Pricing the Buffet

If asked to price the buffet menu you have planned, determine the desired food cost percentage. Most operations have an established food cost for various types of service. Buffet food costs usually range from 18 to 28 percent.

To determine the per-person price for your buffet, divide the per-person food cost by the food cost percentage expressed as a decimal. For example, at a 22 percent food cost, a buffet with a per-person food cost of $4.36 is priced at $19.82. ($4.36/0.22 = $19.82). You typically round up or down to an even number, so this buffet might be priced at $20.00 per person.