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How Much Catering Food Do You Need for 20 People?

Planning lunch for 20 people sounds simple—until you’re the one responsible for making sure everyone leaves happy. Order too little, and people are still hungry. Order too much, and you’re left wondering what to do with trays of leftovers.

 

After catering countless lunches for offices, schools, meetings, and community events, we’ve found that the right amount of food isn’t just about the number of guests. It’s about understanding your group, the occasion, and what you’re serving.

 

Start with the Type of Event

Not every gathering requires the same amount of food.

Ask yourself:

• Is this lunch or dinner replacing a full meal? 

• Is it a quick business meeting?

• Will people be standing and mingling?

• Are guests likely to come back for seconds?

A working lunch usually calls for a complete meal, while quick meetings or mingling events usually   require lighter portions.

 

Consider Who You’re Feeding

Twenty construction workers and twenty office employees may have very different appetites.

Other things to consider include:

• The age of your guests. Young children and people over 60 often eat less.

• Whether your group includes mostly men, women, or a mix. Men typically eat more than women.

• The time of day. Events held over a mealtime window (7-9AM, 11:30-2:00pm, 5-7pm) should be more substantial as people may have not eaten a meal prior to attending.

• Any dietary preferences or restrictions. Planing ahead for gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and vegetarian guests allows your catering provider can accommodate them for you instead of scrambling for a last minute option.

• Whether dessert or additional snacks will also be served. If serving starters and finishers, the main meal portions can be smaller.

 

Thinking through these details ahead of time helps ensure everyone has something they’ll enjoy without dramatically over-ordering.

 

Variety Is Better Than More

One of the biggest mistakes people make is ordering larger quantities of just one or two menu items.

Instead, offer a variety of options whenever possible.

For example, a balanced catering order might include:

• A selection of wraps

• Fresh salads or grain bowls

• Vegetarian options

• Gluten-free choices

Giving guests a variety to choose from often creates a better experience than simply ordering more of the same item.

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Don’t Forget the Extras

It’s easy to focus on the main course and overlook the details that complete the meal.

Remember to consider:

• Beverages

• Chips or side salads

• Cookies or dessert

• Plates, napkins, serving utensils, and cutlery if needed (your caterer can provide these for you upon request.)

 

These small details can make your event feel organized, polished, and stress-free.

 

Let a Local Restaurant Help You Plan

One of the biggest advantages of working with a local restaurant is that you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

An experienced catering team can help you determine the right amount of food based on your guest count, the type of event, the audience you’re serving, and your budget. They’ve planned hundreds of events like yours and can recommend a menu that provides plenty of variety without leaving you with excessive leftovers.

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How Salt 2.0 Makes Catering Easy

At Salt 2.0, we’ve taken much of the guesswork out of ordering catering.  

 

Our catering packages are designed around group sizes—such as serving 10–15 guests or 15–20 guests—making it easy to choose the package that’s closest to your event. Our team can further customize your package based on your audience, demographics, and any dietary restrictions.

From there, we’ll help customize your order based on your specific needs. Whether you’re planning a business meeting, teacher appreciation lunch, graduation party, family gathering, or community event, we’ll recommend the right combination of wraps, grain bowls, salads, burritos, tacos, sides, and beverages to fit your group.

Simply let us know:

• How many people you’re feeding

• What type of event you’re planning

• Who you’ll be serving

• Any dietary preferences or restrictions

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5 Mistakes to Avoid When Ordering Catering:

 Whether you’re planning an office lunch, graduation party, teacher appreciation event, or family gathering, ordering catering should make your life easier—not more stressful. After catering hundreds of events, we’ve noticed the same few mistakes come up again and again. The good news? They’re all easy to avoid with a little planning.

 

1. Waiting Too Long to Place Your Order

While some restaurants may be able to accommodate last-minute requests, ordering ahead gives you far more flexibility. Many restaurants receive fresh ingredient deliveries on specific days of the week and schedule catering orders in advance. Planning ahead helps ensure the freshest ingredients are available, your preferred menu items are in stock, and the kitchen has enough time to prepare your order properly.

 

Waiting until the last minute may mean fewer menu choices—or in some cases, the restaurant may already be fully booked for your event date.

 

Whenever possible, give yourself several days’ notice. Your future self will thank you.

 

2. Forgetting About the Extras

The main meal is only part of a successful catering order.

 

Before comparing catering options, think about everything your guests will need.

 

Ask yourself:

• Will you need drinks?

• Would you like chips, side salads, or desserts?

• Do you need plates, napkins, utensils, or serving utensils?

• Is delivery available, or will someone be picking up the order?

 

Planning these details ahead of time helps you compare catering packages accurately and avoids unexpected costs or last-minute trips to the store.

