How much does catering cost for 80 people in Brisbane?

21 September 2026 · 7 min read

Between about $1,200 and $10,500, depending entirely on the style. Here is what each one costs for 80 people, taken from published Brisbane menus.

Canape and chef rates from Tognini's, buffet from Golden Roast, spit roast from BBQ Spit Roast Catering, sit-down from Cater2You, food truck from Where The Truck. All Brisbane or South East Queensland, published on their own sites.

The per-head price is not the price

Add the chef. Tognini's charges $65 an hour with a three hour minimum and one chef per 60 guests. VGC charges a flat $450 for the duration. BBQ Spit Roast lists a chef at $220 for four hours and a bar attendant at $180.

Add the staff. Garnishes bills waitstaff hourly from the moment they leave the depot until they get back, travel time included. Hypercater charges a flat $180 for a minimum three hours. The going Brisbane rate works out around $50 an hour a head.

Then check what is bundled. Blue Plates includes crockery, cutlery, linen napkins and glassware in its per-head price. Garnishes charges for them separately, plus a cleaning fee, plus 5% on a Saturday and 10% on a Sunday. Two quotes at the same per-head number can be hundreds of dollars apart.

How many pieces per person

Five to six canapes a head for a three hour cocktail event, seven or more if it is standing in for a meal. If you are serving canapes at dinner time and budgeting three pieces, people will leave hungry and find chips on the way home.

80 is a good number

It clears most minimums. Golden Roast waives its $200 staff surcharge at 60 guests, so 80 is cheaper per head than 50. Cuisine On Cue sets a 50 guest weekend minimum. Rolling Stone Pizza's $1,750 minimum covers 60.

The exception is a plated dinner. Blue Plates says its seated menu suits 10 to 30 guests, or 60 family style. Some boutique Brisbane caterers simply will not plate 80, which pushes you to a full-service caterer and moves the per-head price 30 to 50%.

Dietary requirements are often extra

Garnishes charges more for vegetarian, vegan, halal and gluten free. Hypercater lists a flat $2 a head. Others fold it in, and one Brisbane pizza truck advertises free gluten free as a point of difference. Ask before you assume.

Lead time

For 80 people in peak season, caterers want months rather than weeks. Hypercater requires full payment if you book inside two months and a 50% deposit if you are further out. Queensland wedding caterers commonly book 12 to 18 months ahead for winter and spring.