Party food calculator
Enter your guest count and the kind of party to see how much food, drink, ice and supplies to plan for.
36 guests · buffet or family-style meal · 3 hours
| Appetizer piecesA few bites each before the meal | 165 |
|---|---|
| Main dish (cooked meat, fish or a vegetarian main)About 6 oz per adult | 12.5 lb |
| Sides (3 dishes)About 4 oz of each side per adult | 8.5 lb of each |
| Bread or rolls1–2 per guest | 54 |
| Dessert servingsA little over one per guest | 45 |
| Drinks2 per guest in the first hour, then 1 per hour | 144 |
| IceAbout 1.5 lb per guest; more on a hot day | 54 lb |
| PlatesExtra for seconds and dessert | 54 |
| CupsAbout 3 per guest | 108 |
| NapkinsAbout 3 per guest | 108 |
Starting points, not exact science. Plan more for big eaters, long evenings or when this is the only meal; less if other food is served.
How the estimate works
The numbers come from common catering rules of thumb: about 6 ounces of cooked main dish per adult at a buffet and 7 at a sit-down dinner, 4 ounces of each side, and around 12 appetizer pieces per adult when appetizers are the meal. Kids count as half a portion.
Drinks follow the two-in-the-first-hour, one-per-hour-after rule, and supplies assume people take a fresh cup or plate more than once. Treat every figure as a starting point: a late-evening crowd eats less than a group arriving hungry at dinnertime.
The easiest way to get the numbers right is to ask on the RSVP. Invitation templates come with RSVP forms that ask for adults, kids and dietary needs, so the headcount arrives already split.
Party food questions
How much food do I need per person for a party?
For a buffet meal, a common starting point is about 6 ounces of cooked main dish and 4 ounces of each side per adult, with kids counted as half. For an appetizers-only party, plan around 12 pieces per adult for three hours, plus a few more for each extra hour.
How many drinks per guest should I plan?
A widely used rule is two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per hour after that, counting water, soft drinks and any alcohol together. Warm weather, dancing and salty food all push that number up.
How much ice do I need for a party?
Plan about 1.5 pounds of ice per guest for drinks, and more on a hot day or if you're also chilling bottles in coolers. Running out of ice is one of the most common party problems, so round up.
How do I use RSVPs to plan food?
Plan food from confirmed yes replies, then add a little for maybes. Asking for adults and kids separately, and for dietary needs on the RSVP, gives you the numbers this calculator needs and avoids guessing.
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