Free tool · P6 unit economics
Buffet cost calculator India
Calculate per-head food cost for restaurant buffets and banquet events. Enter quantities per pax by course with wastage buffer per dish. Add setup and operational costs. Gross profit % and minimum sell price at 35% GP auto-computed. GST-aware. Course breakdown. Export CSV or print. No signup.
Food cost / pax
₹168.43
Total cost / pax
₹211.43
Total event cost
₹21,143
Min sell price / pax
₹326
at 35% GP
Food items
Quantities are per pax (per guest)| Item | Course | Qty / pax | Unit | Rate | Wastage % | Cost / pax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
₹ | % | ₹8.80 | |||||
₹ | % | ₹43.01 | |||||
₹ | % | ₹48.30 | |||||
₹ | % | ₹7.92 | |||||
₹ | % | ₹28.80 | |||||
₹ | % | ₹18.40 | |||||
₹ | % | ₹13.20 | |||||
| Food cost per pax | ₹168.43 | ||||||
Setup & operational costs (total for the event)
| Description | Total cost ₹ | Per pax ₹ | |
|---|---|---|---|
₹ | ₹15.00 | ||
₹ | ₹8.00 | ||
₹ | ₹20.00 | ||
| Setup cost total | ₹4,300 | ₹43.00 |
Cost breakdown by course
Dal & Sides
₹8.80/pax5.2%
Mains — Veg
₹43.01/pax25.5%
Mains — Non-veg
₹48.30/pax28.7%
Rice & Biryani
₹7.92/pax4.7%
Breads
₹28.80/pax17.1%
Desserts
₹18.40/pax10.9%
Beverages
₹13.20/pax7.8%
Event cost summary
Food cost / pax₹168.43
Setup cost / pax₹43.00
Total cost / pax₹211.43
Total food cost (100 pax)₹16,843
Total setup cost₹4,300
Total event cost₹21,143
Recommended sell price (35% GP target): ₹326/pax · Premium (25% GP): ₹282/pax
Buffet pricing benchmarks for Indian restaurants
Buffet pricing in India varies enormously by city tier, outlet format, and meal period. The benchmarks below are based on typical cost structures for casual dining restaurants running buffets in Tier 1 Indian cities. Adjust for your input costs and market.
- Lunch buffet (veg only). Food cost per head: ₹80-140. Setup cost per head: ₹30-60. Sell price range: ₹249-499. Typical GP: 30-40% at ₹349-449. Veg buffets have lower food cost but also lower sell price ceilings in most markets.
- Lunch buffet (veg + non-veg). Food cost per head: ₹130-200. Setup cost per head: ₹30-60. Sell price range: ₹399-699. Typical GP: 30-40% at ₹499-649. Non-veg adds 20-40% to food cost depending on the protein (chicken vs. mutton vs. seafood).
- Dinner buffet (casual dining). Food cost per head: ₹150-250. Setup cost per head: ₹40-80. Sell price range: ₹499-899. Higher wastage at dinner because guests linger and portions are larger. A well-run dinner buffet should target 32-40% GP.
- Banquet / corporate event buffet. Food cost per head: ₹200-400 (more elaborate menu). Setup cost per head: ₹80-150 (higher decor and service). Sell price range: ₹700-1,800. GP target: 35-50%. Banquet pricing should include a higher setup cost per head because events require dedicated staff, equipment, and setup time that regular buffets do not.
- GST on buffets. Restaurant buffets with air conditioning attract 5% GST. If your quoted price is GST-inclusive, divide by 1.05 to get the ex-GST revenue for GP% calculation. If you quote ex-GST and add 5% on top, use the ex-GST price for your GP% calculation directly.
Where this fits
- Catering quotation builder — use buffet cost data to build a formal quotation for clients
- Recipe cost card — build per-dish food cost to feed accurate numbers into this buffet calculator
- Food cost calculator — verify blended food cost % for the event against overall restaurant food cost %
- Wastage tracker — track actual buffet leftovers to calibrate wastage buffers for future events
- GST invoice generator — generate a GST-compliant invoice for the buffet event
- P6 — Unit economics pillar — complete guide to food cost, menu pricing, and P&L for Indian restaurants