Location Label: United States, nationwide chains

Catering Menu: Prices Per Person, Packages and How to Order (2026)

Author and Visit Details

By Food Menu Journal. This is a researched guide, not a visit report. We did not visit one restaurant for this guide, and we did not taste the food ourselves, because a catering menu is not one restaurant’s menu. It is a way of ordering food for a group, and each chain below runs its own version of it. Every fact here comes from the chains’ own catering pages as reported by current 2026 guides, cross-checked across listings and rechecked on 11 November 2026. Where listings disagree, we show both figures with the package named beside each one.

Introduction

A catering menu is priced per person and per package, not by one flat price, and that is the whole point of this guide. A sandwich platter, a boxed lunch, a pasta station and a taco bar are four different ways to feed the same 20 people, and they cost different amounts even at the same chain. Across the four chains here, prices run from about $7 to $18 per person before delivery, tax and tip, and the figure that matters is always the one with the chain and the package beside it.

This guide compares Chipotle, Olive Garden, Panera and Subway side by side: what each chain sells, what restaurant catering per person costs at each chain, how many people each package serves, how far ahead you must order, and what delivery and fees add to the total. Use the tables to compare, then confirm the final price with your local restaurant before you order, because every chain here says prices vary by location.

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Catering Menu at a Glance

This catering menu at a glance gives the short version: four chains, four formats, and a per-person range for each. Read the chain sections after it for the package names, the serving counts and the disagreements between listings.

Chain	Format	Per-person range (estimate)	Notice needed
Chipotle	Burrito Box, Bowl Bar, Taco Bar	$8.75 to $13.50, by package	At least 24 hours
Olive Garden	Meal Combinations, Pasta Station, pans	$12 to $13.75	Order by 5 p.m. for next-day lunch
Panera	Boxed lunches, salads, breakfast	$10 to $18	About 4 hours
Subway	Sandwich and wrap platters, lunch boxes	From $7 in certain areas	Same day, 5 hours or less

Why Did We Research This Catering Menu Guide?

We researched this catering menu guide because the plan source for it is an index page, not a menu, and that needed saying plainly. The page at usafoodjournal.com/catering-menu lists other guides, such as the Chipotle menu and the Chipotle catering prices guide, but it carries no catering prices of its own. Citing it as a menu would have been wrong, so this guide is built instead from the chains that publish per-person prices, with every figure labelled by chain, package and recheck date. The recheck covered the same four chains and the same packages, so the figures below are the freshest published versions we could find.

What Does a Catering Menu Cost Per Person?

A catering menu costs about $7 to $18 per person, depending on the chain and the package, before delivery, tax and tip. Subway is cheapest, from $7 per person in certain areas. Chipotle runs $8.75 to $13.50, Olive Garden $12 to $13.75, and Panera $10 to $18.

Chain	Package	Serves	Price per person (estimate)
Subway	Sandwich and wrap platters	5 to 9 per platter	From $7 in certain areas
Chipotle	Burrito Box, Bowl Bar, Taco Bar	6 or 10 minimum, by package	$12.50 a head; Build Your Own from $8.75
Chipotle	Protein-Packed Bowl Catering	10 or more	$14.50 a head
Olive Garden	Meal Combinations	8 to 14 guests	From $13.75
Olive Garden	Create Your Own Pasta Station	Multiples of 10	From $13.50
Olive Garden	Business catering, delivery and setup included	Varies	From $12
Panera	Boxed lunches	1 per box	$12.39 to $15.89 each
Panera	Group salad bowls	About 10 per bowl	From under $6
Panera	Breakfast	Varies	From about $8

How Much Does Chipotle Catering Cost?

Chipotle catering menu prices run $8.75 to $13.50 per person, depending on the package, and the package name matters more than the range. The Burrito Box, the Bowl Bar and the Taco Bar are all listed at $12.50 a head in the USA Food Journal catering page read on 10 November 2026. The Protein-Packed Bowl Catering, with double protein, is dearer at $14.50 a head. Small Group Meals are a flat $35.00 for 2 to 4 people, with chips and salsa $2.70 extra.

The $8.75 figure needs its package named beside it, because listings disagree about it. It is the Build Your Own starting price, for a single-protein spread, while other listings put Build Your Own spreads at $13.50 a head for steak, barbacoa or carnitas and $12.50 for chicken or sofritas. Burritos by the Box start lower, at about $8.75 to $11 per person, with a 6-person minimum, while a Build Your Own spread needs at least 10 people and at least 24 hours notice.

