Plan your party food
How this calculator works
These are simple rules of thumb for a casual party. Use them as a starting point and adjust for your guests.
| Food | What we plan |
|---|---|
| Pizza | 2 slices per adult and 1 per kid. If wings are the main dish, 1 slice each. |
| Wings as a side | 4 wings per adult, 2 per kid |
| Wings as the main dish | 8 wings per adult, 4 per kid |
| Drinks | 1.5 drinks per guest in the first hour, then 1 per guest for each extra hour |
Common guidance is 3 to 5 wings per person when wings are a side or appetizer, and 6 to 10 when they are the main dish. We use the middle of each range.
Tips for planning party food
- Mix your pizzas. A simple split is about one third cheese, one third pepperoni and one third veggie or a specialty pizza.
- Have water ready. Water is cheap and many guests will drink it alongside soda.
- Kids' parties: if there is cake, you can plan a little less pizza.
- Long parties: people snack more over time, so add a few extra wings or another pizza.
Want more detail on pizza only?
Open the pizza calculatorFAQs
How many wings do I need for 20 people?
If wings are a side with pizza, plan about 4 wings per adult, so about 80 wings for 20 adults. If wings are the main dish, plan about 8 per adult, so about 160 wings.
How many drinks per person for a party?
A common rule is about 1.5 drinks per guest in the first hour, then 1 drink per guest for every hour after that. For a 3 hour party with 20 guests, that is about 70 drinks.