Act on the result
Confirm portions, labour hours and logistics with the delivery team before sending the quote.
Educational only: Business decision support, not accounting, tax or legal advice.
Privacy: No account is required. Tool inputs and results stay in this browser. Anonymous categorical usage analytics send only governed page, tool, cluster and action identifiers; tool inputs and results are never sent. Error monitoring is disabled. Optional saved state stays only on this device.
Update policy: Reviewed when formulas or official dependencies change.
Scope: Market-neutral small-business planning using your own assumptions.
What this planner helps you decide
Best for
Hospitality operators building a catering quote from the full event cost stack.
Outputs
Food, labour, logistics and contingency cost, required quote, per-guest price and retained margin.
Start here
Enter guest and portion assumptions first, then add labour, logistics and contingency before margin.
Use a different tool when: Do not use this to calculate exact usable ingredient and loaded portion cost for a recipe batch; use Recipe Costing Planner for that decision. Use this tool to build a quote from portions, labour, logistics, contingency and margin.
Price & margin
Catering Quote & Margin: food
Food, labour, logistics and contingency cost, required quote, per-guest price and retained margin.
Amounts use the same currency as your inputs. No currency conversion is performed.
Catering Quote & Margin
Build a catering quote from guest volume, food, labour, logistics, fixed costs, contingency and a user-entered target margin.
Your numbers stay in this browser
Enter the whole number of guests covered by the quote.
Enter ingredient and food cost for one guest. Use one consistent ex-tax basis.
Enter preparation hours required for the event.
Enter the full internal cost per preparation hour. Use one consistent ex-tax basis.
Enter on-site service labour hours for the event.
Enter the full internal cost per service hour. Use one consistent ex-tax basis.
Enter event packaging, equipment transport and logistics cost. Use one consistent ex-tax basis.
Enter fixed event, venue and allocated operating costs. Use one consistent ex-tax basis.
Enter a scenario allowance for uncertainty; do not duplicate costs already in the stack.
Enter the contribution margin to protect in the quoted revenue.
Decision result
Use the cost and recovery rows to identify the component changing the exact reconciliation.
PDF and CSV exports stay on this device. Clean page links contain no inputs.
- Food cost
- 1,200.00
- Preparation labour cost
- 400.00
- Service labour cost
- 400.00
- Total labour cost
- 800.00
- Other variable cost
- 300.00
- Fixed event cost
- 200.00
- Base catering cost
- 2,500.00
- Contingency
- 250.00
- Protected catering cost
- 2,750.00
- Total catering quote
- 3,437.50
- Quote per guest
- 34.38
- Target contribution
- 687.50
Scenario comparison
Each row names the assumption axis changed from the baseline.
ScenarioResultDifference
Entered scenario3,437.50Baseline
Lower Guests3,272.50-165.00
Higher Guests3,602.50165.00
Save these results, change an input, then compare the updated figures with this baseline.
The baseline is temporary in this tab and is not added to shared scenario links or generated reports.
Calculation details
View calculation detailsView the formulas and inputs used for these results.
Food cost
Food cost
guests × food cost per guest1,200.00Result1,200.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Food costGuest Count
- 100
- Food costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Food costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Food costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Food costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Food costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Food costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Food costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Food costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Food costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Preparation labour cost
Preparation labour cost
preparation hours × preparation loaded rate400.00Result400.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Preparation labour costGuest Count
- 100
- Preparation labour costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Preparation labour costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Preparation labour costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Preparation labour costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Preparation labour costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Preparation labour costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Preparation labour costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Preparation labour costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Preparation labour costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Service labour cost
Service labour cost
service hours × service loaded rate400.00Result400.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Service labour costGuest Count
- 100
- Service labour costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Service labour costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Service labour costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Service labour costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Service labour costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Service labour costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Service labour costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Service labour costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Service labour costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Total labour cost
Total labour cost
preparation labour + service labour800.00Result800.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Total labour costGuest Count
- 100
- Total labour costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Total labour costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Total labour costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Total labour costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Total labour costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Total labour costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Total labour costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Total labour costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Total labour costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Other variable cost
Other variable cost
packaging and logistics cost300.00Result300.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Other variable costGuest Count
- 100
- Other variable costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Other variable costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Other variable costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Other variable costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Other variable costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Other variable costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Other variable costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Other variable costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Other variable costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Fixed event cost
Fixed event cost
venue and fixed cost200.00Result200.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Fixed event costGuest Count
- 100
- Fixed event costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Fixed event costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Fixed event costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Fixed event costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Fixed event costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Fixed event costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Fixed event costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Fixed event costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Fixed event costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Base catering cost
Base catering cost
food + labour + other variable + fixed costs2,500.00Result2,500.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Base catering costGuest Count
- 100
- Base catering costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Base catering costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Base catering costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Base catering costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Base catering costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Base catering costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Base catering costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Base catering costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Base catering costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Contingency
Contingency
base cost × contingency rate250.00Result250.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- ContingencyGuest Count
- 100
- ContingencyFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- ContingencyPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- ContingencyPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- ContingencyService Labour Hours
- 10
- ContingencyService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- ContingencyPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- ContingencyVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- ContingencyContingency Rate
- 0.1
- ContingencyTarget Margin
- 0.2
Protected catering cost
Protected catering cost
base cost + contingency2,750.00Result2,750.00
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Protected catering costGuest Count
- 100
- Protected catering costFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Protected catering costPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Protected catering costPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Protected catering costService Labour Hours
- 10
- Protected catering costService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Protected catering costPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Protected catering costVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Protected catering costContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Protected catering costTarget Margin
- 0.2
Total catering quote
Total catering quote
protected cost ÷ (1 − target margin)3,437.50Result3,437.50
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Total catering quoteGuest Count
- 100
- Total catering quoteFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Total catering quotePrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Total catering quotePrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Total catering quoteService Labour Hours
- 10
- Total catering quoteService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Total catering quotePackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Total catering quoteVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Total catering quoteContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Total catering quoteTarget Margin
- 0.2
Quote per guest
Quote per guest
total quote ÷ guests34.38Result34.38
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Quote per guestGuest Count
- 100
- Quote per guestFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Quote per guestPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Quote per guestPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Quote per guestService Labour Hours
- 10
- Quote per guestService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Quote per guestPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Quote per guestVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Quote per guestContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Quote per guestTarget Margin
- 0.2
Target contribution
Target contribution
total quote − protected cost687.50Result687.50
Uses only the entered market-neutral commercial records and assumptions. Raw engine precision is retained until display.
