How much food and drink do you need for a party?
Tell us how many guests are coming, for how long, and what you’re serving. We’ll work out the pizzas or burgers and hot dogs, snacks, soda and water, beer, wine, liquor, and ice - so nothing runs out and you’re not left with a fridge full of leftovers.
Prices updated: · United States (USD) · free, no sign-up
Calculator result
Shopping cost
$255
12 guests, 5 hours
- Per person
- $21
- Guests
- 12 people
- Drinking alcohol
- 10 people
Shopping list
| Item | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Large pizza (14-inch) | 5 pizzas | $90 |
| Chips (family-size bag) | 2 bags | $11 |
| Other snacks and dips | for 12 people | $30 |
| Sauces and condiments | 2 jars | $7 |
| Soda and water (2-liter) | 6 bottles | $14 |
| Beer (12-oz cans) | 25 cans | $30 |
| Wine (750 ml) | 2 bottles | $24 |
| Liquor (750 ml) | 1 bottle | $22 |
| Ice | 20 lb (2 bags) | $7 |
| Cups, plates, napkins | for 12 people | $18 |
- Conversation running dry? Start the free House Party game - guests play on their phones, no sign-up and no app to install.
- Serve alcohol only to guests 21 and over - in many states hosts can be held liable for serving minors. Have rides or a couch ready for anyone who shouldn’t drive.
How we calculate
- We count “eaters”: an adult is 1, a child 0.6. The type of party changes appetite (BBQ +15%, game night +10%, kids’ party -15%).
- Party length adds to the amounts, but less than linearly: 5 hours is the baseline, 8 hours about 1.25 times as much - people eat and drink the most at the start.
- Pizza: about 3 slices per adult from an 8-slice large pizza. BBQ: half a pound of raw meat per person (burgers, hot dogs, chicken), rounded up to the pound.
- Alcohol only for guests 21 and over who drink. Per drinker over 5 hours: 2.5 beers, a glass of wine, and about 2 oz of liquor - guests mix, so it averages out to about one drink an hour.
- Soda and water: about 0.9 liters (30 oz) per adult with alcohol and 1.4 liters without, a child about 1 liter. 25% more at a BBQ.
Cheat sheet: prices and good practice
Store prices in 2026
- Large pizza with delivery: $15-22
- Burgers, hot dogs, chicken: $4-7 per lb
- Beer: $1-1.75 per 12-oz can
- Wine: $10-15, liquor (750 ml): $18-28
- Ice, 10-lb bag: $3-4
Rules that work
- 10% too many drinks beats 10% too few
- Serve food in waves, not all at once
- Keep water in plain sight, next to the alcohol
Questions and answers
How much pizza for 10 people?
For 10 adults over a few hours, 4 large pizzas are usually enough; for a longer evening or a hungry crowd, 5. Add some snacks on the side.
How much meat per person for a BBQ?
About half a pound of raw meat per adult - say a burger and a hot dog. Less if there are plenty of sides; kids eat about half.
How much beer for a party of 12?
If 10 of them drink, about 25 cans over 5 hours - two 12-packs plus a few - alongside some wine and a bottle of liquor. At a BBQ, plan for about 35.
Calculate next
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- Wedding alcohol A ready shopping list - wine, beer, liquor for cocktails and a champagne toast - with a buffer and the cost.
- Dessert table How many mini desserts per guest, how many kinds and what it costs - with the display and add-on stations.
For the party itself
Games every guest plays at once
Couple trivia, awards and a finale on the big screen. Guests join with a QR code on their phones, no app to download.