One of the most common hosting questions: “Am I ordering enough food?”
Whether you’re hosting a birthday party, a christening, a company lunch, or a family reunion, estimating food quantities is one of the trickiest parts of event planning. Order too little and guests go hungry. Order too much and you’re dealing with a week of leftovers.
At Stone and Pebble, we help Cebu hosts get this right. Here’s our practical guide to food tray portions for every type of event.
The Standard Rule: One Tray Per 8–10 Guests
As a general guideline, one full food tray serves approximately 8 to 10 guests when paired with rice and 2–3 other dishes on the table. This assumes a typical Filipino-style spread where guests eat a main dish alongside rice rather than in isolation.
For a gathering of 20 people, you’d typically want 3–4 main dish trays from different categories to give guests variety and enough servings for everyone to have seconds.
Adjusting for Your Event Type
Different events have different eating patterns:
- Buffet-style (guests serve themselves): Order slightly more — guests tend to take larger portions. Add 10–15% to your estimate.
- Plated service: Portions are more controlled. Standard estimates apply.
- Cocktail / finger food setup: Guests eat lighter. Reduce main dish quantities and add more snacks and finger foods like Angus Roast Beef Empanada and Chicken Wings w/ Gravy.
- Children’s parties: Kids eat less than adults. If your guest list is 50% children, reduce your estimate by 20–25%.
How Many Dishes Should You Offer?
For a well-rounded Filipino party spread, aim for:
- 1–2 main meat dishes (e.g., Pork Adobo sa Gata, Beef Salpicao)
- 1 seafood dish (e.g., Shrimp Gambas)
- 1 noodle or pasta dish (e.g., Pancit Bihon)
- 1 soup (e.g., Molo Soup) — especially for cooler evenings
- 1–2 desserts (e.g., Cinnamon Rolls, Buchi)
This gives guests variety across flavors and textures without overwhelming the host or the budget.
Order in Advance
Always order ahead of time. For gatherings of 20 or fewer, place your order at least 2–3 days before your event. For larger parties of 30 or more, we recommend ordering 4–5 days in advance so everything is prepared fresh and on schedule.
Peak seasons — Christmas, New Year, Holy Week, summer reunions — fill up fast. Ordering early means you get exactly what you want without last-minute scrambling.
Build Your Party Menu
Not sure where to start? Browse our full menu — over 200 dishes across every category — and mix and match to build a spread your guests will love. Need help planning a larger event? Reach out to us directly and we’ll help you put together the perfect order.
