By the Little Italy Catering team · Updated · 5 min read
Which package and price should you use?
Italian Lunch Essentials is $13.95/person, minimum 10 guests. It includes one pasta, lasagna or other listed entrée, italian garden salad, garlic bread. Cookies, desserts, drinks and additional proteins are not included. Delivery and 13% HST are additional. Optional extras are charged separately.
Italian Lunch Essentials: minimum 10 guests; Signature Italian Buffet: minimum 10 guests; Italian Feast Buffet: minimum 15 guests.
- Italian Lunch Essentials — $13.95/person: One pasta, lasagna or other listed entrée; Italian garden salad; Garlic bread.
- Signature Italian Buffet — $17.95/person: Chicken, meatball or other listed entrée; Italian salad; Garlic ciabatta.
- Italian Feast Buffet — $22.95/person: Choice of entrée; Two sides or salads; Garlic bread; Optional dessert upgrade, quoted separately.
There is no complimentary cookie, dessert, drink or additional protein in Essentials. Optional extras are selected and charged separately. Do not add a second charge for food already included in your chosen package.
What does a 30-guest order cost?
The following planning examples include the food, one standard Toronto delivery and 13% HST, with no optional extras preselected.
| Menu | Food | Delivery | HST | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Lunch Essentials | $418.50 | $40 | $59.61 | $518.11 |
| Signature Italian Buffet | $538.50 | $40 | $75.21 | $653.71 |
| Italian Feast Buffet | $688.50 | $40 | $94.71 | $823.21 |
The written quote confirms the actual delivery fee, selected extras and availability. See the full menu, pricing breakdown, pan sizes and prices or calculate a different headcount.
This guide covers per-guest buffet packages and the additional individual-pan menu. Half pans serve 10–12 and full pans serve 18–20 across the pan-priced selections. We have not supplied cooked weights or physical pan dimensions. Use the stated serving ranges and confirm the rest of the menu for your headcount.
Do you need to count pans or trays?
Yes. The additional premium menu offers pasta and baked-pasta selections by half pan or full pan. The three primary buffet packages remain priced by guest count rather than pan size. Each buffet package includes a set amount of food per guest, and the order is delivered hot in as many disposable catering trays as your headcount needs, with serving utensils and dish labels.
That takes the guesswork out of the maths. Instead of estimating how many people a pan feeds, you decide two things: how many guests to order for, and which package matches the meal. The rest of this guide is about getting those two decisions right.
How does the pasta allowance work?
Notice that the amount of food per guest grows as you move up the packages, but mostly through the extras around the pasta: the main, a hot side, starters, bread. If your guests are big eaters, moving up a package or adding a side usually does more than adding more pasta.
How much lasagna do you need per person?
- Both lasagnas: guests choose between beef and spinach and ricotta, or take a little of each.
- One lasagna and one other pasta: for example Beef Lasagna with Penne Tomato Basil, which gives guests who skip meat a meat-free choice.
- One lasagna alongside Baked Rigatoni or Pasta Alfredo for a richer table.
Should you order extra for no-shows or hungry guests?
It depends on how firm your headcount is. Because every package is already portioned per guest, ordering several extra guests "just in case" adds cost quickly. A practical approach:
- Office lunches with a known attendance list: order for the list. Include everyone expected to eat, and discuss likely additions rather than relying on no-shows to cover larger appetites.
- Parties with loose RSVPs: order for the guests you expect to attend, plus a small allowance for the late additions you already suspect.
- Long events where people graze: consider an add-on rather than more guests.
Add-ons are priced per guest. Compare the total cost and the food needed before adding them to the whole order:
How do you plan for a mixed crowd?
Most groups mix appetites and diets. A few rules of thumb from how our packages are built:
- Put one meat-free pasta on the table. Mushroom Cacciatore and Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells are meat-free choices; tell us how many guests need a meat-free plate and we confirm ingredients for your order.
- Share allergy details early. We make no blanket allergen claims. Every allergy is reviewed per order, and the dietary and allergens page explains the process.
- Lunch versus dinner. A weekday office lunch is a lighter meal; an evening party with drinks runs longer and guests eat more. Match the package to the time of day.
Quick portion-planning checklist
- Count confirmed adult guests and older children.
- Decide whether very young children need their own servings.
- Pick the package by meal type: lighter for lunch, fuller for evening events.
- Add a per-guest add-on if your crowd eats heartily or the event runs long.
- Note meat-free counts and every allergy in your request.
Check your numbers with the catering cost calculator, compare choices on the menu, then request a quote. Planning for a bigger group? Our guide to catering for 50 people shows a full worked example.
What should you send with a quote request?
Send the event date, serving time, number of guests, selected menu, address and dietary needs. List requested extras separately so the food already included in the package remains clear. Mention parking, loading, elevators or security check-in and provide an on-site contact.
Minimum 48 hours’ notice. Order cut-off: noon, two days before your order date. Your written quote confirms availability. Your request is an enquiry, not an automatic booking. The team confirms the menu and availability before you approve the written quote.
