Free tool
Enter your guest count and how long the event runs, and see how much food, drink, and alcohol to order — appetizers, mains, wine, beer, and more, all rounded up so you never run short.
| Appetizers / hors d'oeuvres | 400 pieces |
| Main course | 110 servings |
| Side dishes (2 kinds) | 100 servings each |
| Dinner rolls / bread | 150 pieces |
| Dessert / cake | 100 slices |
| Water | 400 servings |
| Soft drinks / juice | 200 servings |
| Coffee / tea | 50 cups |
| Wine | 40 bottles (750ml) |
| Beer | 120 cans / bottles |
| Spirits | 5 bottles (750ml) |
| Ice | 150 lbs |
Estimates based on common caterer rules of thumb (about one drink per guest per hour), rounded up so you don't run short. Confirm final counts with your caterer — and collect meal choices and dietary needs automatically with VenueFuze's guest list.
It depends on the service style. For a full meal, plan on about one main serving per guest plus a few appetizers; for an appetizer-only reception, plan 6–12 pieces per guest. This calculator works it out from your guest count and event length, and rounds up so you don't run short.
A common rule of thumb is about one drink per guest per hour, split roughly 50% wine, 30% beer, and 20% spirits. A 750ml bottle of wine pours about 5 glasses, and a 750ml bottle of spirits makes about 16 drinks. Turn the bar option on to see bottle and can counts.
About 4 pieces per guest before a full meal, 6 for a light reception, and 10–12 for a heavy-appetizer event where the apps are the meal. Pick the service style and the calculator adjusts.
VenueFuze isn't a caterer, but it captures each guest's meal choice and dietary or allergy needs on the guest list and rolls them into a caterer summary you can hand to your vendor — with a seating chart to match.