An average cost of a meal you have described is around $15.00 apiece. 12 people at $15.00 a piece is $180.00. Add in your time for shopping, say one hour, at a minimum of $35.00 an hour, then time it took to prepare all items, say a totall of 4 hours, again at $35.00 an hour comes to $175.00 then add the time it takes to load (and don't forget to add any special equipment necessary to transport the food – like rolls of aluminium foil or a hot box – charged at the cost you paid) deliver and, if you do the set up, add that, say 2 hours at $35.00 an hour you have a grand total of $425.00.If you charge too cheaply you will be taken advantage of as you were in the first instance. You could reduce the cost of the meal to say $6.00 a piece but never, ever sell yourself or your time or your skills cheap. If your service is great, the food is well prepared and enjoyable you deserve to be paid for it.Compare $35.00 an hour to any other profession and I think you'll find the price low. It takes just as much effort and time to learn to prepare food (taking into consideration all the things you must do to keep the food at proper temps to avoid getting someone sick, plus knowing all the spices and ingrediants, etc. etc. etc…) as it does to be a plumber or painter and yes, even many medical or law occupations.If you have decided to get into the catering business you must be willing to charge friends the same you would charge a new customer. Friends should get discounts only after using your services on a regular basis.Business and friendships are two separate things and you should never allow a friend to confuse the two.Don't be affraid to charge what you're worth or you will never be successful in the business world – or life in general for that matter.If they don't agree with the price tell them to find another caterer or do it themselves and see just how much time and effort it really takes or what an established caterer would cost them.If you look up catering at Wikipedia you'll see that most caterers charge a flat fee per person if you're just doing the food so I would go with a flat fee of $35.00 per person. If you figure it out – $425.00 devided by 12 people comes to $35.41 each. Your time is well spent and well payed for.If you think that's too much try $15.00 per person but no cheaper, especially if your food is good which would make your total fee $180.00 4 years ago Thank you for this advice,stil having words with my former employer, who only paid me ten dollars an hour, when i cooked for him, but I told him ,that i am worth more and he agreed to pay me, but only 90.00 formy sweat and 70.00 for the money i spent shopping and cooking, delivering, setting up
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