How much food per person for corporate catering: breakfast, lunch, cocktail reception, buffet, desserts and drinks (2026 guide)
How much food per person: pieces and grams by format (breakfast, lunch tray, cocktail reception, cold buffet 450 to 600 g), in ounces too, with totals and prices for 10, 20, 50 and 100 people.
At L'Écrin Traiteur, we plan per person 2 mini pastries and one 20 cl glass of juice at breakfast, one lunch tray of 500 to 650 g at lunch, 8, 12 or 16 canapés at a cocktail reception (120 to 320 g) and 450 to 600 g of food (15.9 to 21.2 oz) for a cold buffet that replaces the meal, so 22.5 to 30 kg for 50 people (49.6 to 66.1 lb). This guide brings together the quantities for all our formats, in pieces, grams and ounces, then the totals and calculated prices for 10, 20, 50 and 100 people, €29 excl. VAT delivery included.
How much food per person by format?
The pieces and portions are L'Écrin Traiteur's quoting rules. The grams are benchmarks: the source of each is given, and a weight is attributed to L'Écrin only when it comes from our recipe sheets or our suppliers' invoices.
| Format | Pieces or portions per person | Grams per person | Where the weight comes from | L'Écrin Traiteur price per person, excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 mini pastries (3 for up to 10 people), 1 madeleine (loaf cake above 20 people), 1 fruit skewer above 15, one 20 cl glass of juice, one 1-litre thermos for 6 | 80 to 90 g (pastries and madeleine) | Common benchmark: 25 to 30 g mini croissant (manufacturer), madeleine of about 30 g | €8 with the Classique package |
| Afternoon break | 1.5 to 2 sweet pieces | 26 to 52 g | L'Écrin Traiteur: pieces of 17 to 26 g (supplier weight) | from €6 |
| Lunch tray | 1 tray per person attending (starter, main, dessert) | 500 to 650 g, excluding bread | L'Écrin Traiteur: La Romaine, 575 g of raw ingredients (recipe sheet); GEMRCN: 460 to 670 g | €28.90 to €30.90 |
| Aperitif reception | 6 to 8 canapés; L'Invitation: 8 | 120 to 160 g | Common benchmark: 15 to 20 g per canapé (caterers' convention, wholesale canapés) | €29.90 |
| Lunch reception | 12 to 14 canapés; La Réception: 12 | 180 to 240 g | €40.90 | |
| Dinner reception | 16 to 18 canapés; La Célébration: 16 | 240 to 320 g | €51.90 | |
| Cold buffet, sharing menu | 6 savoury pieces with salads (9 without), 150 g of mixed salad, 2 to 3 sweet pieces | 450 to 600 g | Common benchmark: French institutional catering portion guidelines (GEMRCN) and cookery guides | €34.90 to €37.90 |
| Desserts | 2 to 3 petits fours at a buffet, 4 at a dinner reception; 2 macarons as the centrepiece | 36 to 54 g (2 to 3 choux) | L'Écrin Traiteur: 18 g choux (supplier weight); GEMRCN: 40 to 60 g | depends on the pieces |
| Fruit | 1 skewer, or a 1.2 kg basket for 8 | 150 g | L'Écrin Traiteur: seasonal fruit basket (catalogue) | depends on the format |
| Drinks | Breakfast: 20 cl of juice (1 L for 5) and 1 thermos for 6. Cocktail reception: 1 L of juice for 4, one 75 cl water for 5. 1-hour meeting: 1 cup, 1 glass of water | not applicable | L'Écrin Traiteur quoting rules | juice €9.50 per litre, thermos €19.50 |
The grams cover food only, not drinks. At a cocktail reception, people eat standing up and in bites: even at 16 canapés, the weight stays below a cold buffet. The "25 to 35 kg for 50 people" figures often repeated online correspond to 500 to 700 g per person, the top of the cookery guides' range.
How much food per person in ounces and pounds?
The same benchmarks converted to ounces and pounds (1 oz = 28.35 g, 1 lb = 453.6 g). A cold buffet that replaces lunch is about 15.9 to 21.2 oz of food per person, roughly 1 to 1.3 lb; a 16-canapé dinner reception about 8.5 to 11.3 oz.
