The short answer
Corporate catering is priced per head almost everywhere. The one well-sourced public anchor: Bark's catering price guide (as published August 2026) lists hot buffets at £20 to £30 per head. Delivered sandwich lunches sit below that level; canapé receptions and served meals sit above it. And one trap catches most first-time bookers: quotes to businesses are usually ex VAT, so check the VAT treatment of every quote before comparing against a budget that includes it.
The formats and where the money goes
"Corporate catering" covers five quite different products. Knowing which one you are buying is most of the work of budgeting:
| Format | How it works | Cost structure |
|---|---|---|
| Delivered lunch | Sandwiches, salads or platters dropped off ready to serve | Cheapest per head; you handle serving and clearing |
| Hot buffet | Hot dishes delivered or cooked on site, self-serve | The sourced anchor: £20 to £30 per head per Bark's guide, August 2026 |
| Street food van | A truck serves staff or guests on site over a window | Per head with a minimum spend; strong for staff events |
| Canapé reception | Staffed, passed food for client-facing events | Staff hours drive the price above buffet level |
| Served meal | Plated courses with front-of-house staff | The most staff, so the highest per head |
Ex VAT: the comparison trap
Consumer prices include VAT; business quotes very often do not. A £25 per head quote ex VAT is £30 per head against your actual budget once standard-rate VAT lands on the invoice. It cuts the other way too: smaller caterers below the VAT registration threshold charge no VAT at all, so their quote is the whole price. When you collect quotes, ask each caterer to confirm the VAT treatment in writing and compare like with like. This one question prevents the most common corporate catering budget surprise.
What moves your per-head price
- Headcount. Per-head prices usually step down as numbers rise, and small orders may hit a minimum spend.
- Drop-off or staffed. People are the expensive part. Delivered and left costs less than set up, served and cleared.
- Dietary spread. A sensible range of dietary options is standard; highly individualised meals add kitchen work.
- Timing and access. Early starts, evening service, tricky loading access and long carries all add labour that lands in the quote.
The booking checklist for office managers
Send every caterer the same brief and the quotes will come back comparable:
- Date, serving time and how long the food needs to be available.
- Headcount, with a date by which you will confirm final numbers.
- Dietary requirements collected in advance, not on the day.
- Delivery access: parking, lifts, and where the food is being served.
- Whether you need serving staff, and who clears up afterwards.
- Invoicing details, payment terms and VAT status.
Booking for a South West office?
Sources
- Bark catering price guide, as published August 2026 (named, not linked: figures recorded in our research of 24 August 2026)
Frequently asked questions
- How much should I budget per head for corporate catering?
- The one well-sourced public anchor: Bark's catering price guide listed hot buffets at £20 to £30 per head as at August 2026. Delivered sandwich lunches sit below that level and staffed or served formats sit above it. Budgets only firm up when caterers quote your actual headcount, format and venue, so get quotes before committing a number internally.
- Are corporate catering prices quoted with or without VAT?
- Quotes to businesses are commonly ex VAT, though smaller caterers below the VAT registration threshold charge no VAT at all. Ask every caterer to confirm the VAT treatment in writing, and compare the true invoice totals rather than the headline figures.
- Do corporate caterers deliver and leave, or staff the event?
- Both models exist. Drop-off catering is delivered ready to serve and you handle the rest; staffed catering includes people to set up, serve and clear. Staffed service costs more per head but matters for client-facing events. Say which you want in your enquiry so quotes are comparable.
- How much notice does a corporate caterer need?
- It depends on the format. Delivered lunches can often be arranged at short notice; staffed events, large headcounts and anything needing hired equipment want more lead time. Enquire with your real date either way, and the caterers who can make it work will say so.
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