LunchLink film-production planning guide
Film catering cost in Toronto: production budget calculator
Calculate Toronto film catering costs using LunchLink's approved $12–$75 food range, per-drop delivery, serviceware, and worker-hour rates.
LunchLink Editorial Team
Research and writing
LunchLink Catering Planning Team
Operational review
Direct answer
The short answer
LunchLink production food and menu pricing is CAD $12–$75 per person for each scheduled meal, for 10 to 1,000+ people. Add $40 per confirmed location or drop, $0.50 per person for each requested disposable plate-cutlery-napkin set, and $20 per staffing or cleanup worker-hour. There is no overnight surcharge, deposit, or credit check. Craft coverage, rentals and equipment, waste removal, and tax need confirmed quote amounts. Film requests need at least 24 hours' notice, and the accepted written quote governs.
Owner-confirmed service facts
Clear numbers before you request a menu.
LunchLink is a managed catering marketplace for one-time events and flexible recurring meal programs. It matches the brief to approved restaurant partners and manages the menu, delivery, payment and invoicing workflow.
Commercial facts approved August 20, 2026; final menu and availability are confirmed in writing.
Food and menu pricing
$12–$75 per person
Cuisine, staffing, rentals and tax can change the final total. Gratuity is optional at payment.
Order size
10 to 1,000+ guests
LunchLink can coordinate multiple approved partners for high-volume programs and events.
Standard delivery
$40 per location or drop
Includes floor delivery, parking, basic setup for each confirmed production handoff in LunchLink's approved service areas.
Production lead time
24+ hours' notice
Service can be planned from 5 a.m. to 3 a.m. local time with no overnight surcharge. LunchLink aims to respond initially within 5 minutes; partner, menu, route, capacity and timing must still be confirmed.
Supplies and service
Choose only what you need
$0.5 per guest for a disposable plate, cutlery and napkin set. Staffing and cleanup are $20 per hour per person; rentals and chafing equipment are quoted separately.
Payment and invoicing
Flexible business payment
Credit card, EFT or bank transfer, cheque and approved invoicing are available. No deposit or credit check is required; the final payment schedule is written into the quote.
Dietary requests require menu-level confirmation
LunchLink can source halal, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-aware and nut-aware options. Share allergies and every dietary requirement before menu selection; ingredients, substitutions, kitchen practices and cross-contact risk are confirmed with the selected partner. LunchLink does not make a universal allergen-free guarantee.
Free production budgeting tool
Estimate known production-catering costs
Calculate scheduled meals, drops, disposable sets, and worker-hours from LunchLink's approved rates. Enter a craft-service, equipment, waste, or tax amount only when it is known; a blank stays on the confirmation list instead of being treated as free. No email or sign-up is required.
Build the production plan
Use the total drops and worker-hours across the full plan. Enter zero only when production has confirmed that a line is not required.
Approved range: CAD $12–$75. The starting value is an editable example, not a recommendation.
Standard delivery: CAD $40 for each location or drop.
CAD $0.50 per person for each requested plate, cutlery, and napkin set.
CAD $20 per hour per person. This is a LunchLink service price, not a union wage or labour-rule statement.
Live planning result
Known subtotal, with unknowns preserved
This total includes only the approved formula and amounts entered above. It is not a quote or a Toronto market average.
Known planning subtotal
$1,290.00
Known cost per person / shoot day
$25.80
Known cost per scheduled meal serving
$25.80
Approved food/menu range
$600.00–$3,750.00
50 meal servings across the plan
Entered food/menu total
$1,250.00
Delivery
$40.00
1 × CAD $40 per location or drop
Disposable sets
Not included
Included only when a meal-period count is entered
Staffing and cleanup
Not included
Included only when worker-hours are entered
Unknown costs to confirm
- Disposable-set requirement
- Staffing and cleanup worker-hours
- Craft-service food, beverages, and coverage
- Rentals, chafing, and equipment
- Catering-waste removal
- Tax shown on the quote
Entries stay in this browser view. They are not stored, added to the URL, emailed, or sent to LunchLink automatically.