| Format | Grams per person | Ounces per person | For 50 people | For 100 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast (pastries and madeleine) | 80 to 90 g | 2.8 to 3.2 oz | 8.8 to 9.9 lb | 17.6 to 19.8 lb |
| Afternoon break (1.5 to 2 sweet pieces) | 26 to 52 g | 0.9 to 1.8 oz | 2.9 to 5.7 lb | 5.7 to 11.5 lb |
| Lunch tray, excluding bread | 500 to 650 g | 17.6 to 22.9 oz | 55.1 to 71.7 lb | 110.2 to 143.3 lb |
| 8-canapé reception | 120 to 160 g | 4.2 to 5.6 oz | 13.2 to 17.6 lb | 26.5 to 35.3 lb |
| 12-canapé reception | 180 to 240 g | 6.3 to 8.5 oz | 19.8 to 26.5 lb | 39.7 to 52.9 lb |
| 16-canapé reception | 240 to 320 g | 8.5 to 11.3 oz | 26.5 to 35.3 lb | 52.9 to 70.5 lb |
| Cold buffet that replaces the meal | 450 to 600 g | 15.9 to 21.2 oz | 49.6 to 66.1 lb | 99.2 to 132.3 lb |
| of which mixed salad | 150 g | 5.3 oz | 16.5 lb | 33.1 lb |
| Fruit | 150 g | 5.3 oz | 16.5 lb | 33.1 lb |
Drinks in US-style units: a 20 cl glass of juice is about 6.8 fl oz, a 1-litre thermos about 34 fl oz (6 cups), a 75 cl bottle about 25 fl oz.
How many grams per person for a cold buffet?
Allow 450 to 600 g per person for a cold buffet that replaces lunch: this is the range where French institutional catering portion guidelines (the GEMRCN nutrition recommendation: a reconstructed meal of 390 to 640 g) and cookery guides (450 to 550 g without bread) overlap. The breakdown: 150 g of mixed salads, 80 to 120 g of cold meat or fish, 30 to 50 g of cheese, 50 to 100 g of bread and 60 to 100 g of dessert. This is not a weighing by L'Écrin Traiteur; our quotes count in pieces: 6 savoury pieces per person with salads, 9 without, 2 to 3 sweet pieces. The sharing menus are halal and pork-free. The detailed guide: corporate cold buffet, quantities per person.
How many grams does a cocktail reception weigh per person?
Based on the common figure of 15 to 20 g per canapé, an 8-canapé reception is 120 to 160 g per person, 12 canapés 180 to 240 g, 16 canapés 240 to 320 g. The 20 g canapé is a caterers' calculation convention; wholesale canapés weigh 10 to 15 g, a bite on bread more. At L'Écrin Traiteur, the salmon and cream cheese navette weighs at least 17 g according to its recipe sheet. The savoury canapés are halal and pork-free. The detail by type of reception: how many canapés per person.
How much for 10 people?
| Format | Quantities for 10 people | Weight of food | L'Écrin Traiteur price, delivery included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 30 mini pastries (1 platter of 30), 10 madeleines, 2 L of juice, 2 thermoses of coffee and tea | 1.1 to 1.2 kg (pastries and madeleines) | €109 excl. VAT with the Classique package |
| Afternoon break | 15 to 20 sweet pieces | 0.3 to 0.5 kg | from €89 excl. VAT |
| Lunch trays | 10 trays (starter, main, dessert) | 5 to 6.5 kg | €318.00 to €338.00 excl. VAT |
| 8-canapé reception (L'Invitation) | 80 canapés, 3 L of juice, 2 bottles of water | 1.2 to 1.6 kg | €366.10 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 12-canapé reception (La Réception) | 120 canapés, 3 L of juice, 2 bottles of water | 1.8 to 2.4 kg | €476.10 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 16-canapé reception (La Célébration) | 160 canapés, 3 L of juice, 2 bottles of water | 2.4 to 3.2 kg | €586.10 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| Cold buffet, sharing menu | 60 savoury pieces with salads (90 without), 1.5 kg of salad, 20 to 30 sweet pieces | 4.5 to 6 kg | €378.00 to €408.00 excl. VAT |
| Drinks for a 1-hour meal | 2 thermoses, 1 L of juice, 3 75 cl bottles of water | not applicable | €62.90 excl. VAT, delivery not included |
For 10 people or fewer, L'Écrin Traiteur plans 3 mini pastries per person instead of 2. The minimum order is €50 excl. VAT.
How much for 20 people?
| Format | Quantities for 20 people | Weight of food | L'Écrin Traiteur price, delivery included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 40 mini pastries (2 platters of 30), 20 madeleines, 20 fruit skewers, 4 L of juice, 4 thermoses of coffee and tea | 1.6 to 1.8 kg (pastries and madeleines) | €189 excl. VAT with the Classique package |
| Afternoon break | 30 to 40 sweet pieces | 0.5 to 1 kg | from €149 excl. VAT |
| Lunch trays | 20 trays (starter, main, dessert) | 10 to 13 kg | €607.00 to €647.00 excl. VAT |
| 8-canapé reception (L'Invitation) | 160 canapés, 5 L of juice, 4 bottles of water | 2.4 to 3.2 kg | €693.70 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 12-canapé reception (La Réception) | 240 canapés, 5 L of juice, 4 bottles of water | 3.6 to 4.8 kg | €913.70 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 16-canapé reception (La Célébration) | 320 canapés, 5 L of juice, 4 bottles of water | 4.8 to 6.4 kg | €1,133.70 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| Cold buffet, sharing menu | 120 savoury pieces with salads (180 without), 3 kg of salad, 40 to 60 sweet pieces | 9 to 12 kg | €727.00 to €787.00 excl. VAT |
| Drinks for a 1-hour meal | 4 thermoses, 2 L of juice, 5 75 cl bottles of water | not applicable | €121.00 excl. VAT, delivery not included |
Full detail: breakfast for 20 people and dinner reception for 20 people.