 

3. Overlooking Dietary Restrictions

 

Before choosing a caterer, take a few minutes to find out if anyone in your group has dietary needs.

 

Common requests include:

• Vegetarian

• Vegan

• Gluten-free

• Celiac-safe meals

• Dairy-free options

• Food allergies

 

Choosing a restaurant that can accommodate everyone makes planning much easier. It also helps your guests feel included, rather than having one person eating a separate meal from another restaurant while everyone else enjoys the catered food together.

 

4. Focusing on Quantity Instead of Variety

 

It’s easy to think that ordering more food is the key to a successful event. In reality, offering a variety of options often has a much bigger impact. A mix of wraps, grain bowls, salads, vegetarian options, and different proteins allows guests to choose something they’ll genuinely enjoy.

 

 5. Trying to Figure It All Out Yourself

 

Most people only order catering a handful of times each year. Restaurants do it every day.

A good catering team can help you determine how much food you’ll need, recommend menu combinations that work well together, suggest options for guests with dietary restrictions, and answer questions you may not have even thought to ask.

 

At Salt 2.0, we’ve designed our catering packages to make ordering simple. Many of our packages are built around group sizes, so it’s easy to find a starting point. From there, we’ll customize your order based on your event, your guests, and your budget.

 

Just tell us:

 

• How many people you’re feeding

• What type of event you’re planning

• Any dietary preferences or restrictions

 

We’ll help you build a catering package that’s appropriately sized, offers plenty of variety, and makes planning one less thing to worry about.

 

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

 

The best catering experiences don’t happen by accident—they happen with a little preparation.

Ordering ahead, thinking through the extras, considering your guests’ dietary needs, offering a variety of menu options, and leaning on the experience of your local restaurant can make the difference between a meal that’s simply “good enough” and one your guests will remember.

 

If you’re planning an upcoming event in the Brookfield area, the team at Salt 2.0 is always happy to answer questions, recommend menu options, and help you create a catering order that’s just right for your group.

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“How far in advance should I order catering?”

 

While every event is different, the simple answer is this: the earlier you can order, the more options you’ll have.

 

For most events, about one week in advance is the ideal window. It gives you the best selection of menu options, increases the chances of getting your preferred pickup or delivery time, and allows the restaurant plenty of time to prepare for your event.

 

The Sweet Spot: About One Week

For the majority of catering orders, planning about a week ahead provides the best experience.

At that point, restaurants can confidently order ingredients, organize kitchen production, schedule staffing, and reserve space for your order. It also gives you plenty of time to make adjustments if your guest count changes or someone mentions a dietary restriction. If you know your event date, there’s no real advantage to waiting.

 

Is 72 Hours Enough?

 

Giving a restaurant at least 72 hours’ notice is often enough to accommodate a catering order while still providing a good selection of menu options.

 

However, waiting until the last few days may limit what’s available. Certain menu items may already be committed to other events, specialty ingredients may no longer be available, or the kitchen may simply be at capacity for that day. If you can give yourself a few extra days, you’ll almost always have more flexibility.

 

Why Restaurants Appreciate Advance Notice

 

Many people assume restaurants simply keep every ingredient stocked all the time.

 

In reality, most restaurants receive fresh deliveries on scheduled days throughout the week and purchase ingredients based on expected demand.

 

Ordering ahead allows the restaurant to:

 

• Order the freshest ingredients for your event.

• Ensure popular menu items are available.

• Schedule your order into the kitchen’s production plan.

• Accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary requests.

• Reserve your preferred pickup or delivery time.

 

The result is a smoother experience for everyone—and often a better meal.

 

Large Events Need More Time

 

The larger the event, the earlier you should begin planning. If you’re feeding a large office, hosting a wedding-related event, organizing a fundraiser, or planning holiday catering, giving the restaurant two weeks or more is always a good idea.

 

Larger events require more ingredients, additional preparation, and sometimes extra staffing. Planning ahead helps ensure everything comes together exactly as expected.

 

Last-Minute Catering Isn’t Impossible

 

Sometimes meetings get scheduled unexpectedly. Sometimes people forget. Sometimes life just happens. Many restaurants—including Salt 2.0—will do everything they can to accommodate last-minute catering requests whenever their schedule allows.

 

Just keep in mind that ordering on short notice may mean fewer menu choices, limited delivery times, or adjustments to the catering package based on ingredient availability.

 

The sooner you reach out, the more options you’ll have.

 

A Little Planning Makes a Big Difference

 

Ordering about a week in advance gives you the best chance of securing the menu you want, accommodating everyone’s dietary needs, and reducing last-minute stress.

 

At Salt 2.0, we generally recommend placing catering orders about a week before your event whenever possible. While we’re often able to accommodate orders with as little as 72 hours’ notice, ordering earlier gives you the greatest flexibility and allows us to create the best experience possible for your guests.