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Calculate people × production days × scheduled meals per day × food price per person
- Add $40 for every location or drop, not merely once per production
- Add disposables and staffing only for the quantities and hours actually requested
- Keep craft coverage, rentals, waste removal, and tax visible as unconfirmed until quoted
- There is no overnight surcharge, but overnight service still has food, delivery, equipment, and staffing scope
- Use the result as a planning subtotal, then obtain a current written quote
Use the LunchLink film-catering cost formula
Start with scheduled meal servings: confirmed people multiplied by production days multiplied by scheduled meals per day. Multiply that result by the selected food price per person. Then add delivery for each planned location or drop, disposable sets for the meal periods that need them, staffing and cleanup worker-hours, and any current amounts supplied for quote-only lines.
This formula is transparent arithmetic using LunchLink's owner-approved commercial facts. It does not estimate an industry average or determine the right menu. A provider still has to accept the count, menu, date, route, service window, equipment, staffing, documents, and operating conditions in writing.
| Budget line | Calculation | Current approved fact |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled food | people × days × meals per day × food price per person | $12–$75 per person per scheduled meal |
| Delivery | confirmed locations or drops × delivery price | $40 per location or drop |
| Disposable sets | people × meal periods needing a set × set price | $0.50 per person per plate-cutlery-napkin set |
| Staffing and cleanup | total worker-hours × worker-hour price | $20 per hour per person |
| Overnight surcharge | none | $0; there is no overnight surcharge |
| Other scope | add current written amounts | Craft, rentals/equipment, waste removal, tax, and other approved items require confirmation |
Read the per-person food range correctly
The CAD $12–$75 range is for food and menus per person for each scheduled meal. It is not an all-day allowance and it does not automatically include continuous craft coverage, multiple deliveries, disposable sets, attendants, cleanup, rentals, special equipment, waste removal, or tax.
A production with breakfast and lunch has two scheduled meal servings per person. For 50 people at an entered food price of $25, one meal produces a $1,250 food line; two meals produce a $2,500 food line before other scope. The selected menu and final per-person price must be confirmed in the written quote.
| People | Food at $12–$75 each | Food plus one $40 drop |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $120–$750 | $160–$790 |
| 25 | $300–$1,875 | $340–$1,915 |
| 50 | $600–$3,750 | $640–$3,790 |
| 100 | $1,200–$7,500 | $1,240–$7,540 |
| 200 | $2,400–$15,000 | $2,440–$15,040 |
Separate one meal, one day, and the full production
Do not compare a one-meal price with a full-day or multi-day total. Name each scheduled breakfast, lunch or first meal, dinner or second meal, and overnight meal by date, unit, location, count, serving format, and approved window. Use a separate line when counts or prices differ.
The calculator uses one food price and one count across all selected meal periods, so it is best for an early baseline. If breakfast, lunch, dinner, background, talent, or second unit needs different counts or menu prices, calculate each lane separately and combine the subtotals in the production worksheet.
- Count every scheduled meal period, not only production days
- Use the people actually covered by that meal or unit
- Keep late additions and contingency meals visible instead of hiding them in the base count
- Separate meal prices when the menu or format changes
- Reconcile the final service grid against the current schedule version
Count every location, unit, and drop
LunchLink's standard delivery charge is $40 for each location or drop. A second unit, background holding point, production office, remote location, return delivery, or separately timed service may create another drop even on the same production day. The written plan should identify the address, approved pin, arrival window, receiver, access route, and final service area for each one.
Do not merge locations in the budget simply because one coordinator manages them. The selected partners must accept the routes and timings. A company move or location change communicated by email or text needs a revised drop count and current written confirmation before it becomes part of the operating plan.
| Service point | Date and window | Count as a drop? | Receiver and access confirmed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main unit scheduled meal | [date/time] | [yes/no—confirm] | [name, pin, gate, route] |
| Second or splinter unit | [date/time] | [yes/no—confirm] | [name, pin, gate, route] |
| Background or holding | [date/time] | [yes/no—confirm] | [name, pin, gate, route] |
| Production office or client area | [date/time] | [yes/no—confirm] | [name, pin, gate, route] |
Price disposable sets by people and meal period
A disposable plate, cutlery, and napkin set is $0.50 per person. Multiply the covered count by the number of meal periods that need that set. Fifty people needing disposable sets for two scheduled meals is 100 sets, or $50. Do not multiply by production days again when the entered meal-period count already covers the full production.
