Party Planner Calculator
Planning a party and not sure how much food and drink to prepare? Enter the number of guests, party duration, and meal style to get a practical breakdown of food quantities, drink servings, and ice needed. Never run out (or over-buy) again.
Professional caterers use these general guidelines for party planning:
- Appetizers only: 8-12 pieces per person per hour (plan for 4-6 varieties)
- Light meal: 1/2 pound of food per person including sides
- Full meal: 1 pound of food per person including main dish, sides, and bread
For drinks, plan on 2 drinks per guest for the first hour and 1 drink per hour after that. This applies to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages combined. If serving alcohol, a good ratio is 60% beer/wine and 40% non-alcoholic options. Always provide plenty of water, especially for outdoor events.
The calculator includes a 10% food buffer to account for guests who eat more than average, spillage, and the psychological comfort of having enough food. For ice, plan 1 pound per person for drinks, plus an additional half pound per person if you need to chill bottles and cans. Buy ice last and store in coolers to prevent melting.