Pizza is piping hot, hearty, and capable of bringing people together with one bite of crispy, cheesy goodness. No matter how you slice it, pizza is a top pick to serve for any occasion. When it’s pizza night, you don’t want to come up shorthanded with your pies. We’ve put together the following guide to help you figure out how many pizzas you should order to satisfy the appetites of your family and friends.
Start With the Basics
Before you get into the details, you need to think about a few basics:
- How many people will you be serving?
- How many adults and children will be eating pizza?
- Will pizza be the only item you’re serving, or will you have other food to eat?
- Do you want to send a few slices home with guests or have enough for leftovers for yourself?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you can start digging into the delicious details as you calculate how many pizzas to order.
Figure Out the Slices Per Size
The size of the pizza you order will determine how many slices you can expect each pie to serve:
- Small pizzas average between 8 and 10 inches in diameter and will yield about six slices.
- Medium pizzas run 12 inches in diameter and will give you about eight slices.
- Large pizzas are 14 inches in diameter and will offer approximately 10 slices.
- Extra-large pizzas come in between 16 and 18 inches in diameter and will provide at least 12 slices.
Before placing your order, call and confirm the number of slices per size for your pizzas.
Don’t Underestimate Appetites
If Uncle Joe can knock out half of a medium pizza and still be hungry, then you know that a single pie alone won’t cut it for your get-together. 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. If you know in advance that you have guests with major pizza appetites, allow for one or two more slices per person, just to be safe. If your pizzas will be on the smaller size or have a very thin crust, account for an extra slice per person.
Here’s another way to think about how many pizzas you’ll need using a medium pizza size (eight slices) as an example:
- Multiply the number of guests you’ll be serving by three slices per adult or two slices per child.
- Divide this number by the number of slices you can expect to get from the pizza size you desire.
Using this formula, if you’re serving five adults who will eat three slices of pizza per person, you would need to order two medium pizzas.
Consider the Occasion
It’s important to think about the time of day and the meal itself. If you’re planning a pizza-only lunch for two to four people, one large pizza should be plenty. However, if you’re creating a Sunday sports day feast with chips, dips, wings, and other finger foods to feed eight people, then you may want to think about ordering two, three, or four pizzas to round out your spread, especially if the event will last a long time.
Children’s parties and pizzas go hand in hand. Medium pizzas work well for this type of gathering. When placing your order, ask for your medium pizzas to be cut into 10 slices instead of the traditional eight slices per pizza. While you’re primarily serving children, parents may want a slice or two when they’re picking up and dropping off their kids.
Top Off Your Planning With Toppings
No one wants an argument over pizza toppings. Nevertheless, pizza toppings remain a source of debate among pizza purists. A 2019 YouGov survey pinned down pepperoni as a favorite pizza topping among 52% of Americans, while 34% put sausage in their top three topping choices, and 31% favored mushrooms. Both bacon and plain cheese only came in as top-three picks among 20% of pizza consumers surveyed.
To avoid pizza wars in your household, get everyone to give you their topping preferences before you place your order. If plain cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and peppers are what you have to work with for feeding three people, then one pizza should give you plenty of real estate. For example, you could divide one large pizza into one-third plain cheese, one-third pepperoni, and one-third sausage and peppers.
Don’t forget the folks who love plain cheese pizzas. If you’re ordering multiple pizzas for your group, reserve about one-third or one-half of them as plain cheese.
Keep in mind the following points about pizza toppings:
- Specialty pizzas featuring a combination or variety of toppings are best when you know what toppings your guests prefer. If you’re in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask. Otherwise, you may end up with a lot of leftovers.
- Adding extra toppings, such as more than two toppings per pizza, will make your pizza slightly thicker than a single topping alone. When paired with specialty or thicker crusts, extra toppings on your pizza will give each slice more heft than a thin-crust pizza with a single topping.
Know How to Place Your Order for a Group
Family gatherings and parties with a dozen or more people call for some special considerations:
- Go with the largest size pizza possible: While an extra-large pizza will be more expensive than a medium pizza, the cost per slice is actually less than pizzas of a smaller size. As a result, the price of your order will be less overall.
- Round up for planned leftovers: Consider how many guests may ask for a slice or two to take home with them. After all, pizza still tastes great when you eat it the next day — even for breakfast. When placing your order, round up and order an extra pie.
One final word: Crafting the perfect pizza for your guests takes time. By ordering in advance of your party, you give your favorite pizza guys and gals the time they need to prepare your pizzas just the way you want them.
Still not sure how many pizzas you should get? Easy, order from Pequod’s Pizza the next time you’re having a gathering in the Chicago or Morton Grove area, and we’ll help you figure out exactly what you need!
How many servings are in a 10 inch pizza?
On average there are: 6 slices per small (8-10") pizza, 8 slices per 12 inch pizza (medium), 10 slices on a large (14-16") pizza and 12 slices on an extra-large pizza. You should confirm the number of slices before ordering because this will vary between pizza providers.
