You’re hosting a party, whether it’s an office lunch, a team celebration or a family gathering, and the big question comes up fast: should you cook the food yourself or order party catering? There’s no single right answer. It depends on the size of the group, your budget, your time and how much you want to enjoy the party yourself. Here’s an honest comparison of catering vs. cooking, from cost per person to time and stress, whether you’re planning corporate catering for the office or a party at home.
Catering cost per person vs. cooking at home
Cooking looks less expensive at first because you only see the grocery bill. But the real cost also includes extra ingredients you won’t use, serving trays, disposable plates and utensils, and often a second trip to the store.
Catering gives you a clear price per person from the start. For example, a 10-person barbecue buffet from a local restaurant on OnCater costs $169.80, about $17 per person, with the food cooked, packed and delivered. For small groups, cooking can still save money. For larger groups, the difference shrinks quickly once you count everything.
Time and stress: the hidden cost
Cooking for a group usually means planning the menu, shopping, prepping, cooking, keeping food warm, serving and cleaning up. That can easily take a full day, and it usually happens the day you should be getting ready for your guests.
With catering, your main job is choosing the menu and the delivery time. You spend the party talking with your guests instead of watching the oven.
When cooking makes sense
- The group is small, around 10 people or fewer.
- It’s a casual family get-together at home.
- You enjoy cooking and have the time and kitchen space for it.
- You’re making a special family recipe that is part of the tradition.
When to hire a caterer for your party or office event
- You’re feeding 15 people or more.
- It’s a work event, like a meeting, training, team lunch or office celebration, where you need the food on time and presented well.
- Guests have different dietary needs, such as vegetarian, gluten-free or allergy-friendly options.
- You don’t have the time, equipment or space to cook for a crowd.
- You want to be a guest at your own party, not the cook.
The best of both: mix them
You don’t have to choose one or the other. Many hosts order the main dishes from a restaurant and make one thing themselves, like a dessert or a favorite side. You get the reliability of catering and the personal touch of homemade food.
Quick checklist: which one is right for you?
Answer these four questions:
- Will more than 15 people attend?
- Is it a work event or an important occasion?
- Do you have less than a full day to prepare?
- Do any guests have special dietary needs?
If you answered yes to two or more, catering is probably the better choice. If you answered no to most of them, cooking can work well, and you’ll enjoy it more.
Order party and office catering in Washington DC and Northern Virginia
OnCater makes it easy to find catering near you, with great local restaurants across Washington DC and Northern Virginia and a real person following every order until it arrives. Enter your address at oncater.com, choose a restaurant, add your headcount to see the catering price per person, and pick your delivery date and time. From office lunch catering and corporate events to birthday parties, orders need at least 24 hours of notice, and every order earns OnRewards toward future orders or Amazon gift cards.
Planning a party? Find catering near you at oncater.com, or call us at (571) 210-5199 and we’ll help you build the menu.
