How to Order Catering for 50+ Guests

Planning an event for 50 or more guests can feel overwhelming. Between coordinating the venue, sending out invitations, and managing the guest list, the last thing you need is to stress about the food. The good news? Ordering catering for a large group doesn’t have to be complicated. Especially when you partner with a trusted Italian cafe in Baltimore that knows how to deliver a memorable taste of Italy to every table.

At Vinny’s Italian Cafe, we’ve catered everything from corporate luncheons and wedding rehearsal dinners to milestone birthdays and family reunions. Whether your guests are craving authentic Italian pasta, wood-fired pizza, or classic Italian desserts like cannoli and tiramisu, we’ve put together this no-stress guide to walk you through the entire process. From your first phone call to the final bite.

Step 1: Start Planning Early

The single biggest favor you can do for yourself when planning a large event is to start early. For groups of 50 or more, we recommend reaching out to your caterer at least three to four weeks in advance. This gives you plenty of time to nail down the details, accommodate any special dietary requests, and ensure you get exactly the authentic Italian food you have in mind.

Early planning also means you’ll have first pick of preferred dates and menu options. This is crucially important during busy times like the holidays, graduation, and wedding months when an Italian cafe in Baltimore tends to book up fast.

Step 2: Know Your Headcount (and Then Some)

Before you reach out, get a firm estimate of your guest count. Most catering minimums kick in at 20 adults, so anything over 50 is well within standard range. A good rule of thumb is to plan for your confirmed RSVPs plus a 5–10% buffer for last-minute additions or hearty appetites. Italian food has a way of bringing people back for seconds, especially when there’s a tray of warm pasta in front of them.

Step 3: Choose Lunch or Dinner Catering

One of the easiest decisions to lock in early is whether your event calls for lunch or dinner catering. At Vinny’s, our lunch catering menu runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at $25 per person and is perfect for corporate events, baby showers, business meetings, and daytime celebrations. It includes an appetizer, fresh bread, pizza bread, salad, your entrée selections, and drinks (coffee, iced tea, and soda).

Our dinner catering menu is available all day at $45 per person and is ideal for rehearsal dinners, anniversary parties, retirement celebrations, and any evening event that deserves a true taste of Italy. The dinner package includes everything in the lunch service, plus elevated antipasti and entrée options like Veal Marsala, Gio’s Branzino, and our signature Tour of Italy.

Step 4: Build Your Menu Around Crowd-Pleasers

When you’re feeding 50+ guests, variety is your best friend. People have different preferences, dietary needs, and appetites. A well-rounded menu ensures everyone leaves happy. Both our lunch and dinner catering packages let you choose three appetizers and three entrées, which gives you the flexibility to cover every type of eater.

Appetizer Ideas That Always Disappear First

• Italian Wedding Soup – a warm, comforting classic that’s a hit at lunch events

• Mozzarella Caprese – fresh, light, and visually beautiful on the table

• Fried Calamari – a dinner-event favorite that brings authentic Italian flavor

• Burrata – creamy, elegant, and a great conversation starter

• Clams Casino – a coastal Italian touch that pairs perfectly with our Maryland setting

Entrées That Cover Every Palate

A smart entrée lineup hits three notes: a pasta dish, a chicken or meat dish, and a seafood or vegetarian option. This way, no matter what your guests prefer, they’ll find something they love. Some popular combinations from our catering menu include:

•  Lasagna + Chicken Parmigiana + Eggplant Rollantini – a crowd-favorite trio that covers meat, chicken, and vegetarian preferences with classic Italian pasta and authentic flavors

•  Rigatoni Louie + Chicken Marsala + Grilled Salmon – a balanced mix featuring our creamy Bolognese pasta, a savory chicken dish, and a lighter seafood option

•  Tour of Italy + Pollo Toscano + Linguine Mare Chiaro – an elevated dinner spread that gives guests a true taste of Italy from coast to countryside

Step 5: Don’t Forget Dessert

No Italian meal is complete without dessert. Trust us, your guests will be expecting it. Italian desserts are part of what makes dining at an authentic Italian cafe so memorable. For an additional $6 per person on lunch packages (and included with dinner), you can offer your guests their choice of:

•  Cannoli – crispy shells filled with sweet ricotta, an Italian classic that travels well to events

•  Tiramisu – layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone for an authentic finish

• Cheesecake – a familiar favorite that consistently pleases every age group

Pro tip: offer all three dessert options as a sampler trio when your guest count allows. Watching 50+ people light up when they see a tray of cannoli and tiramisu hit the table is one of those small touches that makes an event feel truly special.

Step 6: Account for Dietary Restrictions

With 50+ guests, you’re almost guaranteed to have a few people with dietary restrictions, vegetarian, gluten-sensitive, dairy-free, or seafood allergies are the most common. When you submit your guest count, ask your guests in advance and pass that information along to your caterer. A good Italian cafe in Baltimore will work with you to make sure no one is left without an option they can enjoy.

Our menu naturally accommodates a range of preferences. Eggplant Rollantini and Gardners Pasta are excellent vegetarian picks, while Grilled Salmon and Shrimp Marinara give your seafood-loving guests something to look forward to.

Step 7: Budget Smart—and Don’t Forget Tax and Gratuity

Catering budgets sneak up on people because the per-person price isn’t the final number. At Vinny’s, our pricing includes plus tax and a 20% gratuity, which is standard for sit-down catering. For a 50-guest dinner event, here’s a quick estimate of what to expect:

• Lunch catering (50 guests): $1,250 base + tax + 20% gratuity

•  Dinner catering (50 guests): $2,250 base + tax + 20% gratuity

Knowing these numbers up front lets you build an accurate budget and avoid any surprises when the final invoice arrives.

Step 8: Confirm the Details One Week Out

About seven days before your event, do a final check-in with your caterer. Confirm your final headcount, menu selections, arrival times, and any special setup requests. This is also the time to share any last-minute dietary updates. A reliable caterer will appreciate the heads-up and use that week to make sure everything runs smoothly on the day.

Step 9: Show Up and Enjoy Your Own Event

Here’s the part most hosts forget, once the planning is done and the food is on the way, your job is to enjoy the event you worked so hard to plan! When you order from an Italian cafe in Baltimore that genuinely cares about hospitality, you can step back, mingle with your guests, and savor the meal yourself. Authentic Italian food, real pizza, real pasta, real Italian desserts, have a way of bringing people together, You should be right there at the table soaking it in.

Why Vinny’s Italian Cafe Makes Catering Stress-Free

Hosting a large event in Baltimore means choosing a caterer your guests will remember. At Vinny’s Italian Cafe, every dish is made with fresh ingredients and the kind of authentic Italian recipes that have stood the test of time in Italy for generations. From the first bite of warm bread to the last forkful of tiramisu, our catering brings the flavors of Italy directly to your table.

Whether you’re planning a corporate lunch, a milestone dinner, a wedding rehearsal, or a family celebration, we make it simple. One phone call, a thoughtful menu, and a team that genuinely cares about your event, that’s the Vinny’s Italian Cafe difference.

Ready to Plan Your Event?

Take a look at our full catering menu to start building your event, or give us a call at 410-633-7763 to talk through the details. We’re located at 6212 Holabird Avenue in Dundalk, MD, and we’re always happy to help bring a true taste of Italy to your next gathering.

Buon appetite and happy planning!