How party food calculator Works
Guest-hours, not guest-counts
A 2-hour cocktail party runs 6–8 appetizer pieces per guest per hour; a 4-hour one does not simply double (guests slow down) — the calculator applies a diminishing curve. Dinner parties shift the math: 3 pre-dinner pieces per guest, then the plate rules take over.
Dinner plate rules
- Protein: ½ lb per person bone-in (ribs, whole chicken), ⅓ lb boneless (steaks, fillets).
- Sides: three varieties × ⅓ lb each per person — variety spreads appetite.
- Salad/bread: 1 large salad per 8 guests; 1.5 rolls per person.
- Dessert: 1.5 servings per person — dessert disappears at a 2:1 rate.
The ice rule
1–1.5 lb of ice per guest covers drinks AND cooling platters — the most under-bought item in home hosting, and the one grocery run everyone forgets. Coolers need ice too; the calculator totals it without mercy.