Event Profit Calculator
Event profitability calculator. Enter guests, ticket price, food, staff and entertainment costs to see revenue, costs and net profit.
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Forecast event profitability by entering guest numbers, ticket price and all your variable and fixed costs. Use it to test pricing scenarios before committing to a venue or supplier.
What this calculator does
Builds a simple profit and loss for a one-off event: guest numbers and ticket or package price on one side, food, drink, staffing, entertainment and sundry costs on the other.
Who it is for
- Venues quoting for a party, wedding or corporate booking.
- Operators running ticketed events such as supper clubs, quizzes or tastings.
- Anyone deciding whether an event is worth the disruption to normal trade.
How to use it
- Enter confirmed guest numbers and the price per guest, net of VAT.
- Enter food and drink cost per head from your costed menu, not a guess.
- Add staffing hours multiplied by the fully loaded hourly rate, then entertainment and any hire costs.
- Review net profit in pounds and as a percentage of event revenue.
The formula
- Revenue = Guests x Price per guest
- Total costs = (Food + drink cost per head x Guests) + Staffing + Entertainment + Other costs
- Net profit = Revenue - Total costs
- Profit% = (Net profit / Revenue) x 100
Worked example
A 120-guest corporate dinner at £48.00 per head net, with £18.00 food and £6.00 drink per head, £900 of staffing, £450 of entertainment and £200 of sundries.
- Revenue = 120 x £48.00 = £5,760
- Food = 120 x £18.00 = £2,160; drink = 120 x £6.00 = £720
- Total costs = £2,160 + £720 + £900 + £450 + £200 = £4,430
- Net profit = £5,760 - £4,430 = £1,330
- Profit% = £1,330 / £5,760 = 23.1%
£1,330 profit at a 23.1% margin, or roughly £11.08 profit per guest.
How to read your result
- Compare the profit against what the space would normally earn on that day. An event that makes £1,330 while displacing £2,000 of regular trade is a loss.
- Profit per guest is often more useful than percentage when you are negotiating numbers up or down.
- Staffing is the line most often underestimated - include set-up, service and clear-down.
What to do next
- Set a minimum profit per guest and refuse enquiries that fall below it once displaced trade is counted.
- Quote a minimum spend rather than a per-head price when guest numbers are uncertain.
- Check the break-even calculator to find the guest count at which the event stops losing money.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using VAT-inclusive package prices against net costs.
- Costing staffing at base hourly pay rather than the fully loaded cost including employer National Insurance, pension and holiday accrual.
- Ignoring the trade you turn away to host the event.
Assumptions and limitations
- Excludes fixed overheads such as rent and utilities unless you enter them as other costs.
- Assumes final guest numbers are as booked; add a contingency if your contract allows drop-off.
Dumb Bambi provides general business information, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Read our calculation methodology or tell us about a mistake.
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Keep going with these tools
- Break-Even Calculator - How many units you need to sell to break even.
- GP Calculator - Gross profit, GP % and markup % in one place.
- No Show Cost Calculator - Monthly and annual revenue lost to no-shows.
Frequently asked questions
What costs should I include?+
Food per head, drinks, staff, entertainment, AV, marketing, decor and a contingency line (5–10%).
How do I know if the event is viable?+
If profit % is below 15% there's little buffer for things going wrong. Aim higher when costs are uncertain.