 

Whether you’re feeding 10 people or 100, a little extra planning goes a long way toward making your event easy, enjoyable, and delicious.

 

Hot Buffet or Boxed Lunches? How to Choose the Right Catering Style

 

When planning catered food for an event, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is whether to serve a buffet or individually packaged meals.Many people assume the choice comes down to convenience—but in reality, the first question you should ask is much simpler:

 

Will you be serving hot food or cold food?

Once you answer that question, the right catering style often becomes much clearer.

 

If You’re Serving Hot Food, a Buffet Is the Better Choice

If your menu includes tacos, burritos, rice bowls, fajitas, quesadillas, pasta, or other hot entrées, buffet service is often the best option.

 

Hot foods stay at their best when they’re kept together in catering pans. With inexpensive chafing dishes (available at store like Ocean State) or warming racks, food can stay warm throughout your event, allowing every guest to enjoy their meal as it was intended.

 

Individually packaged hot meals begin cooling as soon as they’re assembled. If guests are eating over an extended period or arriving at different times, the last meals served will not be nearly as warm as the first.

 

If serving a hot meal is important to you, buffet service is usually the clear winner. Make sure the caterer you choose will package your items in disposable hotel pans so they can be dropped into warming containers. If you have questions about how to keep the food warm, your caterer can provide you with instructions and a list of what you will need to have on hand at your event.

 

Cold Meals Offer More Flexibility

 

If you’re serving wraps, sandwiches, salads, or other cold lunches, individually packaged meals become a great option.Cold meals don’t rely on maintaining temperature, making them easy to transport, distribute, and enjoy throughout the day. Guests can simply grab their meal and eat whenever it’s convenient, without worrying about food getting cold.

 

For office meetings, training sessions, or events where people may eat at different times, boxed lunches are often the simplest solution. NOTE: Make sure access to refrigeration is available if the food will not be consumed within a 3 hour window.

 

While many caterers, like Salt 2.0, don’t list individual boxes meals, any catering package can be adapted to that style.

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Think About How Your Guests Will Eat

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Once you’ve decided between hot and cold food, think about how your guests will actually be eating.

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A buffet is often the better choice when:

 

• Everyone will eat at the same time.

• Guests will be seated together.

• You have room for a serving table.

• Sharing a meal is part of the event.

 

Individual meals often work better when:

 

• Guests arrive throughout the day.

• People will eat at their desks.

• It’s a working lunch or training session.

• You want everyone to grab their meal and get back to the meeting.

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The logistics of your event are just as important as the menu itself.

 

Don’t Forget Dietary Restrictions

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Whether you choose buffet service or individually packaged meals, it’s always a good idea to ask your guests about dietary restrictions before placing your order. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other special requests are much easier to accommodate when your caterer knows about them ahead of time.

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Many restaurants—including Salt 2.0—can customize catering orders so everyone has something they’ll enjoy without needing to order separate meals from multiple restaurants. This is especially easy with boxes meals, where boxes can be clearly labeled, GLUTEN-FREE, etc.

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How Salt 2.0 Can Help

 

One thing we’ve learned after catering hundreds of events is that every gathering is a little different. That’s why we don’t believe there’s a “one-size-fits-all” catering package. Instead, we’ll help you choose the option that makes the most sense for your event. We’ll ask a few simple questions about your guest count, timeline, whether you’re serving a hot or cold meal, how your guests will be eating, and any dietary restrictions.

 

From there, we’ll recommend the catering style that best fits your needs.

 

Whether you’re planning an office lunch, teacher appreciation event, graduation party, business meeting, or family gathering, our goal is to make ordering catering simple and stress-free.

 

Ready to get started? Browse our catering menu or contact our team—we’re always happy to help you plan the perfect meal for your event.

 

How to Choose the Right Catering Menu for Your Event

 

Choosing a caterer is only half the decision. The next question is often the hardest:

 

What should you actually serve?

 

The right catering menu depends on much more than your favorite foods. The type of event, your guests, your timeline, and even where people will be eating can all influence which menu will create the best experience.

 

Here are a few things to consider before making your selections.

 

Start with the Purpose of the Event

 

The food should fit the occasion. A working office lunch may call for individually packaged wraps or grain bowls that are easy to eat during a meeting.

 

A graduation party or family celebration often works better with a buffet that encourages guests to relax, socialize, and go back for seconds.

 

Teacher appreciation lunches, employee recognition events, open houses, and business meetings all have different needs. Thinking about how your guests will interact with the meal is often the best place to start.

 

Consider Where Everyone Will Be Eating

 

Will guests be seated together?

Will they be eating at conference tables?

