Have a crowd to feed and need a quick, easy, and delicious meal for the party? We’ve got you covered!
Enter the number of guests and calculate how many pizzas you should order.
Pizzas Needed:
| small pizzas |
| medium pizzas |
| large pizzas |
| extra-large pizzas |
Learn how we calculated this below
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On this page:
- Pizza Calculator
- How Many Pizzas Do You Need?
- The Pizza Formula
- How Many Pizzas Should You Order?
- Pro Tips When Ordering Pizza for a Group
- References
By
Joe Sexton
Joe is the creator of Inch Calculator and has over 20 years of experience in engineering and construction. He holds several degrees and certifications.
Full bio
Reviewed by
Shannon Llewellyn
Chef Shannon is a menu and recipe developer, food stylist, private chef, and author of the book The All-American Lemonade Stand.
Full bio
How Many Pizzas Do You Need?
When it comes to pizza, knowing how many pies to order means the difference between a great gathering and a so-so one.
The amount of pizza you need for a party will vary by the number of guests, their hunger level, and the type of pizza ordered.
A little recon is helpful: What’s the occasion? Teenager birthday? The big game at your house? Family picnic? How many guests will there be and are there sides like salad or breadsticks? And finally, what style of pizza is on the menu? Deep dish or thin crust? Take into account those one or two (or five) guests who want a meat, dairy, and gluten-free pizza (I know. I know).
Plan for three slices per grown-up and two per child if you’re going with the classic crust. If your Pizza Palooza falls in a traditional mealtime like lunch or dinner, pad your portions by one or two slices per person.[1]
Standard pies range between 8 to 10 slices, so for instance, a large pizza would work for three adults and four to five children (depending on their ages).
And that brings us to the pizza formula.
The Pizza Formula
Many slices, er ‘scientific studies’ later, we’ve arrived at the perfect pizza-ordering formula.
p = 3a / 8
Thus, the number of pizzas p you should order is equal to 3 times the number of guests a, divided by 8.
This works for any style of pizza. Even the experts at Green Lantern Pizza suggest a ratio of 3/8 is ideal for ordering so that even the last one to arrive isn’t left sliceless![2]
On that note, if you’re planning a party, you should check out our cake calculator to estimate how much cake you’ll need as well.
How Many Pizzas Should You Order?
The following chart shows how many pizzas to order for your party.
Table showing how many large 14″ pizzas you should order to feed a party.| Guests | Pizzas Needed |
|---|
| 5 | 2 pizzas |
| 10 | 4 pizzas |
| 15 | 6 pizzas |
| 20 | 8 pizzas |
| 25 | 10 pizzas |
| 30 | 12 pizzas |
| 40 | 15 pizzas |
| 50 | 19 pizzas |
Pro Tips When Ordering Pizza for a Group
Here are a few tips to consider before you order.
Order the largest size: In the grand pizza paradigm, it’s really best to order the largest sizes, which are cheaper overall and can even be cut into smaller slices.
Look for deals: Scope out deals for large-volume orders. Many pizzerias will toss in freebies like breadsticks, salads, drinks, or desserts if you call ahead and ask (especially if you are part of an organization because great reviews and referrals are critical).
Pick up instead of delivery: Save some serious dough (pun intended) and pick up your pies at a pre-arranged time so you can avoid delivery fees and waiting in a crowded pizza parlor with other peckish pizza lovers.
If you’re also in charge of hosting Thanksgiving or Easter, check out our turkey size and ham size calculators.
FAQs
The Pizza Formula
How to calculate how many pizzas to order? ›
Number of Guests multiplied by 3 ( avg. slices a person eats) then divide that by 8 (avg slices on a large pizza) = how many pizzas you should order. Example: 20 guests X 3 slices each = 60 slices of pizza. Divide 60 slices into 18 and you get 7.5, so you should order 8 pizzas.
