Last updated: October 2026
In brief: The cost to staff a private event in London in 2026 usually runs to £28 to £38 an hour per waiter, £30 to £40 an hour for bar staff and £250 to £500 a day for an experienced butler, with most bookings carrying a four hour minimum. A private chef for a dinner party typically costs £60 to £150 per guest, including ingredients. As a rule of thumb, plan on one waiter for every 10 to 12 guests at a plated dinner, or one for every 20 to 25 at a canapé reception.
There's a moment at every good party when the host realises they haven't topped up a single glass all evening, because someone else has quietly done it for them. That's what good event staff buy you: the chance to actually enjoy your own party.
The tricky part is working out what it'll cost, and how many people you really need. So we've pulled together typical rates for 2026 alongside the staffing ratios the professionals use, whether you're hosting twelve for dinner or a hundred for drinks in the garden.
Private event staffing costs at a glance
If you just want the numbers, here they are. Rates booked through an agency are usually quoted before VAT, so do check when you get a quote.
• Waiting staff – £28 to £38 an hour (usually a four hour minimum)
• Bar staff – £30 to £40 an hour (cocktail specialists sit at the top end)
• Event butler* – £25 to £35 an hour, or £250 to £500 a day (often leads the rest of the team)
• Close protection officer* – £30 to £45 an hour, or £275 to £400 a day (for larger or higher profile events)
• Private chef (dinner party) – £60 to £150 per guest (usually includes ingredients)
• Event chef (cooking for a caterer) – £24 to £26 an hour (works to someone else's menu)
• Kitchen porter – £18 to £22 an hour (keeps the kitchen moving)
• Host or cloakroom staff – £25 to £30 an hour (handy for larger parties)
*Our figures are drawn from a pool of over 1,800 household roles advertised on MyStaffHQ, and partner data. These show what the worker is paid, so booking the same role through an agency will usually cost more.
How many waiting staff per guest do you need?
This is where most hosts either over-book or, more often, under-book. The right number depends far more on the style of service than on the size of your guest list, because a plated dinner needs a lot more hands than a buffet.
Here are the ratios most London event staffing teams work to.
• Formal seated dinner with silver service – one waiter for every 8 to 10 guests
• Seated dinner with plated service – one waiter for every 10 to 12 guests
• Canapé reception as the main event – one waiter for every 15 to 20 guests
• Standard canapé or drinks reception – one waiter for every 20 to 25 guests
• Buffet with table service – one waiter for every 25 to 30 guests
• Self-service buffet – one waiter for every 40 to 50 guests
A few roles sit on top of those numbers. A formal dinner usually needs dedicated wine waiters as well, and once you're past forty or fifty guests, a supervisor is worth having so someone is keeping an eye on the whole room. If there's a bar, plan on bar staff too, rather than asking waiters to pour and serve at the same time.
When in doubt, round up. One extra person costs you a few hours' pay, while too few means slow courses and empty glasses, and your guests will notice that long before they notice an extra pair of hands.
Butler hire costs for a party
A butler is often the person who makes a private event feel effortless. They greet guests at the door, run the front of house and keep the rest of the team on track, which is why they're often the first person hosts book.
For shorter event shifts, butlers are usually paid by the hour, typically £25 to £35. If you'd like someone for the whole day, setting up beforehand and staying until the last guest leaves, day rates usually run from £250 to £500 depending on experience. A good butler will also take charge of the waiting staff, so you aren't left directing the evening yourself.
Head butlers command more, typically £30 to £40 an hour or £275 to £350 a day.
For a fuller picture of what butlers and other household staff cost on a temporary basis, our guide to temporary household staff rates breaks it down role by role.
Private chef costs for a dinner party
Private chefs usually price dinner parties per guest rather than by the hour, and that price normally includes the ingredients. For a multi-course dinner in the UK, expect somewhere between £60 and £150 a head, with tasting menus and rare ingredients pushing past £200. Some chefs charge by the day instead, typically £250 to £800 or more, and chefs we've spoken to in London charge £300 to £800 a day.
Smaller dinners often come with a minimum spend, so a party of six may cost much the same as a party of ten. It's worth asking about this early, along with whether the chef brings their own help for service and washing up, or expects you to book that separately.
If your caterer is planning the menu and just needs extra hands in the kitchen, you'll be looking at event chefs instead, usually £24 to £26 an hour, with kitchen porters at £18 to £22 an hour.