How Much Does Olive Garden Catering Cost?

Olive Garden catering menu prices run from $12 to $13.75 per person, across three formats: Meal Combinations, the Create Your Own Pasta Station, and individual pans. Meal Combinations bundle a main, salad, breadsticks and dessert for 8 to 14 guests from $13.75 per person. The Create Your Own Pasta Station, where guests build their own plates from two pastas, three sauces and three toppings, starts at $13.50 per person and is sold in multiples of 10. Business catering, delivery and setup included, starts at $12 per person.

Two details need stating plainly. First, the advertised starting prices are not the price at every restaurant: one guide found the Pasta Station at $15.00 per person at the Orlando restaurant it checked in October 2026, $150 for 10 guests, while the official page says it starts at $13.50. Second, delivery has its own rules: a $100 minimum, a 10% delivery fee up to $500, then 5% on every dollar after that, and orders by 5 p.m. for next-day lunch delivery. After fees, tax and tip, plan on about $17 to $18 per person, per the CaterCow guide updated on 14 October 2026.

How Much Does Panera Catering Cost?

Panera catering menu prices run about $10 to $18 per person, and boxed lunches are the workhorse: $12.39 to $15.89 each. A boxed lunch holds a sandwich with chips and a cookie, or a salad with baguette and a cookie, and each guest gets a labelled box, which keeps a seated meeting orderly. The same guides also report group salad bowls from under $6 per person, with a Greek salad at roughly $5.80 per person for a bowl serving 10, and breakfast from about $8 per person. Order at catering.panerabread.com with about 4 hours notice.

Panera is the chain where the guides disagree with each other by the most. One guide puts boxed lunches at $12 to $18 each and most formats at roughly $12 to $18 per person before fees, tax and tip, while another page from the same guide puts the all-in figure at $15 to $22 per person. Read that as a range: the menu figure is the lower number, the checkout total is the higher one.

How Much Does Subway Catering Cost?

The Subway catering menu starts at $7 per person in certain areas, which makes it the cheapest option in this guide, and the qualifier matters. A platter holds 15 four-inch sandwiches and serves 5 to 9 people. The Classic Combo Platter is listed at about $49.89 to $49.99, the Premium Sandwich Platter at about $59.99, and the Wrap Platter at about $54.99 to $60.79, with prices varying by location. A 6-inch boxed meal starts at about $7.99 per person.

Subway is also the fastest option here: same-day ordering, in 5 hours or less, against at least 24 hours at Chipotle and Olive Garden. A platter is shared food on one tray, so it suits a casual group that eats together, while a boxed meal costs more per head but gives everyone their own meal.

How Do You Choose the Right Catering Menu for Your Group?

The right catering menu is the one that matches your group size and your setting, not the cheapest one on the list. For fewer than 10 people, buy boxed lunches or a Small Group Meal, because most catering minimums start at 6 or 10. For 10 to 25 people, a build-your-own spread or a pasta station works best, because guests serve themselves. For more than 25, order by the tray and count servings.

• Seated meeting: Panera boxed lunches, one box per person.
• Office catering menu, where nobody agrees on toppings: Chipotle Bowl Bar or Taco Bar.
• Sit-down family meal: Olive Garden Meal Combinations or the Pasta Station.
• Large casual group on a tight budget: Subway sandwich platters.
• Mixed diets in one group: a build-your-own format, so vegetarians and meat eaters build different plates from the same table.

How Much Food Should You Order Per Person?

On a catering menu, order one sandwich portion or one bowl per person, plus one side each, and you will rarely run short. The serving counts make the maths simple: a Subway platter holds 15 four-inch pieces for 5 to 9 people, so plan on about two pieces per person; a Panera boxed lunch is one box per person by design; an Olive Garden pan serves 4 to 6; a Chipotle Build Your Own spread starts at 10 people and scales by the head. For a buffet, where guests serve themselves, order about 10 percent extra, because self-service always takes more food than a plated meal.

How Far Ahead Do You Need to Order?

Order a catering menu at least 24 hours ahead for Chipotle and Olive Garden, and about 4 hours ahead for Panera, because each chain sets its own rule. Chipotle needs at least 24 hours notice, and its Build Your Own spreads need 24 to 48 hours in some listings. Olive Garden asks for orders by 5 p.m. for next-day lunch delivery, and standard orders need at least 24 hours notice, more for large or holiday events. Panera takes orders with about 4 hours notice. Subway is the exception: same-day ordering, in 5 hours or less. Whatever the chain, confirm with the local restaurant, and order earlier around holidays.

