Food stations at corporate events: ideas, number of guests and budget
Food stations at corporate events: ideas by time of day, a €600 excl. VAT floor price, minimum cost per person by headcount and what is included.
A food station at a corporate event is priced in two parts, the set-up and the portions, with a floor price of €600 excl. VAT: with 20 guests, that is at least €30 excl. VAT per person, with 50 guests €12, with 100 guests €6. This article sorts the stations by time of day, sets out what your guests receive and shows how to add them to a cocktail reception. For an overview of formats, see the food station ideas.
How much does a food station at a corporate event cost?
The price of a caterer's food station is the sum of the set-up and the portions, with a floor price of €600 excl. VAT: the exact price is set on quote, because each station is priced according to the date, venue, headcount, duration and access. The table shows what the floor price represents per person.
| Guests | Minimum cost per person (€600 excl. VAT ÷ guests) |
|---|---|
| 15 | €40.00 excl. VAT |
| 20 | €30.00 excl. VAT |
| 30 | €20.00 excl. VAT |
| 50 | €12.00 excl. VAT |
| 100 | €6.00 excl. VAT |
These amounts are floors, not prices: the real cost depends on the number of portions.
How many guests do you need for a food station?
Aim for 20 guests at least: below that, the €600 excl. VAT floor price exceeds €30 excl. VAT per person, the price of an 8-canapé cocktail reception, without creating a moment of theatre. Above 50 guests, the floor price drops below €12 per person and blends into the budget. Pace, quantities and length of service are set according to the number of guests in the quote.
Which food station should you choose for each time of day?
Choose the station by time of day: hot food and drinks in the morning, sweet at the break, savoury at midday, standing formats in the evening. The table matches each moment with the stations in our food station catalogue and what they offer.
| Moment | Suitable stations | What your guests receive |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome breakfast, seminar | Barista; fresh-pressed juice bar; eggs made to order; yoghurt and granola bar | Espresso, cappuccino, latte, flat white, teas; orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade; scrambled eggs, fried eggs, omelettes; skyr, homemade granola, fruit |
| Afternoon break, workplace wellbeing week | Crêpes and pancakes; Belgian waffles; fresh fruit bar; sweet popcorn | Maple syrup, chocolate, salted butter caramel, fresh fruit, whipped cream; seasonal fruit cut to order |
| Team lunch | Pasta made to order; bagels; Lebanese wraps and pittas; mini baguettes | Trofie with pesto, burrata; salmon, chicken Caesar, avocado feta bagels; shawarma, falafel, hummus; turkey ham, tuna, pastrami |
| After-work drinks, team evening | Mini burgers; gourmet tacos; loaded fries; mocktail bar | Cheeseburger, crispy chicken, halloumi; marinated chicken, pulled beef, falafel; 100% alcohol-free mocktails |
| Cocktail reception, opening, partner evening | Salmon carving; aged cheeses; halal pork-free cured meats; sushi and maki; focaccia and burrata | Blinis, lemon-dill cream; aged cheeses and breads; dried beef, smoked turkey, bresaola; maki, nigiri, gyoza |
| Staff party, children's Christmas party | Ice cream bar; candyfloss; chocolate fountain | Six ice cream flavours and toppings; coloured sugars; fruit and treats for dipping |
What does a caterer's food station include?
A food station includes the chef who prepares in front of your guests, the set-up, ingredients scaled to the headcount and, depending on the station, installation and dismantling or collection of equipment. The points to confirm in the quote:
- Barista: machine and counter installed then dismantled. Rented espresso machine: delivery, installation and collection, premium capsules, cups, sugar and stirrers.
- Hot stations (crêpes, waffles, eggs, pasta): power supply and space to be provided on your side.
- Reusable tableware: equipment collection is charged €19 excl. VAT on top of delivery.
How much should you budget for a food station added to a cocktail reception?