Will they be grabbing lunch and heading back to work?

If everyone is sitting down together, buffet service can create a more relaxed dining experience.

If people are eating at their desks or arriving throughout the day, individually packaged meals are often the more practical choice.

 

The location can be just as important as the menu itself.

 

Think About Variety

 

One of the easiest ways to make guests happy is to offer choices.

 

Rather than serving one entrée, consider offering a couple of different options so everyone can find something they’ll enjoy.

 

A menu that includes wraps, salads, grain bowls, and different protein choices often works well because it appeals to a wide variety of tastes without overwhelming guests with too many choices.

 

Don’t Forget Dietary Restrictions

 

Before finalizing your menu, ask if anyone has dietary restrictions or food allergies. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other dietary preferences are increasingly common.

 

Planning for those needs ahead of time helps everyone feel included and avoids scrambling to find a separate meal at the last minute.

 

Balance Your Budget

 

The best catering menu isn’t necessarily the most expensive one. Think about where your budget will have the biggest impact.

 

Sometimes offering a little more variety creates a better experience than simply ordering larger portions. In other cases, adding drinks, desserts, or side salads can make the meal feel more complete without dramatically increasing the cost.

 

An experienced caterer can often recommend small adjustments that help you get the most value from your budget.

 

Let Your Caterer Guide You

 

You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

 

Restaurants that cater regularly have helped plan hundreds of events and can recommend menus based on the type of gathering you’re hosting, the number of guests, your budget, and any dietary needs. They’ve seen what works—and just as importantly, what doesn’t.

 

How Salt 2.0 Can Help

 

One of the questions we hear most often is, “What should we order?”

 

The answer is different for every event.

 

At Salt 2.0, we’ll help you choose a menu based on your guest count, the type of event you’re hosting, whether you’re serving a hot or cold meal, and any dietary preferences your guests may have.

 

Whether you’re planning a business meeting, teacher appreciation lunch, graduation party, family gathering, or community event, we’ll recommend a catering package that fits your needs—not just your guest count.

 

Our goal is simple: make ordering easy, provide fresh food your guests will enjoy, and help make your event a success.

 

If you’re ready to start planning, browse our catering menu or contact our team. We’re always happy to help you choose the right menu for your event.

We’ll help you create a catering package that’s appropriately sized, offers something for everyone, and makes planning your event simple from start to finish.

Whether you’re feeding 20 people or 200, our goal is the same: make ordering easy, serve fresh food your guests will enjoy, and help your event run as smoothly as possible.

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Fresh, Healthy Catering for Your Office, Meeting, or Event

Salt 2.0 caters office lunches, corporate meetings, and private events across Brookfield and Fairfield County. Fresh grain bowls, burritos, tacos, and wraps made to order for groups of 8–30+. Gluten-free, vegan, and high-protein options always available. 24–48 hours notice requested.

Serving Brookfield, Danbury, Newtown, New Milford, Bethel & Ridgefield, CT.

Catering Packages

Starter Package — from $95
Serves approximately 8–10 people. Includes choice of proteins, bases, toppings, and sauces. Perfect for small team lunches and meetings.

Group Package — from $165
Serves approximately 15–20 people. Full build-your-own bowl or burrito setup. Ideal for office meetings, training days, and team events.

Large Event Package — from $240
Serves 25–30+ people. Full catering setup with all proteins, bases, and toppings. Contact us for custom quotes on larger events.

*Pricing subject to confirmation. Contact Brook to discuss your event.

Why Teams Choose Salt 2.0 Catering

Fresh ingredients, made to order — no soggy sandwiches.
Gluten-free, vegan, and high-protein options included in every package.
Everyone builds their own — no complicated individual orders.
Ready on time, every time. Most setups take under 10 minutes.
Local Brookfield business serving Fairfield County since 2021.

Corporate Catering Near Danbury, CT

Salt 2.0 serves the full Fairfield County corporate market — Brookfield, Danbury, Newtown, Bethel, New Milford, and Ridgefield. If your office is within 20 minutes of Brookfield, we can cater your next lunch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much notice do you need for catering?
A: We ask for 24–48 hours notice for all catering orders. Contact Brook directly at (715) 771-0421 to discuss your event.

Q: What is the minimum order for catering?
A: Our starter package serves approximately 8–10 people from $95.

Q: Do you offer gluten-free catering options?
A: Yes — gluten-free, vegan, and high-protein options are included in every catering package at no extra charge.

Q: Do you cater outside of Brookfield?
A: Yes — we serve Danbury, Newtown, New Milford, Bethel, and Ridgefield. Contact us to confirm delivery for your location.

Q: How do I place a catering order?
A: Contact Brook at (715) 771-0421 or email us through the contact form below.