{
    "name": "Catering Portion Quantity Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/catering-portion-quantity-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/catering-portion-quantity-calculator.md",
    "category": "Food & hospitality",
    "description": "Work out how much of one dish to cook and how much raw ingredient to buy for an event, from guests, portion size, cooking yield and an extra allowance.",
    "summary": "Multiply guests by the served portion and add a safety margin for the cooked quantity. Divide by the cooking or trim yield to get the raw weight to order.",
    "also_called": [
        "Catering food calculator",
        "Food quantity per person calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "guests",
            "label": "Guests",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "120"
        },
        {
            "name": "portion_g",
            "label": "Served portion per guest",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "180",
            "unit": "g"
        },
        {
            "name": "yield_pct",
            "label": "Cooked yield from raw",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "70",
            "unit": "%"
        },
        {
            "name": "buffer_pct",
            "label": "Extra allowance",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "10",
            "unit": "%",
            "optional": true
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "raw_kg",
            "label": "Raw quantity to buy",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "cooked_kg",
            "label": "Cooked quantity to serve",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "portions",
            "label": "Portions including allowance",
            "format": "number"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "Cooked kg = Guests × (1 + Allowance% ÷ 100) × Portion g ÷ 1000;  Raw kg = Cooked kg ÷ (Yield% ÷ 100)",
        "variables": {
            "Portion": "served (cooked) weight per guest",
            "Yield%": "cooked weight as a share of raw weight",
            "Allowance%": "extra over the exact guest count"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "guests": "120",
            "portion_g": "180",
            "yield_pct": "70",
            "buffer_pct": "10"
        },
        "steps": [
            "Portions = 120 × 1.10 = 132.",
            "Cooked = 132 × 180 g = 23,760 g = 23.76 kg.",
            "Raw = 23.76 ÷ 0.70 = 33.94 kg."
        ],
        "result": "For 120 guests at 180 g cooked each with a 10% margin, cook 23.76 kg, which needs about 33.94 kg raw at a 70% yield."
    },
    "interpretation": "Round the raw quantity up to whole packs. If the dish is one of several on the menu, reduce the portion: guests take less of each item when there is more choice (the buffet calculator spreads a total plate weight over several dishes).",
    "assumptions": [
        "Every guest takes one portion of this dish.",
        "Yield is the same for the whole batch."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Portion sizes and yields vary by dish, cut and cooking method; use your own measured figures."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "How do I find the cooked yield?",
            "answer": "Weigh a batch raw, cook it as you will for the event, and weigh it again. Cooked ÷ raw × 100 is the yield."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Buffet Food Quantity Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/buffet-food-quantity-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Catering Budget Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/catering-budget-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Recipe Scaling Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/recipe-scaling-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": null,
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}