Confirm the exact pieces and quantity. Cups, bowls, serving utensils, table coverings, compostable specifications, reusable systems, specialty packaging, and extra napkins are not made automatic by the standard set description and may require separate written scope.
Calculate staffing and cleanup in worker-hours
LunchLink's owner-approved staffing and cleanup price is $20 per hour per person. Convert the plan to worker-hours: people working multiplied by paid hours. Two attendants for five hours equals 10 worker-hours and a $200 planning line. Include the confirmed work from call through setup, service, cleanup, strike, and any approved equipment handoff.
This is LunchLink's service price, not a statement about a union wage, minimum call, overtime rule, employment classification, or collective-agreement obligation. Production supplies its requirements, and the selected partner confirms roles, calls, relief, hours, travel, equipment responsibilities, and final terms.
| Operating plan | Worker-hours | Planning line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person × 4 hours | 4 | $80 |
| 2 people × 5 hours | 10 | $200 |
| 3 people × 8 hours | 24 | $480 |
| 4 people × 10 hours | 40 | $800 |
Keep craft service as its own quote line
LunchLink can coordinate continuous craft service, beverages, water, coffee, snacks, stations, attendants, replenishment, and strike through approved partners. There is no owner-approved universal craft-service price, so the calculator leaves craft coverage unpriced until a current quote amount is entered.
A useful craft request states the people covered, operating hours, each station or satellite point, approved food and beverages, opening stock, refill plan, dietary controls, staff, truck or equipment, utilities, sanitation, moves, waste, and close. A per-person scheduled-meal price should not be stretched to imply all-day unlimited coverage.
- Station open and close times
- People, groups, units, and locations covered
- Approved opening stock and replenishment method
- Staffing, relief, water, power, storage, and sanitation
- Dietary separation, substitutions, waste, moves, and strike
List rentals and equipment instead of hiding them
Rentals and special equipment are quoted separately. The exact need depends on the service format and site: tables, linens, tents or weather cover, lighting, water, approved power, refrigerators, coolers, hot holding, chafing equipment, coffee equipment, carts, serving utensils, waste stations, transport, setup, pickup, and loss or damage responsibilities.
Separate equipment supplied by production, the catering partner, and a rental provider. Record quantity, delivery point, setup owner, operator, approved utilities, pickup window, and final signoff. A food price cannot confirm that a remote or exterior service point is operationally equipped.
Budget dietary meals from verified scope—not assumptions
LunchLink can coordinate individual labels using the recipient's name and dietary tags. The selected partner still needs to verify current ingredients, substitutions, supplier changes, storage, equipment, preparation, and cross-contact limits for the proposed menu. A label communicates the approved handoff; it does not create an allergen-free guarantee.
There is no universal owner-approved dietary surcharge. Keep the requirement, count, menu verification, protected packaging, separation, and named handoff in the quote. If a selected alternative, separate preparation method, or different partner changes the price, the current written quote should show that amount instead of the planner guessing it.
Plan overnight service without adding an overnight surcharge
LunchLink can plan production service from 5 a.m. to 3 a.m., including overnight meals, and there is no overnight surcharge. Checking the overnight field in the calculator therefore adds $0. That does not make overnight service free: scheduled food, each delivery, disposable sets, staffing, equipment, craft coverage, waste, and tax still remain in scope.
The selected partner, route, menu, location access, lighting, weather plan, staff call, holding, receiver, service window, and availability must be confirmed. The at-least-24-hour production lead time still applies, and more planning time is useful for complex overnight or multi-location work.
Model multi-day and multiple-unit work without double counting
LunchLink can coordinate multi-day rotation and multiple units through approved vendors in served cities. Build a service grid before totaling the budget. Each row should have one date, unit, location, scheduled meal or craft lane, count, price basis, delivery decision, serviceware decision, staffing, equipment, waste, and approval status.
When one number already covers the whole production, do not multiply it again. For example, enter all planned drops across all days in the drop field, and all disposable meal periods across the production in that field. For different counts or food prices, make separate calculations and retain the component subtotals so a schedule change can be traced.
| Date/unit | Service and count | Price basis | Drops and operations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · main | [meal/craft, people] | [food or quoted scope] | [drops, sets, worker-hours, equipment] |
| Day 1 · second | [meal/craft, people] | [food or quoted scope] | [drops, sets, worker-hours, equipment] |
| Day 2 · main | [meal/craft, people] | [food or quoted scope] | [drops, sets, worker-hours, equipment] |
| Day 2 · move | [meal/craft, people] | [food or quoted scope] | [drops, sets, worker-hours, equipment] |
Separate basic cleanup from waste removal
Staffing and cleanup can be planned at $20 per worker-hour when the required roles and hours are known. Production catering waste removal is quoted separately. The scope must say who clears serving areas; separates organics, recycling, garbage, liquids, cardboard, returnables, and equipment; moves each stream; pays the hauler; and signs off every location.
