Comparing caterer quotes for a company buffet: a worked example for 20 people
A buffet quote read line by line for 20 people (€848 to €908 excl. VAT), the 10 questions to ask and the method for comparing three caterers.
Two buffet quotes can show the same price per person and cover very different things. The only way to compare them is to bring them down to an all-inclusive price per person, line by line. Here is a complete quote read line by line for 20 people (€848 to €908 excl. VAT at L'Écrin Traiteur), the ten questions to ask every caterer, and the method for comparing three offers without being misled.
A buffet quote for 20 people, line by line
Example: a one-hour team lunch, as a sharing menu, delivered in Paris. The prices are those of L'Écrin Traiteur's catalogue.
| Line | What it covers | Amount excl. VAT | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharing menu | 20 guests at €34.90 (Le Jardin) or €37.90 (Le Parisien) per person; each menu is sized for 8 to 12 guests | €698 to €758 | The number of recipes and pieces per person, not only the price |
| Delivery | Flat fee in Paris and nearby towns, from 6:30 am | €29 | The zone, the time slot and the surcharge outside the zone |
| Drinks | 4 one-litre flasks (coffee, tea), 2 L of juice, 5 bottles of water | €121 | The quantities in writing, not just "drinks included" |
| Disposable cups, napkins, cutlery | Provided | €0 | Disposable or reusable? |
| Hard tableware, glassware, tablecloths | On quote, hired from a partner | Not priced | Washing and collection included? |
| Total | Excluding hard tableware | €848 to €908 | Or €42.40 to €45.40 per person |
The €29 delivery applies to Paris and nearby towns; the Yvelines and more distant areas are priced on the quote according to the distance. With collection of reusable tableware, delivery becomes €39 excl. VAT on a single line in Paris, the 92 and the 94.
The same exercise for a 12-piece cocktail
| Line | Calculation | Amount excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|
| La Réception cocktail, 12 pieces | 20 × €40.90 | €818 |
| Delivery | Flat fee Paris and nearby towns | €29 |
| Drinks for a 2-hour evening | 4 Chardonnay 0%, 5 L of juice, 4 bottles of water | €134.30 |
| Total without service | €981.30 (€49.07 per person) | |
| Maître d'hôtel, 6-hour service | For a standing cocktail of 20 to 40 guests | €250 |
| Total with service | €1,231.30 (€61.57 per person) |
This cocktail works out at €3.41 excl. VAT per piece; depending on the menu, L'Écrin's cocktails range from €3.24 to €3.74 excl. VAT per piece (16 pieces at €51.90, 8 pieces at €29.90).
The 10 questions to ask every caterer
Ask each one the same ten questions: L'Écrin Traiteur's answers are in the right-hand column, so you can see what a clear answer looks like.
| Item | The question | L'Écrin Traiteur's answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Price | Excl. or incl. VAT? Per person or per menu? | Price excl. VAT per person, published on the prices page |
| 2. Delivery | What fee, what zone, what time slot? | €29 excl. VAT in Paris and nearby towns, from 6:30 am; outside the zone on quote |
| 3. Minimum | Minimum order or minimum number of guests? | €50 excl. VAT of products, no minimum number of guests |
| 4. Tableware | Disposable, reusable or hard? Washing included? | Disposable at no extra cost; hard tableware, glassware and tablecloths on quote |
| 5. Set-up | Delivered set out or to be arranged? Who serves? | Delivered set out, ready to serve; maître d'hôtel at €250 excl. VAT for 6 hours |
| 6. Drinks | Included or à la carte? What quantities? | À la carte: flask €19.50 excl. VAT, juice from €9.50 excl. VAT per litre |
| 7. Dietary needs and allergens | At the same price? A written sheet? | Halal and pork-free by default; vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free at the same price; allergen sheet with the quote |
| 8. Lead times | Until when to order and change? | Until 2 pm the day before; 48 hours ahead from 50 people |
| 9. Cancellation | On what terms, and what happens to the order? | Free of charge up to 2 working days before delivery, before 10 am; after that it remains due |
| 10. Collection of equipment | Who collects the dishes and flasks, and when? | Returned clean within 72 hours, or collected with the delivery-and-collection line |
How to compare three quotes
- Give the same data to all three caterers: date, address, time, confirmed headcount, dietary needs, duration.
- Fill in a six-column table for each offer: products, delivery, drinks, tableware, service, collection.
- Bring each total down to an all-inclusive price per person, then compare them with each other, not with the price displayed in large type on the page.
- Compare the quantities: number of pieces or grams per person, drinks in litres. A low price for too few pieces ends up costing more.
- Read the terms: changes, cancellation, consumption time, collection. They matter as much as the price when a headcount changes.
The costs that most often add up
- Delivery outside the zone, or very early in the morning.
- Hard tableware, glassware and tablecloths.
- Service staff and set-up.
- Drinks, when they are not in the package.
- Furniture (standing tables, tables) hired separately.
- Collection of equipment and cleaning.
The lines to check are detailed in what is included in a caterer's quote, and how to calculate quantities in cold buffet quantities.
With L'Écrin Traiteur
- Prices excl. VAT published on the prices page, quote within 24 hours, company invoice with VAT, payment by bank transfer or card.
- Order until 2 pm the day before (48 hours ahead from 50 people), €50 minimum order of products (excl. VAT).
- Sharing menus and cocktails delivered set out, ready to put on the table.
See our sharing menus and our cocktails, or ask for a quote stating the date, the address, the headcount and dietary needs.
Frequently asked questions
What should a caterer's quote for a company buffet contain?
The products with their quantities, the price excl. VAT per person, delivery (zone, time slot, fee), drinks, tableware (disposable, reusable or hard), any service, collection of equipment, dietary needs and allergens, and the terms for changes and cancellation.
How much does a company buffet for 20 people cost, all in?
At L'Écrin Traiteur, €848 to €908 excl. VAT as a sharing menu, with €29 excl. VAT delivery and the drinks for a one-hour meal included, or €42.40 to €45.40 excl. VAT per person. Hard tableware is on quote, and disposable cups, napkins and cutlery come at no extra cost.
How do you compare three caterers' quotes?
Give the same data to all three caterers, bring each offer down to an all-inclusive price per person (products, delivery, drinks, tableware, service, collection), compare the quantities and read the terms for changes and cancellation.
Should you compare the price per person or the price per piece?
Both. The price per person says what you pay, the price per piece says what you receive: at L'Écrin, a cocktail works out at €3.24 to €3.74 excl. VAT per piece depending on the menu. Also check the number of pieces per person.
Is delivery included in the price?
Not in the price per person: it is charged separately. At L'Écrin, €29 excl. VAT in Paris and nearby towns, from 6:30 am; €39 excl. VAT with collection of reusable tableware in Paris, the 92 and the 94; outside the zone, on quote.
What is charged separately in a buffet quote?
Depending on the caterer: delivery outside the zone, hard tableware, glassware, tablecloths, service staff, drinks, furniture and collection of equipment. At L'Écrin, the maître d'hôtel costs €250 excl. VAT for 6 hours.
How long does it take to get a quote?
Within 24 hours at L'Écrin Traiteur. State the date, the address, the time, the headcount, dietary needs and the budget so that it is right first time.
Can you change or cancel a buffet order?
At L'Écrin, the order can be changed until 2 pm the day before. Cancellation is free of charge up to 2 working days before delivery, before 10 am; after that, the order remains due.
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