I would say the average American guy can put down a 10-inch pizza, no problem. I'm not average, I'm a smaller guy who is almost 50 years old. I can split a 10-inch pizza with my girlfriend and we will both be pretty full.
My two teenagers, however, can split a 12-inch pizza and still ask for more! And the oldest is only 15, so the problem is going to get worse. Dear lord, what have I gotten myself into?
If I'm eating it, there is most likely only one serving.
Of course, as with so many questions like this, there are always variables to account for. The two main ones in this instance are the total weight of the pizza with all its toppings (bringing up the sub-variable of how many toppings we are talking about), and the average weight of the amount of pizza that one person could consume. As mentioned, I can usually eat a ten inch pizza by myself, but I doubt that I am representative of the average. If the pizza weighs one pound, and if most people can only eat eight ounces of food at one sitting, then the answer is, there are two servings.
The bottom line is, without nailing down these variables, the question is impossible to answer.
One serving. That’s why it is called a personnel pizza, right? The serious answer is at the link below. The make math fractions fun so I’d rather eat one big slice instead of two smaller ones reply is included for comparison. You question does not offer up any specific details like New York thin crust vs Chicago deep dish, meat vs veggie, or plain cheese etc. I’m always amazed at the official serving size on the nutritional label vs what I just ate. Then there is the whole eating the leftovers for breakfast as another serving issue.
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six." One of Berra's funniest comments comes not from the baseball diamond but rather within a pizzeria instead. Berra stopped in one day in search of a meal. He ordered a pie and was asked by the employee behind the counter how would he like his pie cut: into four pieces or into six pieces? Berra's response is very, very funny. Berra thought because there were fewer slices, there would be less to eat. However, if he'd responded that he'd rather have his pie cut into six pieces, it would have made more sense since the cut slices would have been smaller in size. However, the contradicting nature of Yogi's comments are part of what made them so delightful.
How do you measure pizza size?
Pizzas are sized according to the measurement of the diameter, so a pizza with a 10-inch diameter would be considered small; a 12-inch diameter would be a medium; a 14-inch diameter would be a large.
In this regard, what size is a regular pizza?
These are the standard box sizes. Usually 8" is personal size, 10" is small, 12" is medium, 14" is large and 16" is extra-large. NY Style pizzas are 18" in diameter.
Beside above, are 2 7 inch pizzas the same as a 14 inch pizza? An 18-inch pizza has 254 square inches of pizza, whereas two 12-inch pizzas only have around 226 square inches. A 10-inch pizza, for example, is 78 square inches, with a 12-inch pizza a comparative 113 square inches. A 14-inch pizza comes in at 153 inches, so roughly the same size as 10-inchers.
In this regard, how is a 12 inch pizza measured?
All are traditional round pizza pies designated by the approximate diameter measured across the middle (see picture). Our smallest pizza is 9 inches in diameter. The middle size is 12 inches in diameter. For a 12" pizza, 3.14 times 6 times 6 gives us about 113 square inches.
How big is a normal large pizza?
Pizza size generally varies between: Small Pizza: 8-10 inches with 6 slices. Medium Pizza: 12 inches with 8 slices. Large Pizza: 14 inch with 10 slices.
How many pizzas should you buy for 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 or even 50 people (or more)? If you are planning for a party or trying to feed a large group of people, the Pizza Calculator will help you plan how many pizzas to order so that everyone is happy and will even provide topping suggestions. Considering that the average american consumes 27 pounds of pizza a year (Pizza Market Place), serving pizza is always a popular food choice.
Here are some things to consider when buying pizza for a large number of people (or just skip straight to the calculator at the bottom of this page):
How Many Slices On A Pizza
On average there are: 6 slices per small (8-10″) pizza, 8 slices per 12 inch pizza (medium), 10 slices on a large (14″) pizza and 12 slices on an extra-large (16-18″) pizza. You should confirm the number of slices before ordering because this will vary between pizza providers.
Pizza Sizes:
· Pizza Sizes In Inches (https://calculate-this.com/calculate-area-circle)
o A Small 10″ inch Pizza has 78.54 square inches
§ at 6 slices, each slice consists of 13 square inches.
o A Medium 12″ inch Pizza has 113.10 square inches
§ at 8 slices, each slice consists of 14 square inches.
o A Large 14″ inch Pizza has 153.94 square inches
§ at 10 slices, each slice consists of 15 square inches.
o An Extra Large 16″ inch Pizza has 201.06 square inches
§ at 12 slices, each slice consists of 16 square inches.
o An 18″ inch Pizza has 254.47 square inches
§ at 14 slices, each slice consists of 18 square inches (although these are often cut for 12 slices which would provide a whopping 21 square inches per slice).
