What it costs in Los Angeles
Start with service style. It decides LA catering prices before cuisine or caterer does. The table spans event types, drawn from LA caterers' own price lists and recent cost guides, so you can sanity check any quote.
LA catering prices by service style| What | Typical range |
|---|
| Drop-off trays or buffet | $20 to $45 per guest |
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| Staffed buffet or stations | $60 to $130 per guest |
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| Plated dinner | $90 to $200 per guest |
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| Wedding catering, The Knot national average | about $80 per guest |
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| Service charge on staffed events | 18 to 22 percent |
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| Sales tax, City of Los Angeles (October 2026) | 10.25 percent |
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Staff are usually billed at about $40 to $60 per server hour with a four or five hour minimum, and rentals such as china, linens, tables and chairs typically add $8 to $25 per guest when the venue does not supply them.
As one reference point, Marbled LA's menus are $24, $48 and $70 per guest and breakfast is $22, and orders add $2.50 per guest for disposables, delivery from $150 per drop and a 15 percent service charge, plus tax.
Tips
- Settle the service style before you collect quotes. Switching from plated to a buffet changes the total more than switching caterers.
- Ask which fees scale with the guest count and which are flat, so you know what happens to the bill if 20 more people say yes.
These are typical Los Angeles market ranges drawn from public price lists and cost guides, not quotes. Every caterer prices its own menus, so ask each one for a written quote.
