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Pricing Guide

How Much Does Catering Cost?

Hosting under 30 guests at home? A private chef may be the better fit — our private chef vs. catering breakdown compares the two.

Full-service catering with MileHighCook runs $115–250 per person, all-inclusive — menu design, all ingredients, on-site chefs, staffed service, and cleanup in a single number. No 22% service charge, no cake-cutting fees. Here's exactly what events actually cost.

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The Short Answer

What Catering Costs Per Person

Most MileHighCook catered events land between $115 and $250 per person, fully all-inclusive. Buffets sit at the lower end, plated dinners in the middle, premium tasting menus and chef stations at the top — here's what that looks like by event size.

Per guest, all-inclusive$115–250
Cocktail party, 20 guests$2,300–5,000
Dinner event, 50 guests$5,750–12,500
Corporate event, 100 guests$11,500–25,000
Wedding reception, 150 guests$17,250–37,500+

That single number covers menu design, all ingredients, on-site chefs, staffed service, and full cleanup. The only thing we suggest on top is a 20% gratuity — no service charge, no cake-cutting or corkage fees. Weddings have their own planning traps; our wedding catering cost guide covers those numbers in detail. An event minimum applies; ask us for your market's.

What's Actually Included

All-Inclusive Means Everything

The most important thing to understand about MileHighCook pricing: every proposal covers everything. There are no line items added after the fact.

📋
Custom Menu Design
Your menu is built from scratch around your preferences, dietary needs, and occasion. No preset menus, no templates.
🛒
All Groceries & Sourcing
We shop for everything. Premium, seasonal ingredients — all costs are factored into your all-inclusive proposal.
👨‍🍳
Chef Fee & Labor
CIA-trained oversight on every engagement. The chef arrives 2.5–3 hours before your first guest. Fully staffed.
🍽️
Full In-Home Cooking
Every course prepared and plated in your kitchen or venue. Restaurant-level execution in your space.
✨
Tableside Service
Courses plated and presented with care. Professionally attired service staff scaled to your group size.
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Complete Cleanup
We leave your kitchen spotless. No dishes, no mess. Nothing left behind except the memory of a great meal.
What Affects the Price

The Four Factors That Shape Your Quote

Every MileHighCook proposal is custom — here are the four variables that move the number.

01
Guest Count
The most direct driver of cost. More guests means more ingredients, more prep time, and often additional service staff. Per-person rates ease slightly as headcount grows, but staffing scales up: a plated dinner for 100 needs a full service team, not one chef. Your proposal shows exactly how the number builds.
02
Menu Complexity
A 3-course seasonal dinner is a fundamentally different undertaking than a 7-course tasting menu with wine pairings and tableside preparations. More courses, more premium ingredients, and more complex technique mean higher investment — and a meaningfully different experience.
03
Service Level
An intimate family-style dinner for 6 requires one chef. A plated dinner for 30 with a full service team, bar service, and sommelier is a different operation. We scale the team to the event — and your proposal reflects exactly what yours requires.
04
Market & Timing
Peak season in Aspen during Food & Wine Classic or ski week in Vail around New Year's has higher demand. Timing and market can affect availability and occasionally price. Book early for peak dates.
Worth the Investment?

The Quote You Get vs. The Bill You Pay

Most catering sticker shock isn't the per-person rate — it's the fees stacked on after you've fallen in love with the menu. None of it is illegal. All of it is avoidable.

Here's how a typical caterer's $150-per-person quote becomes $215 before gratuity — and what the same event looks like with one all-inclusive number.

The Typical Caterer Quote
Quoted per person$150
+22% service charge$33
Cake-cutting & corkage fees$8–15
Staffing & rentals add-ons$10–25
Real per person$215+
The number you budgeted is not the number you pay.
The MileHighCook Quote
Menu design & tastingsIncluded
All ingredients & on-site chefsIncluded
Service staff, scaled to your eventIncluded
Complete cleanupIncluded
One number, no surprises$115–250/guest
The proposal number is the final number. Gratuity optional.
Pricing Questions

What People Ask Before They Book

How much does catering cost?
Full-service catering with MileHighCook runs $115–250 per person, all-inclusive — menu design, ingredients, on-site chefs, staffed service, and cleanup in one number. Drop-off tray catering is a different product at a different price, which is why quotes online range so widely.
How much does catering cost per person?
By service tier: substantial appetizers or buffet service runs $115–135 per person; a plated three-course dinner runs $150–175; premium tasting menus and chef-station events run $250 and up. Every tier is all-inclusive.
How much does catering cost for 50 guests?
A full-service catered event for 50 guests typically runs $5,750–12,500 all-inclusive, depending on service tier and menu. That covers everything: food, chefs, service staff, and cleanup.
How much does catering cost for 100 guests?
Plan on $11,500–25,000 all-inclusive for 100 guests with full service. Buffet service lands at the lower end; plated multi-course dinners at the upper end.
How much does corporate catering cost?
Corporate events price on the same $115–250 per-person bands. Office plated lunches and executive dinners run toward the middle; holiday parties with bar service and stations run higher. Event minimums apply — ask for your market's.
How much does wedding catering cost?
Wedding catering runs the same tiers — $115–135 buffet, $150–175 plated, $250–350+ premium — but weddings carry their own planning traps and fee structures. Our wedding catering cost guide walks through the real numbers line by line.
Why do catering quotes range from $12 to $250 a head?
Because “catering” spans two different products. At one end is drop-off tray service: food arrives in foil pans, and everything else is on you. At the other is full-service catering: chefs cooking on-site, staffed service, rentals coordination, and cleanup. We do the second. If you're comparing quotes, make sure they're for the same product.
What's included in your catering price?
Everything: custom menu design, all ingredients, on-site chefs, professionally attired service staff scaled to your event, and complete cleanup. No 22% service charge, no cake-cutting fee, no corkage surprises. The only thing we suggest on top is a 20% gratuity.
Do you charge travel fees?
No. MileHighCook has chefs stationed across all 30+ markets — Denver, Vail, Aspen, Scottsdale, Park City, Jackson Hole, and more. There are no travel line items because there is no travel.
Do I need a caterer or a private chef?
Rule of thumb: under 30 guests in a home, a private chef is usually the right call; past 50 guests or at an off-site venue, catering is. Our private chef vs. catering breakdown compares the two side by side.
How do deposits and booking work?
A 50% deposit secures your date, with the balance due seven days before the event. You'll have a fully custom all-inclusive proposal within 24 hours of your inquiry.
How do I get an accurate catering quote?
Send your date, venue or location, guest count, and occasion. We respond within hours, and a custom all-inclusive proposal — with real per-person numbers, not a placeholder range — follows within 24 hours.

Ready to Get Your Actual Quote?

Tell us your date, location, guest count, and occasion. We respond within hours and have a fully custom all-inclusive proposal back within 24 hours.

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