Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free pieces: how many to plan for a cocktail or buffet
The method for working out vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free pieces for a cocktail or buffet: count the guests concerned, not a percentage.
For a company cocktail or buffet, the right question is not "what percentage of vegetarians?" but "how many people, exactly, and how many pieces must each of them be able to eat?" A vegan guest with only three pieces within reach leaves hungry, whatever the average percentage. Here is the method, a worked example for 50 guests, and what to tell the caterer.
The method in four steps
- Ask for dietary needs at registration. One simple question in the invitation: diet (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, other), allergies. It is the only way to get real numbers.
- Count the guests by diet, noting those who combine two (vegan and gluten-free, for example).
- Multiply by the number of pieces per person, the same as for the others: 8, 12 or 16 pieces in a cocktail, depending on the formula.
- Add a 10% margin: a guest who tastes a piece twice, a last-minute guest, a piece damaged in transport.
These pieces are part of the total ordered: the cocktail stays at 12 pieces per person for everyone, but some pieces are chosen so that the guests concerned can eat them. Anyone can eat a vegetarian piece; a vegetarian guest cannot eat a chicken piece.
An example: a 12-piece cocktail for 50 guests
Fifty guests, of whom 5 vegetarian, 2 vegan and 3 gluten-free (an illustrative assumption, to be replaced by your guests' answers).
| Diet | Guests | Calculation | Pieces to plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetarian | 5 | 5 × 12 pieces + 10% | 66 |
| Vegan | 2 | 2 × 12 pieces + 10% | 27 |
| Gluten-free | 3 | 3 × 12 pieces + 10% | 40 |
| Total set aside | 10 | 133 out of 600 pieces |
Three points to remember: a vegan guest is also vegetarian, so the vegan pieces can top up the vegetarian ones; a guest who is both vegan and gluten-free counts in both lines; and the 133 pieces are included in the 600, not added to them.
And for a sharing menu?
The sharing menus (Le Méditerranéen €37.50 excl. VAT, Le Parisien €37.90, Le Jardin €34.90 per person) are sized for 8 to 12 guests. Le Jardin is 100% vegetarian: from 8 vegetarians, a Le Jardin menu is set aside for them, with no dish to adapt. Below that, the other menus are adapted; see the inclusive menu.
What L'Écrin Traiteur sets out in the quote
- The whole savoury menu is halal and pork-free, alcohol-free: the buffet is the same for everyone.
- Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are set out in the quote, with the number of people concerned. The formulas' composition is fixed: for a specific request, ask for a quote before ordering.
- The fresh fruit skewers are vegan and gluten-free; at breakfast, the gluten-free banana bread is €26.90 excl. VAT for 6 to 8 people.
- An allergen table is attached to the quote and the delivery note. Traces of gluten remain possible in the kitchen: for coeliac disease, say so when requesting the quote.
How to present these pieces on the day
Label each tray ("vegetarian", "vegan", "gluten-free"), place them in the same spot as the others rather than in a corner, and keep them apart from the meat or cheese pieces to avoid contact. Give the number of guests concerned when ordering, so that the quantities match your list.
To go further: vegetarian and vegan caterer, gluten-free caterer and allergen obligations. Ask for a quote stating the headcount and dietary needs.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of vegetarians should you plan for at a cocktail?
There is no reliable percentage: ask for dietary needs at registration and count the real guests. Each guest concerned should have as many suitable pieces as the others, plus a 10% margin.
How many pieces for a vegetarian guest at a cocktail?
As many as the others: 8, 12 or 16 pieces depending on the formula, plus a 10% margin (rounded up), that is 9, 14 or 18 pieces.
Should you plan extra gluten-free pieces?
Yes, as soon as a guest is concerned. State the number of people when requesting the quote; mention coeliac disease, as traces of gluten remain possible in the kitchen.
Does a halal buffet suit vegetarians?
The whole savoury menu at L'Écrin Traiteur is halal and pork-free, and vegetarian options are set out in the quote. The Le Jardin menu is 100% vegetarian.
From how many vegetarians should you order a whole menu?
A sharing menu is sized for 8 to 12 guests: from 8 vegetarians, the Le Jardin menu (€34.90 excl. VAT per person) is set aside for them.
Where can I find the allergens?
In the allergen table attached to the quote and the delivery note.
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