Staff plating during service · Haberdoedas
Staffing calculator
Estimate servers, bartenders and kitchen staff, and the hours to budget for.
Estimate
Staff numbers come from the service style, not only the guest count. The hours matter as much as the headcount: setup, briefing and breakdown are paid time.
What this assumes
- Servers: one per 10 guests plated, 14 family style, 20 stations, 22 buffet, 25 passed canapes.
- Bartenders: one per 60 guests for beer and wine, one per 45 for a full bar.
- Kitchen staff scale with the menu; the figure here assumes a conventional three-course or buffet menu.
- A floor lead is added from about 75 guests, and dishwashers from about 80 with real china.
- Travel time, minimum call-out hours and overtime premiums are not included.
These are estimating rules of thumb, not guarantees. Check the numbers against your own menu, your own staff and your own suppliers.
Related reading
GuideService styles comparedBuffet, plated, family style, stations and passed canapes, and what each one does to your staffing, your timing and your food quantities.
GuidePortion planningThe per-guest figures caterers work from, what changes them, and where they go wrong.
GuideStaffing an eventHow many servers, bartenders and kitchen staff an event needs, and the hours nobody counts.
Page revised 18 September 2026.