Graduation party catering in Chicagoland: what it costs per guest

Graduation party catering from Upper Crust costs about $15.60 a guest from trays, $18.99 to $20.99 a guest on a hot buffet (20-guest minimum), or $14.50 a guest for a basic boxed lunch. A full example for 50 guests, with drinks, dessert and plates, comes to $25.03 a guest before tax. We cook in Yorkville and serve Aurora, Naperville, Joliet and the towns around them. Call (630) 553-9533.

Three ways to feed the party

• Trays. A backyard spread of pulled pork sliders, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans and two desserts is $624 for 40 people, which is $15.60 a guest. See the sample menu in our party food guide.
• A hot buffe Buffet Menu is $18.99 a guest, Buffet Menu 2 is $19.99 and Buffet Menu 3 is $20.99. Each has two entrées, three sides and bread. The minimum is 20 guests.
• Boxed lunche Basic Boxed Lun, $14.50 each, or Executive Boxed Lunch, $16.50 each. The minimum is 20 boxes.

What 50 guests costs on each

• Trays, scaled from the party food guide: about $780, or $15.60 a guest, before tax.
• Buffet Menu 1: 50 x $18.99 = $949.50.
• Buffet Menu 2: 50 x $19.99 = $999.50.
• Buffet Menu 3: 50 x $20.99 = $1,049.50.
• Basic Boxed Lunch: 50 x $14.50 = $725.
• Executive Boxed Lunch: 50 x $16.50 = $825.

Those are food only, before 9.25% sales tax and delivery. Delivery is quoted when you order.

A full 50-guest buffet, with everything

• Buffet Menu 1 for 50 guests: $949.50.
• Plates, Napkins & Silverware, 50 x $1.50: $75.
• 2 Chafing Dish Sets, $17 each: $34.
• Iced Tea, Punch or Lemonade, $89, 50 servings.
• Assorted Dessert Tray, $59, 40 pieces.
• Assorted Home Baked Cookies, $45, 40 count.

Total $1,251.50, or $25.03 a guest. With 9.25% tax that is $1,367.26. Dessert is 80 pieces for 50 guests, which is a little over one and a half each.

Make it cheaper, or bigger

• Skip the chafing dishes if you can keep trays warm in an oven at home.
• Use the 100-guest slider ratio from our pulled pork slider guide: 6 pork trays and 6 bun trays, $642.
• Drop plates and use your own, and you save $1.50 a guest.
• For a bigger party, add appetizers at the start. We plan 2 to 3 pieces per guest per hour for a mix.

When to order

Standard orders need about three days. Staffed events need 14 days. A 25% deposit holds the date, with the balance due seven days before, after the final count. Graduation weekends fill, so book early. For a week-by-week plan, read the graduation party checklist. For larger counts, we have graduation party food for 50, 100 and 150. The graduation party catering page has the occasion overview. When you have a headcount, request a quote.

Questions

How much does graduation party catering cost per person?

From $14.50 for a basic boxed lunch, about $15.60 from trays, and $18.99 to $20.99 on a hot buffet.

How many guests do I need for a buffet?

At least 20. Below that, order trays, which have no minimum.

Is there a service charge?

Drop-off and pick-up orders have no service charge. Staffed events add servers at $35 an hour each and a 20% service charge on food and rentals.

Do you deliver outside Yorkville?

Yes, to Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Oswego, Plainfield and many other towns. Delivery is quoted when you order.