Toronto's cast-and-crew code says catering, craft-service, and other trash should be removed and locations returned to their original condition. That operating expectation does not establish a LunchLink waste price or make hauling part of delivery. Enter a waste amount only when it comes from a current quote.
Keep tax, payment, and invoice terms explicit
The calculator does not infer tax. The Canada Revenue Agency explains that the GST/HST rate can depend on place-of-supply rules. Confirm the supplying entity, taxable lines, service location, tax registration details, current rate, and tax amount on the written quote and invoice instead of applying an assumed percentage to every planning line.
LunchLink accepts credit card, EFT or bank transfer, cheque, and approved invoicing. No deposit or credit check is required. Record the legal billing name, purchase order or job code, cost centre, invoice contact, payment method, payment schedule, change authority, cancellation terms, and supporting service records before acceptance.
Use worked examples as arithmetic, not promised quotes
The examples below apply only the approved rates shown. They do not recommend a food price or represent actual client quotes. Each remains incomplete until the unpriced production lines and current tax treatment are confirmed.
Use the calculator to replace these assumptions with your own inputs. If meals, units, or days have different counts or menu prices, calculate them separately rather than averaging away the differences.
| Entered scenario | Known line calculation | Known subtotal |
|---|---|---|
| 25 people · 1 meal at $20 · 1 drop · 1 disposable period | $500 food + $40 delivery + $12.50 disposables | $552.50 |
| 50 people · 1 day · 2 meals at $25 · 2 drops · 2 disposable periods | $2,500 food + $80 delivery + $50 disposables | $2,630 |
| 100 people · 2 days · 2 meals/day at $30 · 4 drops · 4 disposable periods · 24 worker-hours | $12,000 food + $160 delivery + $200 disposables + $480 staffing | $12,840 |
Compare written quotes on identical production scope
A lower visible per-person number may cover less work. Give each proposed provider the same versioned service grid and compare the same people, meal periods, menus, service formats, locations, delivery drops, disposable sets, craft coverage, staffing, equipment, dietary controls, waste, documents, tax, payment, changes, and cancellation terms.
Mark every line included, excluded, production-supplied, provider-supplied, or still unresolved. Ask for the final legal entity and supporting partner documents. Select only after the production decision owner understands the complete scope and accepts the written quote.
| Scope | Quote A | Quote B | Written decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled meals, counts, menu, and format | [included/excluded/amount] | [included/excluded/amount] | [accepted scope] |
| Locations, drops, access, and receivers | [details/amount] | [details/amount] | [accepted scope] |
| Craft hours, stations, stock, and replenishment | [details/amount] | [details/amount] | [accepted scope] |
| Staff, equipment, dietary controls, and waste | [details/amount] | [details/amount] | [accepted scope] |
| Tax, payment, changes, and cancellation | [terms] | [terms] | [accepted terms] |
Copy a budget brief that can become a quote
Copy the fields below or use the calculator's copy button. Do not include a confidential call sheet, unnecessary personal information, health details, talent details, or unreleased production information. Use only the operational information needed to assess the request.
LunchLink requires at least 24 hours' notice for production catering. Submitting the brief is an inquiry, not an accepted order. Current partners, menus, routes, capacity, documents, timing, responsibilities, amounts, and terms must be confirmed in writing.
- Production type, working title if shareable, company, service dates, and current schedule version
- People by scheduled meal, unit, group, location, and protected-meal category
- Requested menus, per-person budget, format, meal windows, and service duration
- Craft stations, operating hours, approved stock, replenishment, staff, equipment, and strike
- Every location/drop with address, pin, access, parking, receiver, and fallback
- Disposable sets, staffing and cleanup roles and hours, rentals, utilities, and waste
- Dietary verification, recipient labels, protected handoff, and escalation owner
- COI, WSIB, food-handler, vendor onboarding, billing entity, PO/job code, tax, and payment details
- Authorized change contacts, email/text channel, weekly planning rhythm, and final confirmation
Frequently asked
Questions production teams ask.