How many pieces of pizza is enough? ›
While it can be tricky to estimate how many slices people will eat, you don't want to underestimate anyone's appetite, either. Three slices per adult and two slices per child offer a good base to start from when you're estimating how many pizzas to order.
How many pizzas do I need for 100? ›
Calculate How Much Pizza You'll Need
Thus, for 100 attendees you would order 38 pies (100 x 3/8 = 37.5). If you arrive at a number with a decimal, round up to be on the safe side. This math is based on the average person eating three pieces of pizza, with the typical pie being cut into eight slices.
How is pizza calculated? ›
Pizza Math
Take the radius (half the diameter) of the pizza—4 inches for a small, 6 inches for a medium—and then multiply the answer by 3.14. That means your 8-inch baby pizza has a surface area of a little over 50 square inches, while the 12-inch medium pizza has a surface area of 113 square inches.
What is the rule of thumb for ordering pizza? ›
A common rule of thumb is to get one large pizza for every 4-5 people. If you have more than ten people, consider getting two or three large pizzas to ensure everyone has enough.
How many pizzas for 10 kids? ›
The good news is that there's a magical equation for figuring out exactly how many pizzas you'll need: For kids ages five and below, you should order one slice per child. For kids ages 5 and up, you should order 2 extra slices for every 6 kids. If you plan on feeding the parents, you should order 1.8 times more pizza.
How many pizzas for 50 people? ›
15 People = 6 Pizzas. 20 People = 8 Pizzas. 30 People = 12 Pizzas. 50 People = 19 Pizzas.
How many pizzas for 20 kids and 30 adults? ›
How Many Pizzas Should You Order?
| Guests | Pizzas Needed |
|---|
| 20 | 8 pizzas |
| 25 | 10 pizzas |
| 30 | 12 pizzas |
| 40 | 15 pizzas |
4 more rowsFor 20 adults you should order 8 large pizzas. This may seem like an arbitrary number, but there's actually a pizza ordering formula that can help you figure out the proper amount to order for any size group. When serving adults at a regular mealtime, go by what is known as the 3/8 pizza rule.
Example: If you have 30 people in your group: 30 people x 2.5 slices of pizza each (30 x 2.5 = 75 slices) divided by number of slices of pizza in a large = 75 / 8 = ~ 10 large pizzas for 30 people.
Is 10 pizzas enough for 30 people? ›
One slice for everyone, with 6 slices left over. If everyone gets 2 slices, you'd need 60 slices, or 5 pizzas. If everyone gets 4 slices, you'd need 120 slices or 10 pizzas.
How much pizza to order for 18 people? ›
Find out how many pieces are in a large and order enough for everyone to have at least 2 pieces and maybe 6 more to have 3 pieces if they want. So about 42 pieces. 18 — that way everyone can have the toppings they want. If people aren't that hungry, order smaller pizzas not fewer.
How many pizzas for 40 people? ›
According to the 3/8 pizza rule, assuming a standard large pizza with 8 slices, for a group of 40 people you would need 15 pizzas. For a mix of large and extra-large pizzas, you can estimate around 10 to 12 pizzas (depending on the number of slices of pizza is 12 or 10).
How many pizzas should I order for 10 people? ›
How Many Pizzas Should You Order?
| Guests | Pizzas Needed |
|---|
| 5 | 2 pizzas |
| 10 | 4 pizzas |
| 15 | 6 pizzas |
| 20 | 8 pizzas |
4 more rows50 People = 19 Pizzas.
How many pizzas for a party of 40 people? ›
According to the 3/8 pizza rule, assuming a standard large pizza with 8 slices, for a group of 40 people you would need 15 pizzas. For a mix of large and extra-large pizzas, you can estimate around 10 to 12 pizzas (depending on the number of slices of pizza is 12 or 10).
What is the rule of 2 pizzas? ›
The 2 pizza rule is a guideline for deciding how many attendees should be invited to a meeting. According to the rule, every meeting should be small enough that attendees could be fed with two large pizzas.
