
How to Start a Pizza Catering Business: A Pizzeria's Guide
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Thinking about taking your pizza shop on the road? It’s a brilliant move, but success in catering is about more than just boxing up pies and hitting the highway. It’s about transforming your dine-in success into a mobile powerhouse, and that requires a real-world blueprint. Forget the equipment for a second—the first step is all about strategy, market research, and a financial roadmap that will guide your expansion into pizza catering.
Your Blueprint for Pizza Catering Success
Jumping into pizza catering without a clear plan is like trying to make a pizza without a recipe. You might get something edible, but it won’t be great. The first, most critical step isn't buying gear; it's building a solid business strategy that becomes the foundation for every single decision you make, from your menu to your marketing.
This plan gives you direction and clarity. It’s the difference between guessing what might work and knowing what you need to do to turn a profit from day one. It helps you sidestep the costly mistakes so many new caterers make.
Define Your Pizza Catering Niche
Let's get one thing straight: you can't be everything to everyone. The most successful pizza caterers I've seen absolutely dominate a specific corner of the market. Before you even think about toppings, you need to decide who you want to serve. This focus sharpens your menu, your pricing, and every dollar you spend on marketing.
So, who's your crowd?
- Corporate Lunches: Think local offices, team meetings, and training sessions. This is a fantastic source of weekday, daytime revenue that can smooth out your pizzeria's cash flow.
- Casual Backyard Parties: This is your bread and butter—birthdays, graduations, and family get-togethers. It's a high-volume market that loves the convenience of pizza.
- High-End Receptions: Picture weddings, rehearsal dinners, or upscale corporate galas. This niche often involves a mobile wood-fired oven for that theatrical, premium experience that commands higher prices.
- School and Sports Events: Partnering with local schools or sports leagues for fundraisers and end-of-season pizza parties can be a goldmine.
Your niche determines everything. A corporate client needs dead-on reliability and simple invoicing. A wedding client, on the other hand, wants a memorable, customizable pizza experience they can rave about.
Conduct Smart Market Research
Once you’ve got a niche in your sights, it's time to put on your detective hat. You need to get a clear picture of the local competition to find your opening in the pizza catering market. Start by identifying every other caterer in your area—and I don't just mean other pizza places. Look at anyone serving groups.
What are they offering? More importantly, what are they charging? This isn't just about matching their prices; it's about understanding their value proposition. Do they offer all-inclusive pizza packages? What are their delivery fees? Do they have a minimum order size? This intelligence is crucial for positioning your services competitively.
The market is definitely there. In the United States alone, the catering market was valued at a staggering $72 billion in 2023 and is projected to hit $124 billion by 2032. That's some serious growth, showing a strong and rising demand. For a deeper dive, you can explore some key restaurant catering statistics and trends.
Key Takeaway: Your goal isn't just to be another option. It's to find an unmet need. If nobody in your town is offering high-quality, on-site pizza catering for weddings, that could be your golden ticket.
Create a Realistic Business Plan
Your business plan is your operational roadmap for pizza catering. It’s where your great ideas meet hard numbers and actionable steps. This document is non-negotiable if you need to secure funding, but it's just as vital for your own planning. A good plan keeps you honest.
Here's what you need to nail down:
- Startup Costs: List every single expense you can think of. This includes one-time purchases like insulated delivery bags, maybe a dedicated delivery vehicle, and even a portable pizza prep table for on-site efficiency. Don't forget recurring costs like extra insurance, marketing materials, and permits.
- Revenue Projections: Based on your market research and pricing, create realistic sales goals for your first year. Be honest with yourself. How many pizza catering events do you really need to book each month to be profitable?
- Operational Workflow: How will you handle a massive catering order without torpedoing your restaurant's regular service? Map out the entire process, from the moment an order comes in to the final prep on your pizza prep table and on-site execution.
Think of your business plan as a living document, not just paperwork you file away. It will guide your launch and become the yardstick you use to measure success as you grow.
To help you get started, here's a look at some common expenses you'll need to budget for.
Startup Cost Estimates for Adding Pizza Catering
This table breaks down the typical one-time and recurring costs you can expect when adding a catering service to your existing pizzeria. Remember, these are estimates—your actual costs will depend on your specific niche and local market.
