Party Food Calculator
Never over- or under-cater again. Estimate how much food a party needs from your guest count, the type of meal, and how long the event runs — with quantities for mains, sides, snacks and dessert.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your guest count and the meal type.
- Enter the event length — longer parties need more food.
- Set the % children; they're counted at about 0.6 of an adult portion.
Formula used
Children are counted at about 0.6 of an adult portion. A time factor adds food for events longer than three hours. Per-person portions are typical appetite guides that vary with the crowd and whether it's the main meal.
Example calculation
20 guests, buffet, 4 hours, 10% kids: ~19 adult-equivalents. Finger food ≈ 11/person, mains ≈ 250 g/person, plus sides and dessert.
The extra hour bumps quantities ~12% over a standard 3-hour event.
Catering without the guesswork
Catering anxiety comes from not knowing portions, so people wildly over- or under-buy. The reliable method is per-person quantities scaled to the crowd and the occasion: a buffet where guests graze needs different amounts than a sit-down meal, and a long party means more grazing time and therefore more food. Counting children at a reduced portion and nudging quantities up for longer events gets you close.
The golden rule is to err high — leftovers are a minor inconvenience, running out mid-party is a genuine one, and it's cheap insurance. Appetite varies with your crowd (a group after a hike eats more than an afternoon tea), whether alcohol is flowing (it increases snacking), and the time of day. Use these figures as a confident starting point and adjust for what you know about your guests.
Why use this calculator?
- Portion quantities for buffet, BBQ, snacks or a full meal.
- Accounts for children and event length.
- Stops both over-catering waste and the horror of running out.
Frequently asked questions
How much food per person for a party?
It depends on the format: for a buffet, roughly 250 g of substantial food plus sides and 8–12 finger-food pieces per adult; for a BBQ, about 300 g of raw meat per adult. Longer events and hungrier crowds need more.
How do I account for children?
Count children at roughly 0.6 of an adult portion — they eat less, though older kids can rival adults. The calculator adjusts the totals based on the percentage of children you enter.
Is it better to over- or under-cater?
Always over-cater slightly. Leftovers are easily used or sent home with guests, while running out is stressful and leaves people hungry. A 10–20% buffer over the estimate is sensible insurance.