For 50 guests, an 8-canapé cocktail reception plus a station at the floor price costs at least €2,124 excl. VAT including delivery, so €42.48 excl. VAT per person. The table compares common headcounts, with delivery of the cocktail part at €29 excl. VAT.
| Guests | 8-canapé cocktail reception | Station at floor price | Delivery | Minimum total excl. VAT | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | €897 | €600 | €29 | €1,526 | €50.87 |
| 50 | €1,495 | €600 | €29 | €2,124 | €42.48 |
| 100 | €2,990 | €600 | €29 | €3,619 | €36.19 |
With 50 guests, the 12-canapé cocktail reception costs €2,074 excl. VAT delivered: the station at the floor price comes to €50 excl. VAT more, swapping 4 canapés per person for a moment of theatre. Drinks are extra; see canapé ideas and the corporate cocktail receptions page.
What budget for a food station at three common moments?
Three examples calculated at the €600 excl. VAT floor price, with the catalogue price for the rest of the service; the real price of the station is set on quote.
- Welcome breakfast, 30 people: Classique breakfast 30 × €8 + €29 = €269, plus a barista at the €600 floor price, so €869 excl. VAT at least and €28.97 per person.
- Team lunch, 20 people: 20 vegetarian lunch trays at €28.90, delivered, cost €607; a pasta station already starts at €600, so the lunch tray serves as the benchmark and the station is priced in the quote.
- Staff party, 50 people: afternoon break 50 × €6 + €29 = €329, plus an ice cream bar at the €600 floor price, so €929 excl. VAT at least and €18.58 per person.
Do food stations suit dietary requirements?
Yes: everything is halal and pork-free by default, alcohol-free, and the mocktail bar is 100% alcohol-free. The mini burgers (halloumi), the tacos and the wraps (falafel) have a vegetarian option, and the sushi a no-raw-fish option. Gluten-free options are specified when ordering, as the kitchen handles flour.
Which common mistakes should you avoid with a food station?
- Choosing the station before the headcount: below 20 guests, the floor price weighs more than €30 excl. VAT per person.
- Forgetting technical constraints: access, power and space are given in the quote request.
- Combining a station with a full cocktail reception: the station replaces some of the canapés, so ask what can be removed.
- Asking for the quote too late: a food station is priced on quote, within 24 hours, with 48 hours' notice recommended from 50 people.
- Placing the station away from the flow of people: a station at the back of a room goes unused.
Frequently asked questions about corporate food stations
What is the minimum price of a food station at a corporate event?
The floor price is €600 excl. VAT. The price of a food station is made up of the set-up and the portions, and is quoted according to the date, venue, headcount, duration and access. The quote is sent within 24 hours, with company invoicing and VAT.
How much does a food station cost per person?
At the €600 excl. VAT floor price, a food station costs at least €30 excl. VAT per person for 20 guests, €20 for 30, €12 for 50 and €6 for 100. The actual price depends on the number of portions, and so on the station chosen: it is set in the quote.
How many guests do you need for a food station?
From 20 guests, because below that the €600 excl. VAT floor price exceeds €30 excl. VAT per person, the price of an 8-canapé cocktail reception at €29.90 excl. VAT. Above 50 guests, the floor price falls below €12 per person and weighs little in the budget.
Which food station should you choose for after-work drinks?
Mini burgers, gourmet tacos, loaded fries and the mocktail bar, 100% alcohol-free, are the evening stations: standing formats, assembled to order. The mini burgers and tacos come with a vegetarian option, with halloumi or falafel.
Does a food station replace the cocktail reception?
It replaces part of it. For 50 guests, an 8-canapé cocktail reception plus a station at the floor price costs €2,124 excl. VAT including delivery, against €2,074 excl. VAT for a 12-canapé cocktail reception: €50 more to swap 4 canapés per person for a food station.
Which food station suits an office breakfast?
The barista (espresso, cappuccino, latte, flat white), the fresh-pressed juice bar, scrambled eggs made to order and the yoghurt and granola bar. The €600 excl. VAT floor price applies: at 50 guests, it represents at least €12 excl. VAT per person, on top of the breakfast.
How do you request a quote for a food station?
Give the date, the venue, the headcount, the duration and the access details (power, space): the quote is sent within 24 hours, with company invoicing and VAT. For breakfast, see also the breakfasts and breaks and the corporate after-work drinks offer. Request your quote. L'Écrin Traiteur prices, October 2026.
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