Our guide on hiring a private chef for your household covers what to ask before you book.
Waiting staff and bar staff rates
Waiting staff for private parties in London typically cost £28 to £38 an hour. That's noticeably more than the £18 to £25 you'll see for corporate events, and the difference comes down to experience: serving in someone's home calls for discretion and a polish that not every events waiter has.
Bar staff follow a similar pattern, usually £30 to £40 an hour for private events, with cocktail bartenders towards the top of that range. Most agencies set a four hour minimum per booking, so even a two hour drinks reception will be charged as four.
The roles people forget to book
Once the chef, butler and waiters are sorted, it's easy to assume you're done. But at bigger parties, a few extra roles make a surprising difference to how the evening feels.
A host or cloakroom attendant, usually £25 to £30 an hour, takes coats and points guests in the right direction, so the butler isn't stuck at the door all night. If children are coming, a temporary nanny at around £20 to £25 an hour can keep them happy in another room while the grown-ups get on with dinner. And for larger or higher profile gatherings, security staff are well worth considering, both on the door and for keeping an eye on parked cars. A close protection officer typically costs £30 to £45 an hour, or £275 to £400 a day, based on our partner agency data.
Other costs to budget for when staffing a private event
The hourly rate is only part of the cost to staff a private event, and a few extras catch people out.
Minimum hours are the big one. Most agencies charge for at least four hours per person, however short the event. Rates are also usually quoted before VAT, which adds another 20% (GOV.UK), Peak dates, such as Christmas Eve, can also double the bill: one booking advertised on MyStaffHQ paid a butler £600 for the day, which was a £300 base rate at double time. If your party runs late, you may also be asked to cover taxis home for staff finishing after midnight.
Then there's looking after the team on the night. For longer events, staff will need a break and something to eat, so it's worth planning a meal for them alongside your guests. Tips aren't expected for agency staff, but after a big night they're always appreciated. And whoever you book, everyone aged 21 or over must be paid at least the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour (GOV.UK), although experienced event staff in London earn well above that.
What a staffed private event might cost: two examples
To bring all this together, here's how the numbers might look for two very different evenings. Both use the rates above and leave out VAT and any agency fees.
A seated dinner for twelve. Say you're hosting a formal three course dinner, with staff on hand for around six hours.
• Private chef, including ingredients – £960 to £1,440 (£80 to £120 per guest)
• One butler for the day – around £300
• Two waiting staff for six hours – £336 to £456
Total: around £1,600 to £2,200
Drinks and canapés for sixty. Now picture a four hour summer drinks party in the garden, with a caterer providing the food.
• Three waiting staff for four hours – £336 to £456
• Two bar staff for four hours – £240 to £320
• One event chef for four hours – £96 to £104
• One kitchen porter for four hours – £72 to £88
Total (staff only): around £750 to £970
Interestingly, the bigger party costs less to staff, because canapés and drinks need far fewer hands per guest than a plated dinner does.
How to book staff for your private event
The earlier you book, the better your choice, especially for summer weekends and the weeks before Christmas, when good event staff get snapped up quickly.
On MyStaffHQ, you can post a job for your event and reach experienced private household staff across London and the UK. And if you work in private service yourself and fancy some event work, you can browse the latest jobs.
If staff will be working in your home, it's also worth reading our guide to NDAs for domestic staff before the big night.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to staff a private event?
In London, waiting staff for private events usually cost £28 to £38 an hour, bar staff £30 to £40 an hour and an experienced butler £250 to £500 a day. Most bookings have a four hour minimum, and VAT is usually added on top.
How many waiting staff do I need per guest?
For a plated dinner, plan on one waiter for every 10 to 12 guests, or one for every 8 to 10 if it's formal silver service. A canapé or drinks reception needs far fewer, usually one for every 20 to 25 guests.
How much does a private chef cost for a dinner party?
Most private chefs charge £60 to £150 per guest for a multi-course dinner, usually including ingredients. Smaller parties may have a minimum spend, so it's worth asking before you book.
How much does it cost to hire a butler for a party?
Event butlers are usually paid £25 to £35 an hour for shorter shifts, or £250 to £500 for a full day, depending on experience.
Do I need to tip event staff?
Tips aren't expected for staff booked through an agency, but after a long or particularly busy night, they're always appreciated.
How far ahead should I book event staff?
As early as you can. Summer weekends and the weeks before Christmas are the busiest times of year, and the most experienced event staff are often booked well in advance.