How Much Catering for 50 People (and 20, 30 or 100)

How many trays do I need?

Enter your headcount and pick a dish for each course. We size every course to feed everyone once, using the low end of each tray's range.

Guests

Serve it as

Buffet trays Boxed lunches

MainChicken ShawarmaGyroBeef ShawarmaChicken skewersKafta skewersBeef skewersVegetable skewersMeat LasagnaChicken Fettuccine AlfredoBéchamel Pasta Bake SideNoneRiceRoasted PotatoesMixed VegetablesKousharyPenne RoséFettuccine Alfredo SaladNoneGreek SaladFattoush SaladTabouleh SaladLebanese SaladMediterranean SaladCaesar Salad ExtraNoneHummusBaba GhannougeTandoori BreadFalafelGrape LeavesSpinach PiesKibbie DessertNoneBaklavaKunafaRice PuddingTiramisu

• 2× Chicken Shawarma, large tray $240
• 1× Chicken Shawarma, small tray $65
• 2× Rice, large tray $100
• 1× Rice, small tray $35
• 2× Greek Salad, large tray $130
• 1× Greek Salad, small tray $45
• 5× Tandoori Bread, dozen $80
• 2× Baklava, large tray $180
• 1× Baklava, small tray $50

Food total $925 about $18.50 per guest

Before tax and delivery ($10 to $30 by distance). Prices from our current menu.

Request a quote for this order

The rule of thumb

Catering trays are sized by servings, not weight. On our menu a small tray serves 10–12 and a large tray serves 20–22, per dish. A buffet that feels generous covers the full headcount once in each course:

Course	How much	Example
Main	Trays adding up to your headcount	Chicken shawarma, gyro, beef shawarma
Starch side	Trays adding up to your headcount	Rice, roasted potatoes, pasta
Salad	Trays adding up to your headcount	Fattoush, Greek salad, Caesar
Dip	About half to all of your headcount	Hummus, baba ghannouge
Finger foods	Two or three pieces per guest, per item	Grape leaves, falafel, spinach pies
Kabob skewers	One and a half to two per guest as the only main	Chicken, kafta, beef
Bread	One piece per guest	Tandoori bread by the dozen
Dessert	One or two small pieces per guest	Baklava, basbousa

If you offer two mains, you do not need each one sized for everyone. Split the headcount between them and round both up. Round up in general for long events where people go back for seconds, for teenagers and teams, and for dinner rather than lunch.

Trays per dish at a glance:

Guests	Each tray dish (main, side, salad)	Bread
20	1 large tray	2 dozen
30	1 large tray and 1 small tray	3 dozen
50	2 large trays and 1 small tray	5 dozen
100	5 large trays	9 dozen

Catering for 20 people

For 20 guests, each course is 1 large tray. This is a typical office lunch or small birthday:

Qty	Item	Price
1	Chicken Shawarma, large tray	$120
1	Rice, large tray	$50
1	Greek Salad, large tray	$65
1	Hummus, large tray	$60
2	Tandoori Bread, dozen	$32
1	Baklava, large tray	$90
	Food total	$417
	Per guest	about $20.85

Food only, at today's menu prices, before tax and delivery ($10 to $30 by distance). Trays are counted at the low end of each size's range.

Catering for 30 people

At 30 you are between sizes, so each course becomes 1 large tray and 1 small tray. That also makes it easy to offer two choices: a large tray of one main and a small tray of another.

Qty	Item	Price
1	Gyro, large tray	$120
1	Chicken Shawarma, small tray	$65
1	Rice, large tray	$50
1	Rice, small tray	$35
1	Fattoush Salad, large tray	$60
1	Fattoush Salad, small tray	$40
1	Hummus, large tray	$60
1	Hummus, small tray	$40
3	Grape Leaves, dozen	$54
3	Tandoori Bread, dozen	$48
1	Baklava, large tray	$90
1	Baklava, small tray	$50
	Food total	$712
	Per guest	about $23.73

Food only, at today's menu prices, before tax and delivery ($10 to $30 by distance). Trays are counted at the low end of each size's range.