Expense Category | Estimated Cost Range | Notes and Considerations |
---|---|---|
Licenses & Permits | $200 – $1,000 | Varies by state/city. Includes catering license, health permits, and vehicle permits. |
Equipment | $1,500 – $10,000+ | Insulated bags ($200+), portable pizza prep tables ($1,000+), serving utensils, warmers. |
Delivery Vehicle | $5,000 – $30,000+ | Cost for a used van or truck. Can be lower if using personal vehicles (factor in mileage). |
Insurance | $500 – $2,000 (annual) | Additional liability and commercial auto insurance is a must. |
Marketing Materials | $500 – $1,500 | Catering menus, brochures, business cards, website updates. |
Initial Food Inventory | $500 – $2,000 | Stocking up on bulk pizza ingredients specific to your catering menu. |
Software & POS | $300 – $1,200 | Catering management software or POS system upgrades. |
Staff Training | $200 – $800 | Training existing staff on new catering procedures and on-site service standards. |
This budget is a starting point. The real value is in forcing you to think through every detail before you spend your first dollar. A well-thought-out plan like this is what separates a thriving pizza catering arm from a costly side project. It’s the foundation for turning your pizza catering dream into a profitable reality.
Getting Your Pizza Catering Business Legal and Legit
Let's talk about the least glamorous, but most critical, part of starting your pizza catering side hustle: the paperwork. I know, it’s a drag when all you want to do is fire up the oven. But getting your licenses and permits in order from day one is non-negotiable.
This is the legal foundation of your entire operation. Trying to cater an event without the right documents is a massive gamble that can get you shut down fast, hit with eye-watering fines, and wreck your reputation before you even get started. The good news is, it’s a lot less intimidating when you tackle it piece by piece.
Your Essential Licensing Checklist
The exact permits you need will change depending on your city, county, and state. The absolute best first step is to call your local health department and city business office. They'll give you the definitive, hyper-local list you need for a mobile pizza business.
Still, pretty much every mobile pizza caterer will need a core set of licenses. Your checklist will almost certainly include:
- General Business License: This is your basic ticket to operate any business in your town.
- Food Handler Permits: Anyone on your team who touches pizza dough or toppings—from prep to serving—will need to pass a food safety course and get their permit.
- Off-Premise Catering License: This one is crucial. It’s often a separate license from your main pizzeria permit and specifically allows you to cook and serve food at other locations.
- Employer Identification Number (EIN): If you plan to hire a dedicated catering crew, you’ll need this federal tax ID number from the IRS. It's free and easy to get online.
Don't guess. Seriously. One phone call to your local health department can save you weeks of headaches and prevent costly mistakes. Ask them for a complete checklist for "mobile food vendors."
Health Department Rules for Mobile Pizza
Your local health department will be laser-focused on one thing: food safety outside of your restaurant. For a pizza operation, this means showing them you have a rock-solid plan for transport and on-site setup. Their biggest concern is keeping your ingredients out of the "temperature danger zone" (40°F to 140°F).
This is where professional-grade equipment isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have. Forget about showing up with consumer-grade coolers from a big-box store. Health inspectors want to see insulated food carriers and a proper on-site prep station.
Using a refrigerated pizza prep table for your events isn't just about being fast and efficient. It’s a powerful signal to inspectors that you’re a pro who takes food safety seriously by keeping every topping perfectly chilled until the moment it hits the pizza. Budgeting for this equipment is key, and a solid breakdown of startup costs can help you plan for these essentials.
Protecting Your Business With the Right Insurance
Listen up, because this is important: your standard pizzeria insurance probably won't cover you for off-site events. The moment you start catering, your risk profile changes completely. Operating without the right policies is a gamble you simply can't afford.
You'll need a few key policies to be fully protected:
- General Liability Insurance: This covers you if a guest gets hurt or if you accidentally damage property at the venue.
- Commercial Auto Insurance: Your personal car insurance will not cover an accident that happens while you're driving for your catering business. This is a must for your transport vehicle.
- Liquor Liability Insurance: Thinking about offering beer and wine with your pizza packages? This policy is absolutely essential to protect you from any alcohol-related incidents.
Getting these licenses and insurance policies sorted isn't just about checking boxes. It’s about building a professional, resilient business that clients and event planners will trust from the get-go. It's the boring but critical step that turns your great pizza into a great catering business.
Choosing the Right Equipment for Mobile Pizza
Your equipment is the heart and soul of your mobile pizza operation. I can't stress this enough. It’s not just about the oven; it's about the entire workflow that lets you pump out quality pies quickly, which directly impacts your profits at every single event. When we talk about mobile pizza catering, the unsung hero is always the pizza prep table. While the fiery oven gets all the glory, the prep table is where the real magic—and money—is made.
