Get matched with caterers — free

How Tablefare helps

Tablefare is a free matching service for hosts. We are not a caterer, a restaurant, or an event planner, and we do not cook, serve, or set catering prices.

You share a few event details — your name, phone, optional email, event type, city or ZIP, rough date, rough guest count, service style, cuisine, and preferred language — and we help connect you with participating caterers in your area so you can compare options.

That means you can ask questions, review menus, taste where possible, and choose the caterer that fits your event, your guests, and your budget.

What you can ask for

Whether you're planning a wedding, office lunch, birthday, memorial reception, holiday gathering, cultural celebration, or a simple drop-off meal, you can tell us the style you have in mind. Full-service, buffet, plated, food stations, family-style, or drop-off all change the final cost and staffing needs.

You can also share cuisine preferences and dietary needs, including halal, kosher, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and allergy-aware requests. If you feel more comfortable in a language other than English, you can tell us that too.

If you'd like a fuller picture of the process, see how it works or browse common event types.

• Weddings and receptions
• Corporate and office events
• Birthdays, showers, and family parties
• Memorials, faith gatherings, and holiday meals

What catering may cost

Catering prices vary a lot by city, menu, service style, guest count, day and season, and what's included. These ranges are general information only, not quotes.

As a rough starting point, simple drop-off catering often lands around $15-$35 per guest, buffet service may be around $25-$60 per guest, and full-service plated meals can run about $45-$120+ per guest. Premium menus, rentals, bartenders, specialty desserts, and longer service windows can push the number higher.

The real total is not just the food. Ask each caterer to show the full all-in cost, including service charge or gratuity, staffing, bartender fees, rentals, delivery and setup, cake-cutting or corkage, overtime, deposit, final-headcount deadline, and cancellation terms. Before you pay a deposit or sign, confirm the price per guest and the date in writing and read the full contract and final invoice carefully.

For more budgeting help, visit costs.

What we ask for — and what we do not

We only collect contact and event-intent details so we can help with matching: your name, phone, optional email, event type, city or ZIP, rough date, rough guest count, service style, cuisine, and preferred language.

We do not ask for financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, immigration documents, income information, or other sensitive records. Keep private financial and legal questions between you, the caterer, and licensed professionals when needed.

Because every caterer works a little differently, always rely on the caterer's own written proposal and contract for final terms.

You stay in control

Good catering is not just about finding food. It is about making sure the guest count, menu, service style, and final invoice all make sense for your table.

Use Tablefare to compare, then choose carefully:

1. Share your event basics.
2. Review quotes and what each one includes.
3. Compare the all-in cost per guest, not just the menu price.
4. Taste or sample where possible.
5. Confirm the date, price, and details in writing before paying a deposit.

No one can promise an exact price, a held date, or a specific booking until a caterer confirms it directly. Tablefare helps you get connected, free, so you can compare with open eyes.