Caterers Revenue Benchmarks
The average caterers business in the United States generates $786K in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 12,544 caterers businesses in the U.S., employing 83,496 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $33K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Caterers Business Actually Do?
Catering businesses prepare food off-site (or on-site) for events, deliver or serve it at the event location, and handle setup, service, and often cleanup. They cover the full spectrum from drop-off boxed lunches for corporate meetings to full-service plated dinners for weddings.
Who buys: Corporate clients (recurring lunches, holiday parties), wedding couples, private event hosts, and institutions (schools, hospitals).
How this is different: Unlike restaurants (fixed location) or food-service contractors (long-term facility contracts), caterers are event-driven and mobile.
Average Revenue
$786K
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$118K
per year
Total Businesses
12,544
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$39K
small business avg
Labor Cost
32.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$33K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Caterers Charge?
Caterers charge by the head, with wide variance based on service style (drop-off vs full-service) and menu.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Drop-off / buffet (self-serve) | $15–30 per person |
Full-service buffet with staff | $30–70 per person |
Plated dinner service | $60–150 per person |
Corporate lunch delivery | $12–25 per person |
Wedding catering (full) | $70–200 per person |
Bar service (open bar) | $25–50 per person for 4 hours |
Staff fee (per server) | $25–40/hour, ~1 server per 15 guests |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete caterers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a caterers business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the caterers industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Food & beverage costs | $35 | $272K | Ingredients, food, beverages, disposables — the raw cost of what's served. |
Wages & benefits | $32 | $251K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $13 | $99K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $25K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $13 | $99K | Utilities, cleaning, licenses, credit-card processing, kitchen equipment depreciation, insurance. |
Net profit | $5 | $39K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
13.99%
openings/year
Closure Rate
10.68%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+9.65%
annual
Businesses Closed
3,454
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Caterers Business?
Startup Cost
$100K – $500K
Break-Even
92 months
5-Year Survival Rate
40.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a caterers business do?
- Catering businesses prepare food off-site (or on-site) for events, deliver or serve it at the event location, and handle setup, service, and often cleanup. They cover the full spectrum from drop-off boxed lunches for corporate meetings to full-service plated dinners for weddings. Corporate clients (recurring lunches, holiday parties), wedding couples, private event hosts, and institutions (schools, hospitals).
- How much do caterers charge?
- Caterers charge by the head, with wide variance based on service style (drop-off vs full-service) and menu. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average caterers make per year?
- The average caterers business generates $786K in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $39K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many caterers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 12,544 caterers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 83,496 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a caterers business?
- Startup costs for a caterers business typically range from $100K to $500K, with a 5-year survival rate of 40.0%.
- What is the average salary in the caterers industry?
- The average employee in the caterers industry earns $33K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The caterers industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 9.7% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.0% entry vs 10.7% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 57% of caterers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is near the national average (~50%), with typical business risk. In 2023, 3,454 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the caterers industry earns $33,008/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 13,639 establishments employing 163,779 people, the typical business has about 12 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The caterers industry has grown 104% since 2000 (from 10,641 to 21,706 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Caterers revenue with other industries: