How much food & drink do I need?
Enter your guest count and it works out how much food, drink, ice and supplies to buy. It uses the same rules of thumb caterers do, plus a little extra so you don't run out.
The rules of thumb behind the numbers
- Drinks: 2 drinks per guest the first hour, then 1 per hour. A 750 ml bottle of wine pours 5 glasses, and a 750 ml bottle of liquor makes about 16 cocktails.
- Ice: 1 lb per guest, or 2 lb if it's hot or you're chilling drinks in coolers.
- Main dish: 6 oz cooked per adult. Buy about 1.5× that raw if it's bone-in.
- Sides: about 4 oz of each side per adult when you serve three sides.
- Appetizers: 4–6 pieces per person before a meal, 10–15 if they are the meal.
- Kids eat about half an adult portion but drink plenty of juice and water.
- Plates, cups and napkins: people lose their cup, so plan on 3 per guest.
Everyone's crowd is different, so treat these as a starting point. If your family always demolishes the mac and cheese, bump it up.