About

Catering an event involves a delicate balance: ordering too little causes embarrassment; ordering too much wastes budget. The Pizza Party Calculator resolves this via the Appetite Coefficent.

Instead of a generic "2 slices per person" rule, this tool allows you to calibrate for specific demographics (e.g., children vs. a rugby team). It also calculates topping ratios to satisfy diverse dietary preferences and estimates soft drink volume, ensuring a fully stocked event.

Formulas

The core calculation rounds up to the nearest whole integer (ceiling function) to ensure no fractional boxes:

N_pizzas = ceil( P ⋅ A8 )

Where P is the number of people, A is the appetite multiplier (slices/person), and 8 is the standard slice count per large pizza.

Reference Data

Group Type	Slices / Person	Pizza Size	Notes
Children (5-10)	1 - 2	Large (14")	Prefer Cheese/Pep
Teens/Students	3 - 4	Large (14")	High volume
Adults (Light)	2	Large (14")	Lunch meeting
Adults (Dinner)	3	Large (14")	Evening event

Frequently Asked Questions

A standard large pizza (14-16 inches) is almost universally cut into 8 slices. This calculator uses 8 as the divisor. If ordering "Extra Large" (10-12 slices), reduce the total count by roughly 20%.

For a general crowd, the "Golden Ratio" is 50% Meat (Pepperoni/Sausage), 30% Cheese (safe option), and 20% Veggie/Specialty. Increase Veggie to 30-40% for corporate environments.

Yes. If you input the average price per pizza, the tool calculates the total subtotal and the "Cost Per Head," which is useful for collecting contributions.