Estimating How Many Servings For 400 People

Decorating By samymccray Updated 1 Sep 2009 , 1:48pm by Loucinda

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samymccray Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 12:01am
post #1 of 5

Hi there,

I'd love it if someone could help me out on this. I'm not quite sure how to figure out how many servings I should charge for. There is a wedding with 400 invited guests. I know that there will be a final count closer to the date. My question is how do I figure out what I should charge for. Should I charge for 400 people knowing that 400 people will not be there? Or is there a standard percentage you use in the business to figure out how many usually eat the cake?

Thanks

4 replies
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Kiddiekakes Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 12:08am
post #2 of 5

You find out from the bride how many people are invited and go from there.Some brides many only want cake for say...300 people.. Most insist if they invite 400..you make cake for 400.It really is up to her..Now when she gives you her final count and shows you a picture etc of whatever cake she decides then you can price out the cake.Remember cake sizes are not always even numbers and will never be the exact amount of any guest list.Price the cake out according to how many it will feed and she can either accept that there will be leftovers or look silly if there is not enough!!

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indydebi Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 12:13am
post #3 of 5

You charge for the number of servings you make. You make the number of servings the bride orders.

My Rule of Thumb is 60% of the total number INVITED will actually show up. So if she really invited 650 people, then she can reasonably expect 400 to attend.

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jillmakescakes Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 12:28am
post #4 of 5

I always explain to my brides and grooms know their families. they know if they are cake people, or take-it-or leave it people. I also ask them what response they will have for their guests if they run out of cake before everyone gets a piece.

Many don't get final counts until 2 weeks prior, and thats kinds of close if you are trying to gauge your weekends. i know that I can do 4 or 5 small weddings or 2 really big ones right now, so I like to have an idea of the cake size in advance.

I've also been told by the people returning the cake plateaus that many guests would go back and try pieces of different flavors. they may not have finished the piece on their plate, but they go back for another anyway. This tends to make up for the folks who don't have a piece of cake.

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Loucinda Posted 1 Sep 2009 , 1:48pm
post #5 of 5

I have always used Indy's 60% rule and it has worked out spot on everytime.

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