A party food calculator for Indian and Western menus
How much food do you need for 50, 100 or 300 guests? This party food calculator starts from per-guest portions that caterers commonly use for each course, multiplies them by your guest count, counts children as a share of an adult portion, adds a buffer and splits each course across the number of dishes you serve. You get a clear shopping or ordering list: kilograms of dal and rice, the number of rotis, starters per tray, and so on.
Pick a menu — an Indian buffet (vegetarian, or veg and non-veg with a vegetarian share), a Western buffet or sit-down dinner, a cocktail or finger food party, or a kids’ party — then change any number. Every portion is a labelled starting point, because appetites, menus and party length vary.
How to use the Party Food Quantity Calculator
- Choose the Menu closest to yours.
- Enter the number of adults and children, and how much a child eats compared with an adult (50% is a common rule).
- For a veg + non-veg menu, enter the share of vegetarian guests; non-veg rows are counted only for the others.
- Edit the portion per adult and the number of dishes in any course, remove rows you do not need, or press Add a dish.
- Read the totals, then Copy food list or Download CSV to send to your caterer or take shopping.
Party Food Quantity Calculator features
Course-by-course portions
Starters, mains, dal, rice, breads, raita, salad, sweets — or appetisers, protein, sides and dessert for a Western meal.
Veg and non-veg split
Rows can apply to everyone, vegetarians only or non-veg eaters only, so a mixed Indian menu is not over-ordered.
Children counted fairly
Children are counted as a share of an adult portion, shown in its own column.
Dishes per course
Serving two curries? The course total is split across them so each dish is sized correctly.
Party length
On the finger-food menu, quantities grow in proportion once a party runs longer than three hours.
Grams or ounces
Switch between grams/kilograms and ounces/pounds; edited values are kept exactly.
Food quantity per person: typical portions
Western figures follow a published catering guide (Tripleseat, read 19 October 2026); Indian cooked weights follow an Indian caterer’s per-person guide of about 150 g rice, 200 g dal and 250 g of vegetable dishes. They are rules of thumb, not a standard.
| Course | Per adult | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Appetisers before a meal | 6 pieces | 12 pieces when there is no meal |
| Main protein (Western) | 8 oz (227 g) | Many caterers plan 6–8 oz |
| Potatoes / vegetables | 5 oz / 4 oz | Lighter when there are many sides |
| Indian main course | 200–250 g | Split across the curries served |
| Dal | 150–200 g | Cooked |
| Rice, pulao or biryani | about 150 g | Cooked; more if biryani is the main dish |
| Roti, naan or puri | 2–3 pieces | More at a family meal with no rice |
| Sweets | 2 pieces | Plus cake if there is one |
How the totals are worked out
Adult portions = adults + children × child share. For each row, the people who eat it (everyone, only vegetarians or only non-veg eaters) × the portion per adult × (1 + buffer) gives the total, which is then divided by the number of dishes in that course. Pieces are rounded up; weights are shown in kilograms or pounds.
Worked example: 100 adults and 10 children at 50% make 105 adult portions; with a 10% buffer that is 115.5. Dal at 150 g gives 17.3 kg; rotis at 3 each give 347; if 40% of guests are vegetarian, the chicken curry at 150 g is made for 69.3 portions — about 10.4 kg.
Tips for party catering
- More dishes, smaller portions. Guests take a little of everything at a buffet, so keep the course total the same and add dishes rather than raising every portion.
- Count the drinks separately with the drink calculator, and the cake with the cake serving calculator.
- Cooking at home? Scale your recipes with the recipe scaler — note that cooked rice weighs about two and a half to three times its raw weight.
- Food safety: keep hot food hot and cold food cold, and do not leave perishable food out for more than about two hours.
Party Food Quantity Calculator FAQ
How much food per person for a party?
A common rule of thumb is about 1 lb (450 g) of food per adult for a full meal, more for big eaters: roughly 6 appetiser pieces, 6–8 oz of main protein and two or three sides, plus dessert. This party food calculator breaks it down by course for your menu.
How much food do I need for 100 guests at an Indian party?
For a typical veg + non-veg buffet with a 10% buffer, plan about 16.5 kg of dal, 16.5 kg of cooked rice, 22 kg of vegetable dishes and around 330 rotis, plus starters and sweets. Change the menu and portions above for your event.
How many appetisers per person?
About 6 pieces per guest before a meal, or 12 or more when the appetisers are the meal — the finger food menu adds more for parties longer than three hours.
How much food for a kids’ party?
Children usually eat about half an adult portion. The kids’ party menu lists pizza slices, sandwiches, hot finger food, crisps, fruit, cake and sweets; enter the number of children and any adults staying.
Should I order extra food?
A buffer of 5–10% covers second helpings and unexpected guests. For a buffet where people serve themselves, 10–15% is safer.
Is this party food calculator free?
Yes — free, no sign-up, and your numbers stay in your browser.