How many sandwich rounds per person?

When sandwiches are the main meal at a lunch, allow 3 rounds (sandwiches) per person. For afternoon tea, allow about 1.5 rounds per person — that is 3 to 4 finger sandwiches, since each round is quartered into fingers. For a buffet where sandwiches are one of several items, 1.5 rounds (the catering "golden rule" of roughly 1.5 sandwiches per head) is plenty. Each round is 2 slices of bread with filling.

How much filling per sandwich?

Allow approximately 50g of filling per sandwich. This covers options like cheese (40-50g), ham (40g), egg mayonnaise (50-60g), tuna mayo (50g), and chicken (50g). For premium fillings like smoked salmon, 30-40g is usually sufficient.

How many filling varieties should I offer?

For a standard sandwich platter, offer 3-5 different fillings. A good mix includes one meat, one fish, one cheese, and one vegetarian option. For groups of 20+, 4-5 varieties work well. Always include at least one vegetarian and check for allergies.

Should I cut sandwiches into triangles or fingers?

For afternoon tea, finger sandwiches (cut into 3 or 4 rectangles) are traditional. For lunch platters, triangles (cut diagonally) are standard. For buffets, either works well. Finger sandwiches look more generous on a platter and are easier to pick up.

How far in advance can I make sandwiches?

Sandwiches can be made up to 12 hours ahead if covered tightly with cling film and refrigerated. Avoid wet fillings like sliced tomato which make bread soggy. Egg, chicken, and cheese fillings hold up best. Lay a damp tea towel under the cling film to prevent drying out.

BakeCalcs

Sandwich Platter Calculator

Calculate bread, filling, and butter quantities for sandwich platters by guest count and event type.

Number of Guests

People to cater for. The result scales by event type — lunch allows more per head than tea or buffet.

Filling Varieties

Event TypeSets the per-person portion: a sandwich lunch allows 3 rounds, while afternoon tea and a multi-item buffet allow 1.5 rounds (3-4 finger sandwiches) each.

How We Calculate This

This calculator works out the total number of sandwich rounds needed based on your guest count and event type, then calculates the bread, filling, and butter requirements.

Portions

Lunch: 3 rounds per person (sandwiches as the main meal)
Afternoon tea: 1.5 rounds per person (3-4 finger sandwiches)
Buffet: 1.5 rounds per person (sandwiches as one of several items)

Half-rounds are rounded up to whole sandwiches, so for an odd guest count at tea or buffet you may have one spare sandwich.

Per Sandwich

2 slices of bread per round
50g filling per sandwich
7g butter per slice (14g per sandwich)
~20 usable slices per loaf

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are based on standard ratios and conversions. Results may vary with specific ingredients, equipment, and conditions.