What About Delivery, Setup and Fees?

The price on a catering menu is not the total, because the delivery fee, setup, tax and tip go on top, and the gap is biggest at the chains that look cheapest per person. Olive Garden sets a $100 minimum for delivery and charges a 10% delivery fee up to $500, then 5% on every dollar after that, although business catering includes delivery and setup. Chipotle charges a delivery fee of roughly $10 to $30, often waived over $150, and waiter.com puts the real all-in Chipotle cost at about $15 to $20 per head. Panera delivery fees and minimums vary by cafe. The rule for all four chains is simple: budget from the checkout total, not from the per-person headline.

Which Catering Menu Tastes Best for a Group?

The best catering menu for a group is the one that fits the occasion, not the cheapest one, and each chain here wins a different occasion. Chipotle wins when the group cannot agree, because the Bowl Bar and Taco Bar let every person build their own plate. Olive Garden wins when the meal should feel like a sit-down dinner, because the Pasta Station and Meal Combinations arrive as a hot meal with salad and breadsticks. Panera wins for seated meetings, because a labelled box per person keeps things tidy. Subway wins when the budget is tight and the group is large.

We did not taste the food for this guide, so there are no flavour notes here. Prices vary by location, so the figure here is a starting estimate and the checkout total is the real price.

What About Picky Eaters?

Build-your-own formats solve picky eating on a catering menu, because each guest builds a different plate from the same table. At Chipotle that means the Bowl Bar or Taco Bar, with proteins, rice, beans and toppings in separate trays. At Olive Garden it means the Pasta Station, with two pastas, three sauces and three toppings to choose from. At Panera it means individual boxed lunches, so each guest gets the sandwich or salad they picked. At Subway it means a custom platter, built from up to five sandwich types. For allergies, ask the restaurant directly about ingredients and preparation, and label the boxes.

What Do Parents Need to Know?

On a catering menu, boxed lunches and platters suit families best, because children get their own portion without a buffet queue. One Panera box per child keeps lunch simple at a family party, and a Subway platter works because the four-inch pieces are child sized and easy to share. Order extra breadsticks with an Olive Garden meal, because they disappear first, and keep hot food hot and cold food cold if the meal sits out: hot dishes should stay at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above, and cold dishes at 41 degrees or below.

What Is the Nutrition Information?

There is no single nutrition panel for a general catering menu, and this guide invents none. A catering menu covers four chains and a dozen formats, not one dish, so one calorie count would be meaningless. What the chains do publish is per-item nutrition: Chipotle lists a Chicken Burrito Bowl at about 525 calories, a burrito at about 1,010 calories, and a Protein-Packed Bowl at about 680 calories. Olive Garden lists nutrition per pan. Panera lists calories per boxed lunch, from about 410 for a Caesar Salad box to about 1,280 for a Toasted Italiano box.

Use the chain’s own nutrition calculator, build the exact plate your guests will eat, and read the figure for that plate. No carbohydrate total is given here, because no chain publishes one.

What Should You Know Before Ordering?

Before you order a catering menu, confirm the price, the notice period and the serving count with the local restaurant, because those three facts are the ones that change by location. Ask for the full total in writing, including the delivery fee, the delivery minimum, tax and tip, so the per-person headline never surprises you at checkout. Check the serving count against your headcount, not against the package name: a platter that serves 5 to 9 people feeds 5 generously and 9 tightly. Ask about allergens and vegetarian options before the day, not on it.

Is a Catering Menu Worth It?

Yes, a catering menu is worth it for groups of 10 or more, and usually not for fewer than 6, because the minimums and the per-person maths point the same way. For 10 or more, catering beats buying individual entrees on effort alone: one order, one delivery, one total, and food that scales by the head. For 2 to 4 people, Chipotle’s Small Group Meals at a flat $35.00 are the exception, and below that, individual meals are simpler. It is worth it when the group is big enough for the format to do its job.

Catering Menu FAQ

How much does a catering menu cost per person?

A catering menu costs about $7 to $18 per person, depending on the chain and the package. Subway starts at $7 per person in certain areas, Chipotle runs $8.75 to $13.50, Olive Garden runs $12 to $13.75, and Panera runs $10 to $18.