How much for 50 people?
| Format | Quantities for 50 people | Weight of food | L'Écrin Traiteur price, delivery included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 100 mini pastries (4 platters of 30), 40 madeleines and 2 loaf cakes, 50 fruit skewers, 10 L of juice, 9 thermoses of coffee and tea | 4 to 4.5 kg (pastries and madeleines) | €429 excl. VAT with the Classique package |
| Afternoon break | 75 to 100 sweet pieces | 1.3 to 2.6 kg | from €329 excl. VAT |
| Lunch trays | 50 trays (starter, main, dessert) | 25 to 32.5 kg | €1,474.00 to €1,574.00 excl. VAT |
| 8-canapé reception (L'Invitation) | 400 canapés, 13 L of juice, 10 bottles of water | 6 to 8 kg | €1,695.50 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 12-canapé reception (La Réception) | 600 canapés, 13 L of juice, 10 bottles of water | 9 to 12 kg | €2,245.50 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 16-canapé reception (La Célébration) | 800 canapés, 13 L of juice, 10 bottles of water | 12 to 16 kg | €2,795.50 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| Cold buffet, sharing menu | 300 savoury pieces with salads (450 without), 7.5 kg of salad, 100 to 150 sweet pieces | 22.5 to 30 kg | €1,774.00 to €1,924.00 excl. VAT |
| Drinks for a 1-hour meal | 9 thermoses, 5 L of juice, 13 75 cl bottles of water | not applicable | €285.40 excl. VAT, delivery not included |
Order for 55 people if 50 are confirmed. Detail: breakfast for 50 people, dinner reception for 50 people, and for a slightly larger group, corporate buffet for 80 people.
How much for 100 people?
| Format | Quantities for 100 people | Weight of food | L'Écrin Traiteur price, delivery included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 200 mini pastries (7 platters of 30), 90 madeleines and 2 loaf cakes, 100 fruit skewers, 20 L of juice, 17 thermoses of coffee and tea | 8 to 9 kg (pastries and madeleines) | €829 excl. VAT with the Classique package |
| Afternoon break | 150 to 200 sweet pieces | 2.6 to 5.2 kg | from €629 excl. VAT |
| Lunch trays | 100 trays (starter, main, dessert) | 50 to 65 kg | €2,919.00 to €3,119.00 excl. VAT |
| 8-canapé reception (L'Invitation) | 800 canapés, 25 L of juice, 20 bottles of water | 12 to 16 kg | €3,352.50 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 12-canapé reception (La Réception) | 1,200 canapés, 25 L of juice, 20 bottles of water | 18 to 24 kg | €4,452.50 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| 16-canapé reception (La Célébration) | 1,600 canapés, 25 L of juice, 20 bottles of water | 24 to 32 kg | €5,552.50 excl. VAT with juice and water |
| Cold buffet, sharing menu | 600 savoury pieces with salads (900 without), 15 kg of salad, 200 to 300 sweet pieces | 45 to 60 kg | €3,519.00 to €3,819.00 excl. VAT |
| Drinks for a 1-hour meal | 17 thermoses, 10 L of juice, 25 75 cl bottles of water | not applicable | €546.50 excl. VAT, delivery not included |
Detail: breakfast for 100 people, corporate cocktail reception for 100 people and corporate caterer for 100 people.
Cocktail reception prices include juice and water (1 L of juice for 4 people, one 75 cl bottle for 5). Food weights are calculated as grams per person × number of people ÷ 1,000. Breakfast is priced with the Classique package; the quantities listed are those of a full breakfast, which is priced on quote.
How do you adjust the quantities?
- The confirmed headcount, plus 10%: not the guest list.
- The time: a 12 noon lunch calls for more than a 2 pm lunch, an after-work reception more than a mid-afternoon one.
- What the format replaces: a dinner reception replaces dinner (16 to 18 canapés), an aperitif goes with it (6 to 8).
- Savoury and sweet counted separately: about two-thirds savoury, one-third sweet at a cocktail reception.
- Dietary needs: vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are specified with the order.
