (20 people):
- Food cost: 20 × €8.80 = €176.00
- Packaging: 20 × €0.93 = €18.60
- Delivery: €35.00
- Subtotal costs: €229.60
- At 30% margin: €229.60 / 0.70 = €328.00
- Platform fee (25%): €328.00 / 0.75 = €437.33
Selling price excl. VAT: €437.33
Selling price incl. 9% VAT: €476.89
Set a minimum order value
Catering delivery has high fixed costs. That's why a minimum order value makes sense.
- 10-15 people: often break-even point
- Delivery costs: spread across more people
- Packing time: relatively the same for 10 or 30 people
How do you calculate the price of a catering delivery order?
Calculate food cost per person
Add up all ingredient costs and divide by the number of people. Include all components: main course, side dishes, bread, sauces and garnish.
Calculate packaging and delivery costs
Add up packaging material, delivery time and any service time at the customer's location. Divide fixed costs (delivery) by number of people for cost per person.
Add margin and platform fees
Add up all costs, add your desired margin (usually 25-35%) and compensate for any platform fees. Calculate the final price including VAT.
✨ Pro tip
Review your catering profit margins every 3 months by comparing actual delivery times against your estimates. Corporate events often run 25% longer than expected due to setup requirements.
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
What VAT applies to catering delivery?
Food is subject to 9% VAT, including catering delivery. This is the same rate as for food in the restaurant.
How do I factor platform fees into my price?
Divide your desired selling price by (1 - platform fee percentage). At 25% fee: price / 0.75. This way you fully compensate for the commission.
What is a realistic margin for catering delivery?
Due to higher packaging and delivery costs you can accept a slightly higher food cost. Aim for 25-35% total margin after all costs.
Should I calculate delivery costs separately?
You can list delivery costs separately or include them in the price per person. Including them in the price often works better for larger groups.
How do I determine my minimum order value?
Calculate at what number of people you break even. This usually falls around 10-15 people, depending on your fixed costs per order.
Do corporate clients expect different service levels?
Yes, corporate events often require setup assistance and professional presentation. Factor in an extra 20-30 minutes for service time and consider premium packaging options.
📚 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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