Investing in professional-grade gear right from the start saves you from a world of hurt later on. I've seen caterers try to get by with a collection of consumer-grade coolers and folding tables. It's a disaster. Not only is it slow and unprofessional, but it's a food safety nightmare just waiting to happen. The right equipment tells clients and health inspectors that you’re a serious operator who gets it.
The Pizza Prep Table: Your Mobile Command Center
Think of a pizza prep table as your entire kitchen condensed into one mobile command center. It's a refrigerated unit that gives you three critical things in one place: a chilled ingredient rail on top, a durable cutting board workspace, and refrigerated storage below. This setup, what chefs call mise en place, is absolutely non-negotiable for fast service. When you’ve got a line of hungry wedding guests, you need every single ingredient perfectly chilled, organized, and within arm's reach.
You'll generally run into two main styles when you start shopping:
- Standard-Top Tables: These are the classic models with a generous cutting board depth, usually around 19 inches. They're fantastic for all-around prep work and often come in more compact sizes, perfect for assembling pizzas.
- Mega-Top Tables: These are a pizza maker's dream. They sacrifice a bit of cutting board depth to make room for an expanded ingredient rail, often adding an entire extra row for food pans. This means you can hold more toppings—pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives—without running back to a cooler during a rush.
Which one is for you? It really boils down to your menu's complexity and the size of your events. If you're focusing on a simple margherita and pepperoni menu, a standard top will probably do the job. But if you plan to offer a full slate of customizable pizzas at a big festival, that mega-top's capacity will be your best friend.
Essential Pizza Prep Table Feature Comparison
To help you visualize the trade-offs, I've put together this quick comparison table. Think about the types of events you want to book and let that guide your decision on a pizza prep table.
Feature | Standard Model | Mega Top Model | Best For Caterer Type |
---|---|---|---|
Ingredient Capacity | Good; typically two rows of pans. | Excellent; often 30-50% more pan capacity. | Mega Top: Caterers with diverse, topping-heavy pizza menus. |
Workspace Depth | Deeper cutting board (approx. 19"). | Narrower cutting board (approx. 10"). | Standard: Those needing more pizza assembly space. |
Efficiency | High, but may require restocking toppings. | Maximum; reduces restocking time during a rush. | Mega Top: High-volume events like weddings or festivals. |
Footprint | Generally more compact options. | Can be larger to accommodate more pans. | Standard: Caterers with limited transport or setup space. |
Ultimately, a quality, NSF-rated refrigerated pizza prep table is a direct investment in your speed, safety, and sanity. For even more advanced setups, some caterers look into a refrigerated chef base, which is essentially refrigerated drawers that sit directly under your cooking equipment.
This infographic is a great visual breakdown of where your money goes in the pizza business.
As you can see, your ingredient and labor costs are the two biggest slices of the pie. That makes efficient prep work on your pizza prep table absolutely critical for protecting your profit margins.
Beyond the Prep Table: Other Key Gear
While the prep table is your foundation, a few other pieces are non-negotiable for a professional mobile pizza operation.
- Portable Pizza Ovens: Your oven choice really defines your brand. A gorgeous wood-fired oven on a trailer rig creates incredible theater and flavor, which lets you charge a premium. On the other hand, propane-powered deck ovens offer unbeatable consistency and control, while smaller electric conveyor ovens can be a lifesaver for indoor gigs.
- Dough Mixer: Unless you enjoy the herculean task of hand-mixing dough for 100+ pizzas or plan on buying pre-made dough balls forever, a commercial dough mixer in your commissary kitchen is a must-have. It’s all about consistency.
- Insulated Carriers: Don't skimp here. You need high-quality insulated bags or hard-sided carriers to ensure your pizzas arrive at the serving station just as hot and delicious as they were when they came out of the oven.
Buying New vs. Used and Financing Your Gear
Outfitting your mobile pizza business is a serious expense. Buying used equipment can be a great way to slash your startup costs, but it comes with real risks. You have to be your own quality control. Always inspect used gear in person, check for that all-important NSF certification sticker, and confirm it's in perfect working order.
Pro Tip: When buying any used refrigeration, like a pizza prep table, insist on plugging it in and letting it run for a few hours. Bring a reliable thermometer and make sure it holds a steady, food-safe temperature below 40°F. If it can't, walk away.
For many startups, financing is the most practical path to getting high-quality gear without wiping out your cash reserves. As a new business, looking into specialized equipment financing for startups can open up flexible payment options tailored to your situation. This is a smart bet, especially when you look at the market. The global catering market was valued at around $168.5 billion in 2023 and is on track to hit nearly $253.98 billion by 2033. That's a strong, steady wind at your back, showing robust demand for services just like yours and making smart equipment investments feel a lot more secure.
Designing a Profitable Pizza Catering Menu
Let's talk about your menu. It's so much more than a list of pizzas—it’s your single most powerful sales tool. When you make the leap from a pizzeria to a catering service, your menu has to evolve right along with you. It needs to be streamlined for on-the-go efficiency while still packing the punch your clients expect. Nailing this balance is the secret to a profitable pizza catering menu that keeps customers happy and your bank account healthy.
A bloated menu is the sworn enemy of a smooth catering gig. Seriously, trying to offer every single pizza from your dine-in menu at an off-site event is a recipe for chaos. It overcomplicates your prep, puts a massive strain on your on-site team, and almost guarantees slow service. The real goal is to create a curated list of pizzas that are popular, profitable, and—most importantly—easy to execute under pressure on a mobile pizza prep table.
Crafting a Streamlined Pizza Menu
First things first, dive into your pizzeria's sales data. Pinpoint your top five best-selling specialty pizzas. These are your proven winners, the ones people already love. They should be the foundation of your catering menu, giving you a reliable and popular starting point.
Next, get a little creative and develop a few signature pies exclusively for your catering clients. This creates a sense of exclusivity and gives you something unique to talk about. A "Wedding White Pizza" with prosciutto and fig or a "Corporate Crunch" with a unique topping combo can become your catering trademark, helping you stand out in a crowded market.
Finally, structure your menu around customization, but with smart limitations. Instead of a free-for-all "build-your-own" option that can quickly overwhelm your setup, offer a curated list of 10-12 high-quality toppings. This gives customers a feeling of control without sending your on-site kitchen into a tailspin.
Key Insight: A streamlined menu doesn't have to be a boring one. It's all about making strategic choices. Focus on pizzas that share a lot of the same ingredients. This simplifies your inventory and prep, which is absolutely critical when your entire kitchen is packed into a van. How efficiently you can work that pizza prep table is directly tied to how well-organized your limited ingredients are.
Smart Pricing for Guaranteed Profit
This is where so many new pizza caterers stumble. If you underprice, you'll work yourself into the ground for nothing. If you overprice, your phone will never ring. The key is to know your numbers, inside and out. Start by calculating your Cost Per Serving (CPS). This means adding up the cost of every single ingredient for one pizza and then dividing it by the number of servings.
Once you have your CPS, a solid industry rule of thumb is to use a 3x or 4x multiplier to get your final price. This ensures you’re covering not just the food itself, but your three main cost categories:
- Ingredient Costs: This should land somewhere around 30-40% of your total price.
- Labor Costs: This includes all the prep time, the on-site cooking, and the service staff.
- Overhead & Profit: This bucket covers everything else—insurance, fuel, marketing, and, of course, your profit margin.
Following this model ensures that every single event is a financial win. Having the right tools and processes is essential to keeping these costs in check. For a pizza caterer, this means everything from your oven to your mobile setup; taking a deep dive into commercial food prep equipment will help you understand how each piece of gear affects your workflow and bottom line.
Building Packages and Add-Ons to Boost Revenue
Never, ever just hand a client a single price. Instead, create tiered pizza packages. This simple shift makes it incredibly easy for them to choose and subtly guides them toward upselling themselves. It puts you in control of the conversation and almost always increases your average order value.
Here’s a sample structure that works wonders:
Package Tier | Included Items | Best For |
---|---|---|
The Basic | 2-3 pizza varieties, paper plates, napkins. | Casual gatherings, budget-conscious clients. |
The Deluxe | 3-4 pizza varieties, large garden salad, garlic knots. | Corporate lunches, larger parties. |
The Premium | Unlimited pizza varieties, multiple salads, dessert, beverage station. | Weddings, high-end corporate events. |
Lastly, make add-ons your best friend. These small additions carry high profit margins and can seriously boost your revenue from each event. Offer simple things like individual salads, canned sodas and water, or easy-to-serve desserts like brownies or cannolis. Each little add-on bumps up the ticket price with minimal extra effort, turning a good event into a truly great one. Once your menu is dialed in, remember that presentation is everything. Exploring different catering menus printing services is a great next step to make sure your delicious offerings look as good on paper as they taste.
