How much food to order per person for an office event
A simple guide to catering quantities in Singapore: how much food per guest for lunches, parties and buffets, plus food safety tips from SFA.
Order too little and the last guests go hungry. Order too much and you're throwing food away at 3pm. Here's a simple way to get the quantity right for office lunches and events in Singapore.
A starting point per guest
Catering guides commonly suggest about 225 to 450 g of food per person for a buffet meal, with around 170 to 225 g of main protein per person. For a kebab menu, that works out roughly as:
| Event | Per guest, as a guide |
|---|---|
| Office lunch (meal boxes) | 1 box: kebab or falafel, rice or wrap, salad and sauce |
| Lunch buffet | 1 main portion of kebab, a scoop of pilav, salad, bread, 1 dessert piece |
| Live kebab station | 1 to 2 wraps or plates, depending on what else is served |
| Dinner or wedding | Main kebab plus 2 to 3 sides or meze and dessert |
These are starting points, not rules. Your quote will be built around your actual guests.
What changes the numbers
- Time of day. Lunch portions are lighter than dinner.
- Length of the event. Longer events need more snacks or a second serving.
- Who's coming. A young, active team eats more than a client seminar.
- Other food. If there are canapés or a dessert table, reduce the main course.
- No-shows. Office events often see a few people drop out. Confirm the headcount a few days before.
Plan for mixed diets
Singapore teams are diverse. Ask your guests early about vegetarian, halal, no-beef and allergy needs, and count them separately. A good rule is to order vegetarian portions for every vegetarian guest plus a few extra, because non-vegetarians often try them too.
Food safety tips from SFA
The Singapore Food Agency's guidelines for ordering catered meals recommend:
- Eat within 4 hours. Catered food shouldn't sit at room temperature for more than 4 hours from cooking to eating, including delivery and set-up.
- Check the "consume by" time on each box or buffet table, and discard food after it. Caterers must label it, and removing or changing the label is an offence.
- Time the delivery. Ask for delivery no more than 1 hour before the meal.
- Keep hot food hot (above 60°C) and cold food cold (below 5°C).
- Use an SFA-licensed caterer. SFA publishes a list of licensed caterers.
Not sure about your numbers? Tell us your guests and event in the menu planner and we'll suggest the right quantities.
Quick answers
How much food per person for a buffet?
Catering guides commonly suggest about 225 to 450 g of food per person in total, with around 170 to 225 g of main protein. Adjust for time of day, event length and appetite.
How long can catered food stay out in Singapore?
SFA guidelines say catered food shouldn't be left at room temperature for more than 4 hours from cooking to eating, so follow the consume-by time on the label.
