How Much Do I Need?

Party Food and Drink Calculator

How much food and drink do I need for a party?

Enter how many adults and children are coming and how long the party lasts. The calculator uses common catering rules of thumb, which you can change, to estimate pizzas, drinks, ice and tableware.

Units
Guests
Pizza

A large pizza is usually cut into 8 slices.

Drinks and ice

Around 1 lb (0.5 kg) per person; double it in hot weather or if ice also chills the drinks.

Tableware

Running out is worse than leftovers. 10% is a common cushion.

Cost (optional)

Add the price to see an estimated total.

Results update as you type.

Your estimate

For 25 guests

10 pizzas, 110 drinks

3 bags of ice for a 3-hour party, including 10% extra.

Estimated amount to buy

Pizzas (8 slices each)
10
Drinks (cans, bottles or glasses)
110
Bags of ice (10 lb)
3
Plates
55
Cups
55
Napkins
83

Calculated quantity (no extra)

Guests
25
Slices
70
Pizzas
8.75
Drinks
100
Ice
25 lb
How this was calculated
  1. Slices = 20 adults × 3 + 5 children × 2 = 70
  2. Pizzas = 70 × 1.1 ÷ 8 slices = 9.63, rounded up to 10
  3. Drinks per person = 2 in the first hour + 2 more hours × 1 = 4
  4. Drinks = 25 × 4 × 1.1 = 110, rounded up to 110
  5. Ice = 25 × 1 lb × 1.1 ÷ 10 lb per bag = 2.75, rounded up to 3
  6. Plates, cups and napkins = 25 guests × the number per person × 1.1, rounded up
  • These are rules of thumb. Appetites depend on the time of day, what else is served and who is coming. A lunchtime party with lots of other food needs less pizza than a dinner.

How the party calculation works

  1. Pizzas = (adults × slices per adult + children × slices per child) × the extra ÷ slices per pizza, rounded up.
  2. Drinks = guests × (drinks in the first hour + drinks per hour after × the remaining hours) × the extra, rounded up.
  3. Ice = guests × ice per person × the extra ÷ bag size, rounded up.
  4. Plates, cups and napkins = guests × the number per person × the extra, rounded up.

The starting rules of thumb

The defaults follow common party-planning guidance, and every one can be changed:

  • About 3 slices of pizza per adult and 2 per child when pizza is the main food.
  • About 2 drinks per person in the first hour and 1 per hour after that.
  • About 1 lb (0.5 kg) of ice per person for drinks. Double it if the ice also has to chill bottles in a cooler.
  • A couple of plates and cups and a few napkins per person, because people put them down and take new ones.

Rounding rules

  • Every item is rounded up to a whole pizza, drink, bag or piece after the extra is added.
  • The exact quantities, before extra and rounding, are shown separately.