Catering for 50 people

Fifty guests is the size of a holiday party, a graduation open house or a church dinner. Each course is 2 large trays and 1 small tray. With that many people, offering two mains is worth it: half chicken shawarma and half beef shawarma or gyro, for example. Add a dozen-item so there is something to pick at while the line moves.

Qty	Item	Price
1	Chicken Shawarma, large tray	$120
1	Chicken Shawarma, small tray	$65
1	Gyro, large tray	$120
1	Gyro, small tray	$65
2	Rice, large tray	$100
1	Rice, small tray	$35
2	Fattoush Salad, large tray	$120
1	Fattoush Salad, small tray	$40
2	Hummus, large tray	$120
1	Hummus, small tray	$40
5	Falafel, dozen	$70
5	Tandoori Bread, dozen	$80
2	Baklava, large tray	$180
1	Baklava, small tray	$50
	Food total	$1,205
	Per guest	about $24.10

Food only, at today's menu prices, before tax and delivery ($10 to $30 by distance). Trays are counted at the low end of each size's range.

For a vegetarian-friendly 50, add spinach pies or a tray of penne rosé. The vegan and vegetarian catering page shows how to size those.

Catering for 100 people

At 100 guests, think in stations rather than single trays: each course is 5 large trays. Split the mains between two or three kinds, set up two serving lines if you can, and put dips, bread and finger foods at a separate table so the line keeps moving.

Qty	Item	Price
2	Chicken Shawarma, large tray	$240
1	Chicken Shawarma, small tray	$65
1	Gyro, large tray	$120
1	Gyro, small tray	$65
20	Kafta kabob skewers	$140
5	Rice, large tray	$250
5	Greek Salad, large tray	$325
5	Hummus, large tray	$300
9	Grape Leaves, dozen	$162
9	Tandoori Bread, dozen	$144
5	Baklava, large tray	$450
	Food total	$2,261
	Per guest	about $22.61

Food only, at today's menu prices, before tax and delivery ($10 to $30 by distance). Trays are counted at the low end of each size's range.

The order above splits the mains three ways: chicken shawarma for half the group, gyro for 30 and kafta skewers for 20. Swap any of them for beef shawarma or other skewers. For an event this big, request a quote so we can go over the order with you.

What does catering cost per person?

Each worked order above shows its total and the cost per guest, calculated from today's menu prices. Price per person mostly depends on the main. Compare a large chicken shawarma tray ($120) with a large beef shawarma tray ($200), or chicken skewers ($7 each) with lamb ($10 each). Sides, salads and dips change the total less. The totals are for food only. Drop-off is standard, and setup, wait staff and other services are available on request, priced with your quote. Plates, utensils, napkins, serving spoons and chafing dishes are included with every catering order. Every price is on the catering menu.

How far in advance should you order catering?

Every catering order needs at least 24 hours notice, placed and confirmed before your event. That holds for 100 guests and for holiday dates too. It is a minimum, though: for a busy date like a December Friday or graduation weekend, order earlier. Orders placed less than 48 hours before your event are paid in full when you order; with more notice, your order starts as a quote, and we call you to go over it before charging your card. Cutting it close? Read our guide to last-minute holiday catering.

Do you tip the catering delivery driver?

Tipping is customary in the US when someone delivers food to you. Common etiquette guides suggest 10 to 15 percent of the food total for a delivered catering order, with a little more if the driver carries trays in, sets up or deals with stairs, bad weather or a hard-to-find room. Check your receipt first: if a service charge or delivery fee is listed, ask whether any of it goes to the driver. If you pick up the order yourself, no tip is expected. We deliver within 50 miles of the restaurant; drop-off is standard, and setup or wait staff can be added to your quote. Delivery is $10 for addresses within 20 miles of the restaurant, $20 for 20 to 40 miles and $30 for 40 to 50 miles.

Ready to order

Pick up at the restaurant, 9901 Southpoint Parkway (open from 11 am daily), or we deliver anywhere within 50 miles of it, to offices, homes, churches and venues. Delivery is $10 for addresses within 20 miles of the restaurant, $20 for 20 to 40 miles and $30 for 40 to 50 miles. Send your headcount and date through the quote form or call (540) 372-7755. More ideas for your event: party catering, office catering and holiday party catering.