· How many slices per pizza size at Dominos Pizza and Pizza Hut:
o A Small 10″ inch Pizza is normally cut into 6 slices and serves 2-3 people
o A Medium 12″ inch Pizza is normally cut into 8 slices and serves 3-4 people
o A Large 14″ inch Pizza is normally cut into 8 or 10 slices and serves 3-5 people
o An Extra Large 16″ inch Pizza is normally cut into 6 or 12 slices and serves 5-6 people
o An 18″ inch Pizza is normally cut into 6 or 12 slices and serves 6-7 people
Pizza Toppings Ordering Tips
· Virtually everyone loves cheese pizza, or will eat it if their primary favorite isn’t available. When in doubt, order one-third to one-half of your pizzas as plain cheese or double cheese.
· Extra cheese is said to keep pizzas warmer longer (increases the pizza “hold” time). Order extra cheese if you need the pizzas to stay warmer just a bit longer.
· 62% of preferred pizza toppings are meat; with pepperoni comprising 38% and sausage representing 14% of the top preferred meat toppings, and Mushrooms topping at 11% of preferred vegetable toppings.
· A 14″ large pizza is the most popular size ordered.
· Specialty pizzas with a large variety/combination of toppings are best ordered if you know your guests’ preferences; otherwise they may not be as popular especially if there are picky eaters, leading to a lot of leftovers (AKA “breakfast”).
· You may need less pizza if you get thicker, specialty crusts or extra (more than 2) toppings. These tend to be heavier and fill people up faster.
Should You Have A Pizza Bar?
The calculator will recommend some ordering options based on how many pizzas you need. But instead of stressing over which toppings to order for each pizza, you might consider having a pizza bar. Pizza bars are popular for weddings, birthdays, and other specialty events. The obvious exception to offering toppings is if you are offering an artisan pizza bar through a caterer.
For an easy pizza bar, order all your pizzas with just cheese and than offer your guest a variety of toppings so they can create their own masterpiece. Have a toaster oven set to broil setting ready at the end of the pizza bar table so guests can either heat up their pizza slices with the added ingredients, or they can eat it as is. As for the extra toppings, you can go all out, or just offer the basics.
Pizza Bar Toppings Ideas
· Pepperoni
· Sausage
· Ham
· Hamburger
· Onions
· Green Peppers
· Red or Yellow Pepper Slices
· Jalapenos
· Olives
· Mushrooms
· Spinach
· Sliced Tomatoes
· Sun-dried Tomatoes
· Feta Cheese
· Goat Cheese
· Asiago Cheese
· Garlic Slivers
· Pineapple
· Artichokes
· Anchovies
Pizza Ordering Tips
If you want the warmest, freshest possible pizzas, instead of doing pick up yourself, coordinate with your pizza vendor to have the pizza pies delivered right when guests will start eating. They will deliver the pizzas in insulated bags to ensure they are as warm as possible. If you really want to pick them up yourself, bring along several thick blankets to keep the pizza temperatures at their highest during the drive.
If you are ordering more than 10 pizzas, you may want to contact your pizza vendor 24 hours in advance to make sure they can prepare everything you need in a timely manner.
Ask about the number of slices per pizza size you are ordering. Some pizza vendors will slice a large pizza into 8 slices instead of 10. You can ask them to add an extra two slices per each size to keep the portion size reasonable, especially for large and extra large pizzas.
Which Pizza Size Is The Best Value
If you want to get the best bang for your buck, you’ll need to break down the cost comparison either by slices or square inches of pizza which will typically have similar results.
In comparison, large and extra large pizzas tend to be more economical when you are serving lot of people. And almost every pizza vendor offers coupons to make the deal even better.
Ordering Pizza For Children’s Parties
For children’s parties or when serving pizza as a side item, ask that your medium pizzas be cut to 10 slices instead of 8, or that your large pizzas be cut to 14 slices instead of 12. Children tend to have eyes bigger than their stomachs. By keeping slices smaller, you will hopefully have less wasted pizza when a child decides they want a second or third slice.
Also keep in mind that although it’s a children’s party, adults will be dropping them off and picking them up. Those same adults might also grab a slice or two, so you may want to get an extra pizza, especially if pick up time is close to a normal lunch or dinner time (when everyone is at their hungriest).
Serving Pizzas
So, you’ve coordinated the delivery of your pizzas so that they are piping hot when guest are ready to eat. But you don’t have food warming lights to keep the pizzas hot? Here are a few tips to keep your pizzas warmer longer.
Make labels or tent cards for each type of pizza. Pizzas will stay warmer if their boxes aren’t opened too often. If a box is labeled “Mushrooms”, folks that don’t want mushroom pizza won’t be peeking inside the box.
Stack similar types of pizza. If your order has (for example) 4 pepperoni pizzas and 4 cheese pizzas, stack the pizza boxes so that only one box of each kind at the top is opened at a time. This will keep the pizzas warmer because the boxes will help each other retain heat.
Have a pizza slicer and serving tongs on hand. Sometimes, those pizza slices don’t separate as nicely as they should. With a pizza slicer on standby, a guest can quickly get their slice out of the box without creating a mess (or stealing cheese off someone else’s slice). Tongs help them pick up their slices without needing to touch the rest of the pizza. You can buy cheap serving tongs at your local dollar store.