What is the cheapest catering menu?

Subway has the cheapest catering menu in this guide, with platters from $7 per person in certain areas. A Classic Combo Platter is listed at about $49.89 to $49.99 and serves 5 to 9 people.

How far ahead do I need to order?

Order at least 24 hours ahead for Chipotle and Olive Garden, and about 4 hours ahead for Panera. Olive Garden asks for orders by 5 p.m. for next-day lunch delivery. Subway takes same-day orders in 5 hours or less. Order earlier around holidays.

Is there a minimum order for a catering menu for groups?

Yes, every chain here has a minimum, and it differs by chain and package. Chipotle needs 6 people for Burritos by the Box and 10 for a Build Your Own spread. Olive Garden sells the Pasta Station in multiples of 10, and delivery has a $100 minimum.

Does it include delivery and setup?

It depends on the chain: Olive Garden business catering includes delivery and setup from $12 per person, while other formats charge delivery separately. Olive Garden delivery carries a $100 minimum and a 10% fee up to $500. Chipotle charges roughly $10 to $30 for delivery, often waived over $150.

What nutrition information is published?

No single nutrition panel exists for a general catering menu, so none is given here. The chains publish per-item figures instead: Chipotle lists a Chicken Burrito Bowl at about 525 calories, and Panera lists calories per boxed lunch.

Related Food Guides

• Chipotle Menu: Prices, Calories, Hours and Full Guide (2026), the full Chipotle menu behind the catering figures in this guide.
• Dairy Queen Menu: Prices, Calories and Full Guide (2026), another national chain menu guide with the same price-range method.
• Olive Garden Menu: Prices, Calories and Full Guide (2026), the Olive Garden menu guide behind the catering figures in this guide.

Sources and Review Notes

• Plan source checked 6 November 2026: usafoodjournal.com/catering-menu is an index page listing other guides, not a single catering menu, so it is not cited as a menu in this guide.
• getfoodmenus, Catering Menus at 20 Restaurant Chains, checked 3 October 2026 from each chain’s own catering page: Subway platters from $7 per person in certain areas; Chipotle $8.75 to $13.50 per person; Olive Garden catering from $12 to $13.75 per person; Panera $10 to $18 per person.
• USA Food Journal, Chipotle Catering Prices, read 10 November 2026: Burrito Box, Bowl Bar and Taco Bar $12.50 a head; Protein-Packed Bowl Catering $14.50 a head; Small Group Meals $35.00 flat for 2 to 4 people; chips and salsa $2.70 extra.
• waiter.com, Chipotle Catering: Build Your Own about $12 to $13.50 per person, Burritos by the Box about $8.75 to $11, all-in cost about $15 to $20 per head, at least 24 hours notice.
• CaterCow, Olive Garden Catering Menu and Prices (2026), updated 14 October 2026: Meal Combinations from $13.75 per person for 8 to 14 guests; Create Your Own Pasta Station from $13.50 per person; $100 delivery minimum; 10% delivery fee up to $500; order by 5 p.m. for next-day lunch; all-in about $17 to $18 per person.
• RecipeFairy, Olive Garden Catering, updated 20 October 2026: Pasta Station $150 for 10 guests at the Orlando restaurant checked; Meal Combinations $231 at that restaurant; advertised starting prices $13.50 and $13.75.
• RecipeFairy, Panera Catering Prices and Boxed Lunch Menu, updated 20 October 2026: boxed lunches about $12 to $18 each; group salads about $58 to $86 for 10; about 4 hours notice.
• Panera holiday catering guide: boxed lunches reported at $12.39 to $15.89 per box; group salads $57.69 to $86.29 for 10; Greek salad about $5.80 per person.
• ezCater, Subway catering guide and review: Classic Sandwich Platter $49.89, Premium Sandwich Platter $59.99, Wrap Platter $60.79; about $7 to $11 per person depending on the order.
• FoodShot, 35 Catering Menu Ideas With Per-Guest Pricing: hot food held at 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above, cold food at 41 degrees or below, under section 3-501.19 of the FDA Food Code.
• What was not verified: no single nutrition panel exists for a general guide, so none is given; no exact list prices are stated, only ranges and labelled estimates; the Olive Garden menu blog post is being published in the same run and was not yet live at check time, so it is not linked above.

Food Menu Journal is a researched food guide. Prices change by location and over time, so confirm the price, the notice period and the serving count with your local restaurant before you order.