Marketing Your Pizza Catering Service and Finding Clients
Making incredible pizza is only half the battle. Now you need a marketing plan that’s just as good to land those first crucial catering gigs. When you're just starting out, your biggest marketing asset isn't a clever ad campaign; it’s the pizzeria you already run. This is your home base, filled with people who already love your food.
Your path to finding clients starts by turning your current customers into your first wave of catering fans. You have a built-in audience that trusts your quality and service. This is a massive head start, and it’s how you build unstoppable momentum right out of the gate.
Leverage Your Existing Pizzeria
Your restaurant is a living, breathing advertisement for your new pizza catering service. Every single person who walks through that door is a potential client or a direct referral to one. You just need to make sure they know you’re in the catering game.
Start with simple, effective, in-house promotions. Put some professionally designed flyers or table tents on every table talking up your new services. Get your servers in on the action, training them to mention it casually: "Just so you know, we also cater parties and office lunches if you ever need pizza for a group!"
You can also turn your takeout and delivery operation into a marketing machine. Slip a small, eye-catching flyer into every pizza box that leaves your kitchen. This simple tactic gets your catering message directly into the hands of loyal customers who are already enjoying your product at home or at their workplace.
Tap Into Your Digital Presence
Your online presence is where you convert local interest into actual leads. Kick things off with your email list. These are your most dedicated fans, and they should be the first to hear about your new venture. Send out a special announcement with an introductory offer just for subscribers.
Social media is your visual playground. Don't just post about your catering menu; show it off. High-quality photos and short videos of your team setting up at an event, the mobile oven fired up, or a beautiful spread of pizzas on a buffet table are incredibly persuasive. This visual proof shows potential clients exactly what they can expect from your pizza catering.
Expert Tip: Create a dedicated "Catering" story highlight on your Instagram profile. Fill it with your best event photos, client testimonials, and a clear call-to-action that links straight to your catering inquiry form. This creates a permanent, easily accessible portfolio for anyone who's curious about your pizza catering.
To keep your online presence active without it becoming a full-time job, you can look into tools like an AI social media content generator for catering. It can help you maintain a consistent posting schedule, freeing you up to focus on the food.
Build Local Relationships
While your digital marketing is running, remember that catering is fundamentally a local, relationship-driven business. You have to get out there and connect with the people who plan events in your community. One of your biggest opportunities is in the corporate world.
In fact, a key growth driver for catering is the increasing reliance by corporations on outsourced food services for events like conferences and business meetings. In 2024, the global catering services market was estimated at around $154.7 billion. North America holds a massive 35% of that market, largely driven by this corporate demand for options like pizza catering.
Start building these valuable connections:
- Event Planners & Wedding Venues: These pros are always looking for reliable and unique food vendors to recommend. Getting on their preferred vendor list for pizza catering is like gold.
- Local Businesses: Target office managers and HR departments at nearby companies. A simple drop-off of a few free pizzas along with your catering menu can get your foot in the door for future corporate lunches and events.
- Community Organizations: Get in touch with schools, sports leagues, and non-profits. These groups regularly host events and fundraisers and are always looking for easy food options like pizza.
Close the Deal with Professionalism
Once the inquiries start rolling in, you need a polished process to turn that interest into a booked event. This means having a professional catering proposal ready to go. It should clearly outline everything: the pizza menu, pricing per person, all included services, and your policies on deposits and cancellations.
Finally, don't be afraid to offer a tasting. For larger events like weddings, a tasting is often the final step that seals the deal. It’s your chance to let the quality of your pizza do the selling for you and to build a personal connection with the client. It’s this blend of smart marketing, strong local ties, and fantastic pizza that builds a great reputation and a steady stream of referrals.
Got Questions About Pizza Catering? We've Got Answers.
So, you're thinking about expanding your pizza restaurant into the wild world of catering. It's a fantastic move, but let's be honest—it can feel like a maze of new rules, costs, and equipment like pizza prep tables. You've probably got a dozen questions bouncing around your head right now.
That's a good thing. Asking the right questions upfront is what separates a smooth launch from a bumpy ride. I've seen plenty of pizzeria owners jump in feet first, and I've also seen the ones who do their homework. Let's get you on the right track by tackling some of the most common hurdles new pizza caterers face.
