Estimate the perfect amount of food for your guests to avoid waste and hungry bellies.
Light (Snacks only)
Average (Standard meal)
Hearty (Large feast)
Estimated Requirements:
Appetizers (Total pieces)0
Main Course (Total servings)0
Side Dishes (Total servings)0
Dessert / Cake (Total servings)0
Drinks (Liters/Cans suggested)0
How to Calculate Food for a Party
Planning the menu for an event can be stressful. Whether you are hosting a small birthday party or a large corporate gathering, the "Rule of Thumb" is essential for catering success. This calculator uses professional catering ratios to ensure you have enough food without excessive leftovers.
Standard Portion Guidelines
Appetizers: If serving before a meal, aim for 6 pieces per person. If the party is "cocktail style" without a main course, increase this to 12 pieces per person.
Main Protein: Plan for about 6 to 8 ounces (170-225g) of cooked meat or main protein per adult. For children, half that amount is usually sufficient.
Side Dishes: Generally, 3 different sides are recommended. Guests will typically take about 4 ounces (115g) of each side dish.
Drinks: The standard calculation is 2 drinks for the first hour and 1 drink for every hour after that.
Example Scenario
If you are hosting 20 adults for a 3-hour dinner party with an average appetite:
Main Course: 20 servings (approx. 10 lbs of protein).
Sides: 40-60 servings total across different dishes.
Drinks: Approximately 80 units (water, soda, or alcohol).
Tips for Food Planning
Always consider the time of day. A party held during a traditional meal time (12:00 PM or 6:00 PM) will require significantly more food than a mid-afternoon gathering. Additionally, "Hearty" appetites (like at a sports viewing party) can increase food consumption by up to 30%.
function calculateFood() {
var adults = parseFloat(document.getElementById('adults').value) || 0;
var children = parseFloat(document.getElementById('childCount').value) || 0;
var hours = parseFloat(document.getElementById('eventHours').value) || 1;
var multiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById('appetiteLevel').value);
// If "adults" was mistyped in the code logic search, fix here
var adultCount = parseFloat(document.getElementById('adultCount').value) || 0;
// Logic for Calculation
var totalGuests = adultCount + (children * 0.5);
// Appetizers: 2 per person per hour if meal follows, else more.
// We assume a standard meal-based event.
var appsPerPerson = hours * 2;
if(appsPerPerson < 4) appsPerPerson = 4; // Minimum base
var totalApps = Math.ceil(totalGuests * appsPerPerson * multiplier);
// Main Course: 1.2 portions per "guest unit" to account for variety
var totalMain = Math.ceil(totalGuests * 1.1 * multiplier);
// Sides: Usually 2.5 servings per guest unit
var totalSides = Math.ceil(totalGuests * 2.5 * multiplier);
// Dessert: 1.5 per guest unit
var totalDessert = Math.ceil(totalGuests * 1.2 * multiplier);
// Drinks: 2 for first hour, 1 for subsequent
var drinksPerGuest = 2 + (hours – 1);
var totalDrinks = Math.ceil((adultCount + children) * drinksPerGuest);
// Display results
document.getElementById('resAppetizers').innerText = totalApps + " pieces";
document.getElementById('resMain').innerText = totalMain + " servings";
document.getElementById('resSides').innerText = totalSides + " servings";
document.getElementById('resDessert').innerText = totalDessert + " servings";
document.getElementById('resDrinks').innerText = totalDrinks + " units";
document.getElementById('food-results').style.display = 'block';
}