Cheap catering ideas that still look good: a menu for 40 at $8.90 a person

The cheapest way to cater a party is to order trays, pick them up yourself and serve them yourself. A menu for 40 guests of Baked Mostaccioli, Vegetarian Baked Lasagna, two salads, bread and a drink dispenser is $355.98, about $8.90 a person before tax. Pick-up orders carry no service charge, and trays have no minimum. Call (630) 553-9533.

The $8.90 menu for 40

• 1 large Baked Mostaccioli: $75
• 1 large Vegetarian Baked Lasagna: $70
• 2 trays Tossed Mixed Greens at $49: $98
• 2 trays Fresh Homemade Bread at $11.99: $23.98
• 1 Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade: $89, 50 servings, cups included

Total $355.98, $8.90 a guest, assuming we plan on 20 portions to a large pasta tray. Add 9.25% sales tax. A meat and a vegetarian choice is the reason it looks like a real dinner. Two pastas, a salad and bread on a table is a meal.

Where the money goes, and how to save it

Skip the staff. A staffed event adds servers at $35 an hour each with a 4-hour minimum, which is $140 for one server, a $50 event production fee and a 20% service charge on food and rentals. On this menu, that service charge is $71.20. Drop-off and pick-up orders have none of it. If you are willing to put out the trays yourself, that is the biggest saving on the list.

Pick up. Pick-up at our kitchen on Hydraulic Avenue in Yorkville has no delivery charge. Delivery is quoted when you order, so ask for the number before you decide.

Drink from a dispense Soft Drin are $2.49 each. Fifty cans is $124.50. Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade is $89 for 50 servings, about $1.78 each, and the cups are included. Bottled Water is $2.49 a bottle, so keep it to a few cases for the guests who want it.

Use the cheaper tray size. Pasta comes in two sizes. Meatless Mostaccioli is $39 small and $65 large. Baked Lasagna is $50 and $90. For a family-size gathering, the small tray is the lowest price on the menu.

Pick the low-cost fillers. These are the lowest-priced items per piece or per guest:

• Bruschetta with Garlic Toast Points: $45, 60 pieces, 75 cents each.
• Cocktail Meatballs: $64, 100 pieces, 64 cents each.
• Cheese & Sausage Tray: $79, 120 pieces, 66 cents each.
• Assorted Home Baked Cookies: $45, 40 count.
• Dinner Rolls & Butter: $9.99 a dozen.

Use the breakfast men Continental Breakfa is $11.99 a person, and Ham Steaks with Biscuits & Sausage Gravy is $6.99 a person. For a morning event, a breakfast is cheaper than a lunch.

What not to cut

A few things are false savings.

• Too few trays. If you run out of food, you pay for it in guests' time. Trays have no minimum, so add one rather than risk it.
• Skipping the main. Guests forgive plain sides. They do not forgive a table of sides and no main.
• Plates. Plates, Napkins & Silverware are $1.50 a person. For 40 guests that is $60. If you already have plates and silverware at home, skip it.

A cheap menu is not a cheap look

The look comes from the table, not the budget. Put the hot trays in chafing dishes, which are $17 per hot dish and yours to keep. Set the salad at one end and the bread beside it. Use a Seasonal Fresh Fruit Display at $74 for color. For the numbers at every price level, read catering menu ideas for any budget.

How to order

Three days' notice for trays. Give us your count and we will tell you what we plan. Cheaper ideas are under drop-off catering, and the whole tray menu is at entrées and sides by the tray. Send your count on the quote page.

Questions

What is the cheapest catering option?

Trays picked up at the kitchen. There is no service charge and no minimum.

Is a buffet cheaper than trays?

Not usually. A buffet starts at $18.99 a person, but it includes two entrées, three sides, bread and the setup.

Can I just order one tray?

Yes.