How Much Does It Really Cost to Start a Pizza Catering Business?
This is the big one, and the answer is a classic "it depends." Your starting point completely changes the math.
If you're already running a pizzeria, you've got a massive head start. You can likely get your catering arm up and running for $5,000 to $15,000. That money will mostly go toward the mobile essentials: a down payment on a reliable van, a stack of high-quality insulated bags, some marketing materials to get the word out, and those initial permits. A key piece of this budget will be a mobile pizza prep table.
Starting from absolute scratch? That's a whole different ballgame. You're looking at a much steeper investment, likely somewhere between $40,000 and $100,000+. That's what it takes to build a mobile pizza business from the ground up, including a trailer with a built-in oven, a pizza prep table, and renting time in a commissary kitchen.
No matter which path you're on, your budget needs to cover these key items:
- Your oven: This is the heart of your operation, whether it's a mobile wood-fired trailer or a set of portable deck ovens.
- A real pizza prep table: I'm talking a professional, refrigerated unit. It's non-negotiable for food safety and speed.
- Insurance: You'll need solid general liability and commercial auto policies. Don't skimp here.
- Permits: Every city and county has its own set of rules and fees.
- Initial inventory: Think bulk. You'll be buying flour, cheese, and toppings on a totally different scale.
The only way to get a real number is to sit down and map out a detailed business plan. It's not the fun part, but it’s the most important.
Can I Run a Pizza Catering Business From My Home?
I hear this question all the time, and the answer is almost always a hard no, especially for pizza. It all comes down to your local "cottage food" laws, which are incredibly strict about what you can and can't sell from a home kitchen.
Home kitchens just aren't built to meet commercial health and safety codes. Your residential fridge, your countertops, your sink—none of it will pass inspection for preparing food for the public. You will almost certainly need to operate from a licensed commercial kitchen. For pizzeria owners, this is easy—your restaurant's kitchen is already approved and ready to go.
Critical First Step: Before you even think about buying equipment like a pizza prep table, your very first call should be to your local health department. Ask them point-blank: "What are the specific requirements for an 'off-premise catering' or 'mobile food' business?" Get the official rules straight from the source.
What Is the Most Important Piece of Equipment for Pizza Catering?
Everyone thinks it’s the oven. And while a great oven is obviously crucial, the real unsung hero of a successful mobile pizza operation is the refrigerated pizza prep table. Its importance cannot be overstated. I've seen people try to work out of coolers, and it's a slow, sloppy, and frankly, unsafe mess.
A proper, NSF-rated pizza prep table does three things flawlessly, which is why it's so vital for mobile setups:
- Food Safety: It holds all your toppings—sauce, cheese, meats, veggies—at a consistent, safe temperature in an organized rail. No more worrying about the temperature danger zone.
- Clean Workspace: It gives you a dedicated, sanitary stainless steel surface to assemble pizzas quickly and hygienically.
- Maximum Efficiency: It creates a workflow. Everything is within arm's reach, allowing you to pump out pizzas at speed, which is exactly what you need to do at a wedding or a corporate lunch.
Investing in a quality pizza prep table is a direct investment in your speed, quality, and ability to handle the pressure of a big event. It tells both clients and health inspectors that you're a serious professional.
How Should I Price My Pizza Catering Services?
Pricing can feel like a shot in the dark, but a per-person model is a great place to start for pizza catering. It’s easy for clients to understand and simple for you to calculate.
Here’s the basic formula. First, figure out your total food cost for one pizza. Next, estimate how many pizzas a single guest will eat—a good starting point is about one-third to one-half of a 12-inch pizza per person. This gives you your food cost per person.
From there, a standard industry rule of thumb is to apply a 3x or 4x multiplier. This covers your labor, overhead (gas, insurance, marketing), and, most importantly, your profit.
For example, if your food cost works out to $7 per person, you should be charging somewhere in the $21 to $28 per person range. To make it even easier on your clients, create a few simple pizza packages, like "The Classic" with two pizza varieties and a salad, or "The Unlimited" for two hours of non-stop pizza. This simplifies the quoting process and helps guide their decision.
At Pizza Prep Table, we know that the right equipment is the foundation of a successful catering business. Our entire selection of high-quality, NSF-certified pizza prep tables is designed to help you build an efficient workflow, guarantee food safety, and crush it at every event. Find the perfect model to get your catering venture off the ground at pizzapreptable.com.