Find a catering service in San Francisco, CA

Find catering services in San Francisco, CA

Q: How much is catering?

Catering costs $10 to $35 per person for basic party food or a drop-off service. On average, caterers charge $500 to $7,500 total for 50 guests, $1,000 to $15,000 for 100 guests, and $1,500 to $23,000 for 150 guests. Alcohol or bartending options often cost extra. Formal catering or wedding catering costs $30 to $200 per person for plated meals, a buffet, or food stations. A food truck rental costs $10 to $40 per person , depending on the type of event and whether you hire the truck on a weekend or holiday. Popular food truck menu options include tacos, pizza, BBQ, and ice cream.

Q: How long do caterers stay at an event?

Caterers typically serve food for 1 to 4 hours , depending on the time of year and number of guests. Setup usually takes 1 to 2 hours . Ask your caterer whether they will include any of the setup or cleanup time in their estimate.

Q: Do you tip caterers?

Some caterers include a gratuity charge of 15% to 20% on your bill that is split between the servers. Before adding a cash tip, ask your caterer or review the contract to make sure a gratuity charge is not already included. If you decide to give cash tips directly, pay each person between $15 to $50 .

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Find catering services in San Francisco, CA

Share a few details and we'll show you the best catering services in your area.

Zip code

Top 10 catering services in San Francisco, CA

Clients agree: these San Francisco catering services are highly rated for knowledge, experience, communication, and more.

Your Wedding and Event Catering questions, answered

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Fash.

How much is catering?

Catering costs $10 to $35 per person for basic party food or a drop-off service. On average, caterers charge $500 to $7,500 total for 50 guests, $1,000 to $15,000 for 100 guests, and $1,500 to $23,000 for 150 guests. Alcohol or bartending options often cost extra.

Formal catering or wedding catering costs $30 to $200 per person for plated meals, a buffet, or food stations. A food truck rental costs $10 to $40 per person, depending on the type of event and whether you hire the truck on a weekend or holiday. Popular food truck menu options include tacos, pizza, BBQ, and ice cream.

What is catering?

Catering means supplying food and drink at a party, wedding, or other gathering. Some catering companies provide waitstaff, while others offer self-serve buffet stations or simply drop off prepared food to an event. Different catering companies provide different types of foods and cuisines, including:

Italian
Mexican
Barbeque
Japanese
Pizza
Sandwiches
Ice cream
Breakfast or brunch

How far in advance do I need to order catering?

Most caterers recommend ordering at least a few weeks to 6 months in advance, depending on the type of event and number of guests. However, catering a small party may not require as much advance time as a wedding, holiday party, or large corporate event.

Large chain restaurants often provide limited, drop-off catering services and require less notice than professional catering companies. Some chain restaurants and grocery stores offer catering services with only one day's notice.

What do caterers provide?

Caterers supply all the food for your event, either cooking it on-site or preparing it in their own kitchen beforehand. Many catering services include serving dishes, plates, glasses, and silverware in their price. Some caterers also offer tables, chairs, linens, or custom place settings for an added fee.

How long do caterers stay at an event?

Caterers typically serve food for 1 to 4 hours, depending on the time of year and number of guests. Setup usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Ask your caterer whether they will include any of the setup or cleanup time in their estimate.

Do you tip caterers?

Some caterers include a gratuity charge of 15% to 20% on your bill that is split between the servers. Before adding a cash tip, ask your caterer or review the contract to make sure a gratuity charge is not already included. If you decide to give cash tips directly, pay each person between $15 to $50.

How do I choose a catering company?

Search our list of caterers, then:

Get three or more free estimates to compare.
Read their reviews and menus on Fash and Google.
Choose a licensed, insured, and experienced company.
Try menu tasting before your event if possible.
Make sure they're a good fit for your budget and schedule.
Get a written estimate or contract.
Avoid making a large payment before your event begins.

After reading reviews and asking questions, hire the best company in your area.

What questions should I ask caterers?

When looking for local catering companies, consider asking the following questions:

How long have you been catering?
Are you licensed and insured?
How far in advance do I need to book?
What is your cancellation policy?
Do you allow menu changes?
Will you bring prepared food, or will you prepare it onsite?
How long will you be able to serve food?
How long do you need to set up?
Do you charge extra for travel fees?
Will you give me a written estimate and contract?

Reviews for San Francisco catering services

Recent success stories from people in the San Francisco area.

Kayla V.

They made the whole dining experience one to remember, the food was delicious and a huge hit with all of the dinner guest for my boyfriends 30th!

Leandro s Cucina Italiana

Tyker F.

I hired Chef Ken for meal preparations for my family and we are all very pleased. I didn’t know exactly what we were looking for meal wise and he helped me figure it out. All of the meals have been great. They taste so good and everything is always made with fresh ingredients. He always gives us new meals to eat per week. My kids even look forward to the meals and that’s a shock being that I’m dealing with picky eaters. Chef Ken has made it super easy to get through the week for dinner. Thank you Chef. P.S the enchiladas are our favorites. You won’t be disappointed. ☺️

Kandy.Kenz LLC

Anthony M.

Delicious dishes!! Great customer service. Catering and delivery., great option. Will wrk with a customer on specifics. Did I mention the delicious dishes! Overall great couple.

Wright's Catering

Timothy J.

Do you appreciate incredible food, presentation, and service? Then Duane's Catering is your place. I recently had the pleasure of attending a family and friend gathering that totaled around 40 people. What a treat! These guys worked really hard to impress us. I don’t think their team could have done a better job, and was such an essential component of our friends and family event. Friends and family returned the next day to search for leftovers. We went with the Plated / Buffet to make life easy and everyone walked away full, happy, and satisfied. The 3-course meal was incredible, I started with the Gnocchi, had the Seared Ahi Tuna Salad, and had the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs for my entree. The whole group was very pleased, raving about how incredible the food was, and would strongly recommend it. The experience was beyond my expectations.

Duane's Catering and Confections

Zermaine S.

SPS Beverage & Catering is the BEST Beverage & Catering Company in the San Francisco Bay Area. Professional, affordable, and provides an exceptional variety of food selections and beverage services.

SPS Beverage & Catering

Tory M.

Chef Zachary was extremely professional and knowledgeable from the start, and created some of the best dishes I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. He is not only incredibly talented and comfortable in the kitchen, but was also so approachable and flexible with our party. He provided exactly the experience I was hoping for and I only plan on using him in the future. Thank you Chef Zachary!!