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Food service

Banquet staffing calculator

Enter the guest count and the service ratio — how many guests one server and one cook can handle for the event format. The calculator works out the staff you need and the labor cost for the shift.

Buffet — 15–20, seated banquet — 10–12, plated service — 6–8
Depends on menu complexity — usually 20–30 guests per cook

Result

Total staff

—

Servers needed —
Cooks needed —
Staff cost for the shift —
Staff cost per guest —

Your inputs are stored in this browser, so everything is still here next time. Nothing is sent to a server.

This calculation is for informational purposes only and does not replace advice from a qualified professional. Formulas and rates may not fit your exact situation — double-check the figures before making decisions.

How it is calculated

Staff counts round up: half a server doesn't cover half the room. Servers = ceiling(guests ÷ guests per server), cooks the same way against their own ratio.

Shift cost = (servers × server rate + cooks × cook rate) × shift hours. Cost per guest = shift cost ÷ guest count — handy for comparing against an event's per-head budget.

Service ratios vary a lot by format: a buffet needs fewer servers, plated individual service needs more. Calibrate the ratios against your own past events rather than taking someone else's numbers at face value.

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