How Much Food to Order for 25 People: The Ultimate Boston Corporate Catering Guide
Ordering food for 25 people sounds straightforward. It's not.
Order too little and people are still hungry at 1pm.
Order too much and you've blown the budget on food that ends up in the trash.
ANI Catering has been feeding Greater Boston offices for over 30 years.
Here's exactly how to calculate the right amount — so you get it right the first time.
The Number Most People Get Wrong
Most people think in trays, not portions.
They order two shawarma platters and assume that's enough. It might be. It might not be — depending on factors they never thought to check.
Here's what actually determines how much food you need:
Meal type — working lunch vs. dedicated sit-down meal
Time of day — lunch vs. late afternoon vs. evening
Crowd composition — big eaters, light eaters, or a mix
How many options you're offering — one protein or three
Dietary restrictions — affects how portions distribute across dishes
Get these five factors wrong and no headcount calculation will save you.
The Baseline: How Much Food Per Person
Use these as your starting point for a standard office lunch.
Proteins (shawarma, falafel, grilled chicken):
4–6 oz per person for a working lunch
6–8 oz per person for a dedicated meal
Sides and dips (hummus, tabbouleh, rice, salad):
3–4 oz per side per person
Plan for 2–3 sides per order
Bread and wraps:
1–2 pieces per person minimum
Add 20% if bread is a primary vehicle for the meal
Dessert:
Not everyone takes it — plan for 60–70% uptake
1 piece or 3–4 oz per person who does
For 25 people specifically:
You're feeding a mid-size group — enough that running out is embarrassing, small enough that over-ordering is wasteful
Build to 27–28 portions minimum to account for bigger appetites and seconds
Factor 1: What Kind of Meal Is This?
This changes everything.
Working lunch (eating at desks, quick break):
People eat less when they're still in work mode
Lighter portions, fewer sides
Plan for 80% of your standard per-person calculation
Dedicated lunch break (everyone stops, sits together):
People eat more when the meal is the event
Full portions, more sides, higher dessert uptake
Plan for 100–110% of your standard calculation
Catered meeting with food on the side:
People graze, not eat
Cut portions by 30–40%
Focus on finger foods and shareable platters over full entrees
Factor 2: Time of Day
11:30am–1pm — peak hunger window. Full portions. People will eat.
1pm–2pm — some people have already eaten. Plan for 85% uptake.
After 3pm — this is snacking territory, not a meal. Cut portions significantly.
Factor 3: How Many Options Are You Offering?
This is where most orders go sideways.
One protein, two sides:
Everyone eats the same thing
Easy to calculate — straight per-person math
Risk: if someone doesn't like or can't eat that protein, they're left with sides only
Two proteins, three sides:
More flexibility, but portions get complicated
Split your protein order 60/40 — more of the crowd-pleaser, less of the secondary option
Sides should be enough that they work as a standalone for anyone skipping protein
Three or more options:
Great for dietary diversity
Hard to predict distribution
Add a 15% buffer across the board when offering this many choices
Factor 4: Dietary Restrictions Change the Math
This is why the dietary survey always comes first.
Here's what dietary needs do to your portion calculation:
5 vegans in a group of 25 means your vegan option needs to fully feed those 5 — not just exist as a side
Gluten-free guests need enough GF options to build a full plate, not just one token item
Halal-only guests need halal proteins portioned as a primary, not an afterthought
The rule: any dietary group that represents 20% or more of your headcount needs its own full portion calculation — not a shared afterthought on the main order.
The Buffer Rule
Always add a buffer.
Here's how to size it:
Known group, predictable eaters — add 10%
Mixed group, some unknowns — add 15%
Client lunch, impression matters — add 20%
You've under-ordered before — add 20% and don't argue with yourself about it
For 25 people, a 15% buffer means you're actually building for 28–29 portions. That's the right number to give your caterer.
Already have your dietary restrictions and headcount sorted? That's the hard part. We'll handle the rest.
Get a free catering quote from ANI → Or call us directly: (617) 484-6161 We respond within 2 hours on business days.
What to Tell Your Caterer
Don't just say "I need food for 25 people."
Tell them:
Exact headcount plus your buffer number
Meal type — working lunch, sit-down, or grazing
Time of day
All dietary restrictions with headcounts per restriction
Number of options you want to offer
Whether you need leftovers to be minimal or if extra is fine
A good caterer will build the order from that information. A great caterer will push back if something doesn't add up.
Quick Reference: 25-Person Office Lunch
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Primary protein | 27–30 portions at 5–6 oz each |
| Secondary protein (if offering) | 15–18 portions at 5 oz each |
| Sides (per side dish) | 27–30 portions at 3–4 oz each |
| Bread / wraps | 30–35 pieces |
| Dessert | 18–20 portions |
| Buffer applied | +15% across all items |
BOARDROOM FEAST WITH CHICKEN KABOB AND FALAFEL FROM ANI CATERING
Summary
Don't think in trays — think in portions per person
Meal type, time of day, and number of options all change your calculation
Any dietary group over 20% of your headcount needs its own portion math
Always add a buffer — 10% minimum, 20% for client meals
Give your caterer a full picture, not just a headcount
ANI Catering takes the guesswork out of this entirely. Give us your headcount, your dietary needs, your meal type, and your date — and we'll build the order correctly from the start. Thirty years of Boston office lunches means we've seen every scenario. We'll make sure no one goes hungry and nothing goes to waste.
Get a free catering quote from ANI → Or call us directly: (617) 484-6161
We respond within 2 hours on business days.
ANI Catering & Cafe is a family-owned Armenian and Middle Eastern restaurant and caterer serving Greater Boston for over 30 years. Based in Belmont, MA — regularly serving offices in Cambridge, Waltham, Newton, Watertown, and surrounding communities. Every diet covered. Every order on time.