For a price table by format, see also how much to plan per person and how many thermoses of coffee and tea.
When should you order?
At L'Écrin Traiteur, a breakfast or an afternoon break can be ordered until 10 am the day before; a cocktail reception, lunch trays or a buffet, 48 hours ahead. Delivery from 6:30 am in Paris and Île-de-France, €29 excl. VAT in Paris and nearby towns, €50 minimum order (excl. VAT), quote within 24 hours with a company invoice and VAT.
Frequently asked questions about quantities per person
How much food per person should I order for corporate catering?
At L'Écrin Traiteur: 2 mini pastries and one 20 cl glass of juice at breakfast, one lunch tray at lunch (500 to 650 g, about 17.6 to 22.9 oz), 8, 12 or 16 canapés at a cocktail reception (120 to 320 g) and 450 to 600 g (15.9 to 21.2 oz, about 1 to 1.3 lb) for a cold buffet that replaces the meal. Add a 10% margin on the confirmed headcount.
How many kilos of food for a cold buffet for 50 people?
22.5 to 30 kg (49.6 to 66.1 lb), based on a common benchmark of 450 to 600 g per person (French institutional catering portion guidelines, GEMRCN, and cookery guides), including 7.5 kg of mixed salad. At L'Écrin Traiteur, that means 300 savoury pieces with salads and 100 to 150 sweet pieces, for €1,774.00 to €1,924.00 excl. VAT as a sharing menu, delivery included.
How many canapés per person?
6 to 8 canapés for an aperitif, 12 to 14 for a lunch reception, 16 to 18 for a dinner reception. L'Écrin Traiteur's packages have 8, 12 and 16, at €29.90, €40.90 and €51.90 excl. VAT per person. Based on the common figure of 15 to 20 g per canapé, a 16-canapé dinner reception is 240 to 320 g (8.5 to 11.3 oz) per person.
How many pastries per person for an office breakfast?
2 mini pastries per person, 3 for up to 10 people, plus 1 madeleine. A platter of 30 mini pastries therefore serves 15 people. With a mini pastry of 25 to 30 g (a common manufacturer weight), that is 80 to 90 g (2.8 to 3.2 oz) per person, without fruit.
How much does a lunch tray weigh?
500 to 650 g of food (17.6 to 22.9 oz), excluding bread. At L'Écrin Traiteur, the La Romaine tray's recipe sheet lists 575 g of raw ingredients (starter, main, dessert); the served weight, once cooked, is a little lower. French institutional catering guidelines give 460 to 670 g for a lunch without bread. L'Écrin Traiteur's lunch trays are halal and pork-free, from €28.90 to €30.90 excl. VAT.
How much juice and coffee per person?
At breakfast, one 20 cl glass of juice per person, so 1 litre for 5 people, and one 1-litre thermos of coffee or tea for 6 people. At a cocktail reception, 1 litre of juice for 4 people and one 75 cl bottle of water for 5. For a one-hour meeting, 1 cup and 1 glass of water per person, and a glass of juice for every other person.
How many desserts per person?
1.5 to 2 sweet pieces at a break, 2 to 3 at a buffet, 4 at a dinner reception, 2 macarons when they are the centrepiece. At L'Écrin Traiteur, a sweet piece weighs 17 to 26 g according to the supplier (choux 18 g, mini muffin 26 g): 2 to 3 choux make a 36 to 54 g portion.
Should we order for everyone invited?
No: order for the confirmed headcount, plus a 10% margin. For 50 confirmed guests, order for 55. A small surplus gets shared; a shortfall is noticed straight away.
How far ahead should we order corporate catering?
At L'Écrin Traiteur, a breakfast or an afternoon break can be ordered until 10 am the day before. A cocktail reception, lunch trays or a buffet are ordered 48 hours ahead. The quote arrives within 24 hours, with a company invoice and VAT.
Are the weights in this guide measured by L'Écrin Traiteur?
Partly. The weights of the sweet pieces come from our suppliers' invoices, the fruit weight from our basket (1.2 kg for 8 people) and the La Romaine tray from its recipe sheet (575 g of raw ingredients). The others are common benchmarks, sourced on each line: French institutional catering portion guidelines (GEMRCN), manufacturer weights for mini pastries, and the 20 g per canapé convention used by caterers.
Ask for a quote
Give the format, the date, the confirmed headcount and the address: L'Écrin Traiteur calculates the quantities and sends the quote within 24 hours. Ask for a quote.
L'Écrin Traiteur prices, November 2026, in euros excluding VAT. Weights: internal records of 1 November 2026 (supplier weights, recipe sheets) and the public benchmarks cited (GEMRCN, manufacturers, caterers). No weighing has been done at L'Écrin Traiteur for the formats marked "common benchmark".
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