Catering Quote & Margin Planner formulas →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Target contributionGuest Count
- 100
- Target contributionFood Cost Per Guest Ex Tax
- 12
- Target contributionPrep Labour Hours
- 10
- Target contributionPrep Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Target contributionService Labour Hours
- 10
- Target contributionService Loaded Rate Ex Tax
- 40
- Target contributionPackaging Logistics Cost Ex Tax
- 300
- Target contributionVenue Fixed Cost Ex Tax
- 200
- Target contributionContingency Rate
- 0.1
- Target contributionTarget Margin
- 0.2
Inputs used
- Guests
- 100
- Food cost per guest
- 12.00
- Preparation labour hours
- 10
- Preparation loaded rate
- 40.00
- Service labour hours
- 10
- Service loaded rate
- 40.00
- Packaging and logistics
- 300.00
- Venue and fixed costs
- 200.00
- Contingency rate
- 10%
- Target quote margin
- 20%
Open this calculator with preset values
This calculator supports documented, shareable scenario URLs. Compatible assistants and applications can construct links using the parameters below.
Scenario links contain only allowlisted numeric and closed-choice inputs shown in the URL; Margin101 excludes free text and identifying fields. Anyone you share the URL with can read those numbers, so do not include private or identifying data.
| Parameter | Meaning | Unit | Allowed values | Presence | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| contingencyRate | Enter a scenario allowance for uncertainty; do not duplicate costs already in the stack. | decimal fraction of event base cost | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.1 |
| foodCostPerGuestExTax | Enter ingredient and food cost for one guest. Use one consistent ex-tax basis. | currency units/guest, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 12 |
| guestCount | Enter the whole number of guests covered by the quote. | whole guests/event | 1 to 100000000 | Required | 100 |
| packagingLogisticsCostExTax | Enter event packaging, equipment transport and logistics cost. Use one consistent ex-tax basis. | currency units/event, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 300 |
| prepLabourHours | Enter preparation hours required for the event. | hours/event | 0 to 100000000 | Required | 10 |
| prepLoadedRateExTax | Enter the full internal cost per preparation hour. Use one consistent ex-tax basis. | currency units/hour, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 40 |
| serviceLabourHours | Enter on-site service labour hours for the event. | hours/event | 0 to 100000000 | Required | 10 |
| serviceLoadedRateExTax | Enter the full internal cost per service hour. Use one consistent ex-tax basis. | currency units/hour, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 40 |
| targetMargin | Enter the contribution margin to protect in the quoted revenue. | decimal fraction of catering quote revenue | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.2 |
| venueFixedCostExTax | Enter fixed event, venue and allocated operating costs. Use one consistent ex-tax basis. | currency units/event, ex tax | 0 to 10000000 | Required | 200 |
Catering Quote & Margin: food
Protect every entered event cost and contingency before treating the quote as margin-bearing revenue.
Formula summary
- Primary formula
- protected cost ÷ (1 − target margin).
Data used here
- The estimate uses your inputs and the general business formula documented in the methodology.
Decision checks
Stress-test the decision
Retest more guests, higher food cost, longer labour and a larger contingency.
When this estimate can be misleading
- Use one consistent ex-tax commercial basis.
- Provider terms, wastage, markup, costs and volumes are user inputs rather than defaults.
- This is educational business decision support, not accounting, tax, legal or financial advice.
- Protect every entered event cost and contingency before treating the quote as margin-bearing revenue.
Educational estimate, not advice. See all assumptions & limitations →
Related reading
Guides to interpret the decision and its assumptions.
- Catering Quote Pricing Checklist
Freeze event scope, quantities, labour, logistics, inclusions and change triggers before handing the record to the catering quote planner.
Read guide - Deposit and Cancellation Terms for Events
Size event deposits and cancellation checkpoints from committed cash and recoverable work without giving legal advice.
Read guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I build a quote from portions, labour, logistics, contingency and margin?
Confirm portions, labour hours and logistics with the delivery team before sending the quote.
Which planning assumptions should I stress-test?
Compare a plausible alternative scenario and verify the decision-critical assumption that changes the plan most.