Cost guide
How much does corporate catering cost?
A delivered office lunch of sandwiches, salads and fruit costs £10 to £20 per head, with a hot lunch at £15 to £25. A one-off corporate event is priced as event catering: £20 to £45 per head for canapés, £25 to £50 for bowl food, and £65 to £120 for a seated dinner with staff.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Sandwich or cold working lunch, per head | £8 to £15 |
| Hot delivered lunch, per head | £15 to £25 |
| Breakfast meeting, per head | £8 to £15 |
| Canapé reception with staff, per head | £20 to £45 |
| Seated corporate dinner, per head | £65 to £120 |
For regular lunches, ask about the order cut-off, the minimum order and the delivery charge, which together set the real price of a small meeting. For events, ask whether staff, crockery and VAT are in the figure per head.
What moves the price
- Regular or one-off. A weekly lunch order is a delivery with a minimum; an event is priced for staff, equipment and time.
- Cold or hot. Hot lunches need insulated delivery or chafing dishes and cost more than sandwiches.
- Staff. Canapés, bowl food and seated dinners all need service staff, which is most of the difference in price.
- Location. London prices sit well above the rest of the UK, and city-centre delivery is slower and dearer.
- The minimum order and delivery charge, which decide the real price of feeding a small meeting.
Who quotes for it
9 of the 2,162 caterers listed on this site take on corporate catering.
Where they are: Exeter (1), Hyde (1), Leicester (1), Peterborough (1), Slough (1).
Questions about corporate catering
Can office caterers handle dietary requirements?
Yes, if told when you order. Individual lunches should be labelled with the name and contents, and the caterer must be able to tell you which of the 14 allergens each item contains.
Do corporate caterers provide VAT invoices?
A caterer registered for VAT will issue a VAT invoice. Businesses below the registration threshold, which is £90,000 of taxable turnover, do not charge VAT and cannot issue one.