LunchLink's owner-approved food and menu range is CAD $12–$75 per person for each scheduled meal. That is not an all-in production-day price. Delivery, disposable sets, staffing, craft coverage, equipment, waste, tax, and other confirmed scope must be added separately.
The minimum is 10 people, and LunchLink's approved partner network can coordinate 1,000+ people. Large, multiple-unit, or multi-city requests require a confirmed partner, route, menu, staffing, equipment, and written operating plan.
Multiply people by scheduled meals per day and the food price per person, then add every delivery/drop, requested disposable set, staffing and cleanup worker-hour, and current quoted amount for craft coverage, equipment, waste, tax, and other scope. Calculate lanes separately when counts or food prices differ.
No. Standard delivery is $40 for each confirmed location or drop. Count separately timed services, units, locations, or other handoffs according to the written plan and final quote.
There is no overnight surcharge. LunchLink can plan production service from 5 a.m. to 3 a.m., but the food, deliveries, disposable sets, staffing, equipment, craft coverage, waste, tax, exact window, route, and partner availability still require confirmation.
Do not assume it is included. LunchLink can coordinate continuous craft service, but there is no universal approved craft-service price. Quote station hours, locations, stock, replenishment, staff, equipment, sanitation, moves, and strike separately from scheduled meals.
The approved planning price is $20 per hour per person. Multiply the number of workers by the confirmed hours to get worker-hours. This is LunchLink's service price, not legal or collective-agreement wage advice; roles, calls, hours, relief, and terms require written confirmation.
No. Tax remains an unconfirmed line. Confirm the supplying entity, taxable items, service location, current GST/HST treatment, and exact amount in the written quote and invoice.
There is no universal owner-approved dietary surcharge. Provide exact counts and requirements so the selected partner can verify a suitable current menu, labels, separation, and protected handoff. Any price change must appear in the written quote.
LunchLink requires at least 24 hours' notice for production catering. Multiple units, multi-day rotation, staffed craft service, equipment, complex dietary verification, vendor onboarding, or difficult locations benefit from more planning time, and availability must be confirmed.
No deposit or credit check is required. LunchLink accepts credit card, EFT or bank transfer, cheque, and approved invoicing. Confirm the billing entity, PO or job code, invoice contact, schedule, tax, and accepted terms.
Send dates, people by meal and unit, meal windows, menu and format, every location/drop, craft scope, disposable sets, staff roles and hours, equipment, dietary controls, waste, documents, tax and billing requirements, authorized contacts, and change-control details. The accepted written quote governs.
Research and limitations
How this guide was prepared
This guide uses LunchLink owner-approved production pricing and service facts dated August 20 and 21, 2026, current Canada Revenue Agency place-of-supply guidance, Ontario film-safety guidance, City of Toronto production-role and location-practice guidance, and REEL CANADA's Canadian distinction between craft service and catering. First-party Search Console and Google Ads query data were reviewed to confirm a distinct cost-planning job. Competitor pages were reviewed only for common budget questions; no competitor price, proof, result, or service claim was adopted.
Important limits
- Calculator results are planning arithmetic from the values entered. They are not a quote, market average, recommendation, guarantee, or confirmation that a production request is accepted.
- Craft coverage, rentals and equipment, waste removal, tax, availability, menus, routes, staffing scope, cancellation terms, and the final total require current written confirmation. The accepted quote governs.
- This is not legal, labour-relations, public-health, tax, insurance, nutrition, or safety advice. Production must supply its current agreement, location, onboarding, tax, and operating requirements.
Sources reviewed
- GST/HST and place-of-supply rules
Canada Revenue Agency · reviewed 2026-08-21
- Guideline No. 37: Craft services and food catering
Government of Ontario · reviewed 2026-08-21
- Film and television production roles: Craft Service Department
City of Toronto · reviewed 2026-08-21
- Code of Conduct for Cast and Crew
City of Toronto · reviewed 2026-08-21
- Craft Service and Catering
REEL CANADA · reviewed 2026-08-21
- Independent Production Agreement 2025–2027
ACTRA · reviewed 2026-08-21
