Planning Guide

Hawaiian party math: how much food, and what it really costs.

Real portions and real prices from 45 years of catering Honolulu’s parties.

Planning food for a gathering comes down to the same two questions every time: how much, and what will it cost? After 45 years of catering Honolulu’s parties, here’s how we figure it.

The rules of thumb: a small entrée pan serves 12–20 and a medium serves 20–40 — with two entrées, plan pans to cover your full headcount across both. Rice and mac salad: one small pan per ~15 guests, one medium per ~30. Poke as a pupu: about ¼ pound per person. Lau lau: one per person. Dessert: our 75-piece platters cover about 50 guests.

Worked examples

What it really costs.

Party math

Build and price it yourself.

Every item and pan price is live on our online catering menu, so you can build your whole order and see the total before you commit.

Rather talk it through? Tell us your headcount and budget and we’ll build the spread with you.

Prices shown are from our live catering menu as of August 2026 and can change with the market — the online catering menu always has today's prices.

Questions

The questions everyone asks

How much poke do I need per person for a party? +

Plan about ¼ pound per person when poke is served as a pupu. For 30 guests that’s 7–8 pounds — at our current ahi poke price of $30.95 per pound, about $217–$248. Tako poke runs $19.95 per pound.

How much does Hawaiian catering cost per person? +

Most full spreads run about $16–$26 per person, depending on what you order. A two-entrée spread with rice, mac salad, and dessert comes in near the lower end; adding fresh ahi poke and premium items brings a big celebration toward the higher end. Prices are as of August 2026 — the live online menu always has today’s numbers.

How much food do I need for 50 guests? +

A classic two-entrée spread for 50: three small pans each of two entrées, two medium pans of rice, a medium mac salad, and a 75-piece dessert platter — about $820 at current prices.

Can you accommodate vegan, vegetarian, or other special diets? +

Yes — tell us about your guests when you order and we’ll work with you so everyone has something to enjoy. We offer a vegetarian lau lau by special order, plus tofu stir fry, shoyu eggplant, vegetarian fried noodles, steamed vegetables, salads, and rice dishes. Attendants and food warmers are also something to ask us about when you book.

Ready when you are

Let's feed your party.

Most spreads run about $16–$26 per person, depending on what you order. Please order at least 7 days in advance. Attendants, food warmers, and special diets (vegan and more) — just ask, and we’ll work with you.

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