# Christmas dinner sides



## rasha (Dec 22, 2014)

Hi,

I'm a home cook and I really enjoy cooking for others. I've been asked to cook the Christmas dinner sides pies and cakes for someone, but don't know how to price this event for 50 people. Any help on how to charge my first paying customer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

What are your food costs?


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## rasha (Dec 22, 2014)

My food cost is $350


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

$1050.00


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## rasha (Dec 22, 2014)

Really? That's cool, I thank you so much for your insight. This is something that i love doing and is worth getting more knowledge on, i appreciate you.

Thank you,

Rasha


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## everydaygourmet (Apr 4, 2012)

@Rasha does your food cost include any rentals needed for chafing dishes, consumables like plates, set ups, napkins, sterno, linens, trash etc? Keep and eye on labor for food prep, set up, service and clean up and how labor intensive your preparation is. $21/guest is cool as long as it doesn't cost you $19/guest. Imo, use @cheflayne's figure as a budget figure. Best of luck!

Let us know how your event goes.

Cheers!

EDG


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

That's why I don't personally subscribe to the 3x guideline--too easy for me to underestimate total costs,

or to overcharge. In this case, I couldn't hazard an accurate price to charge without at least knowing some basic

info like how may sides, cakes pies etc, what type of service and how much work/equipment  will be involved.

Food costs + rentals/supplies + variable costs + fixed costs + helper labor + your labor (including shopping, planning,

prep, etc) + profit divided by # people == $$ per person.

Then adjust as needed for local market!


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Meezenplaz said:


> That's why I don't personally subscribe to the 3x guideline


I normally don't either as pricing on a professional level is far too complex to reduce to such rudimentary math; however in this case Christmas is in a few days and I figure Rasha has enough to handle without getting into the subtleties of professional catering pricing. There are other reasons for my answer as well, but that was the main one. In a pinch with limited research, it works, to a degree.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

cheflayne said:


> I normally don't either as pricing on a professional level is far too complex to reduce to such rudimentary math; however in this case Christmas is in a few days and I figure Rasha has enough to handle without getting into the subtleties of professional catering pricing. There are other reasons for my answer as well, but that was the main one. In a pinch with limited research, it works, to a degree.


I understand that, makes perfect sense in this case. I wasn't criticizing Chef, /img/vbsmilies/smilies/redface.gif I just also wanted to

throw out the technically correct way if no one else was going to, in an effort to instill some good

work-habits and pricing principles early.

Besides, your thumbnail price seems to be in the ballpark anyway! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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