Pizza Calculator: How Many Pizzas To Buy or Make

Feeding a crowd isn’t an easy task — you can wind up having too little or too much food. While leftover pizza is always tasty, it’s not the most cost-effective. 

We created our pizza calculator to help you satisfy cravings for all group sizes. We’ll crunch the numbers to estimate how many pies you need for your unique crowd.

Pizza Calculator

Number of people:

Adults

Children

Hunger level:

Very Average Not Very

Type of crust:

Traditional Thin

Calculate

Result:

You’ll need 3 pizzas

How to calculate how much pizza to order or bake

Calculating how much pizza to order or bake can be tough, especially for a large group. You’ll need to factor in how many people you are feeding, the group’s hunger level, pizza size and even type of crust.

While most people eat one to two slices of traditional crust pizza in a serving, the exact number will vary depending on the group. If everyone is starving, the number of slices will increase to three to four. Or maybe you’re feeding younger children at a birthday party, and one or two slices of pizza should be plenty.

To save yourself the headache and unnecessary stress, use our pizza calculator to crunch the numbers and estimate the number of pies you’ll need.

Pizza size chart

The size of pizza you choose could make or break your gathering — you don’t want your guests to still be hungry afterward. Use our pizza size chart to determine which one to order or make at home.

How much pizza to order or bake

Sure, leftover pizza tastes delicious, but it’s not the best way to get the most out of your money. Use our pizza calculator for a party to estimate the number of pies you’ll need for various group sizes.

*The chart above shows how many large pizzas you’ll need for each number of people with normal hunger levels.

Tips for ordering pizza for a group 

Having enough pizza for a group is no easy feat. It’s tough calculating different hunger levels and preferences for so many different people. Here are a few pizza ordering tips to eliminate the stress.

• Consider the size: It’s important to use a pizza calculator to order the right number of pies. You can always mix up the different pizza sizes to ensure you cater to all hunger levels.
• Think about toppings: Some folks prefer plain cheese pizza, whereas others enjoy experimenting with meats, vegetables and sauces. It’s best to have a mix of various toppings to accommodate all taste buds.
• Be considerate of dietary restrictions: Make sure to ask the group if anyone has any allergies or dietary restrictions. Try to consider gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian options.
• Leftovers aren’t bad: While ordering way more pizza than you need is not recommended, eating leftovers can be equally delicious. You can also let your guests take home a few spare slices.

Homemade pizza recipes 

While ordering pizza might be convenient, making your own pizza is a fun activity you can do with friends and family. Throwing a holiday potluck? Impress your guests by making your own pizza dough, sauce and classic Margherita pizza. Check out the recipes below.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Pizza Dough

Mozzarella Cheese

Ricotta Cheese

Pizza Sauce

Pepperoni

Homemade pizza dough

Premade pizza dough works fine if you’re short on time. But if you have a few minutes to spare, this homemade pizza dough recipe is worth it. You can use this dough for any size pizza, and it works well with all toppings.

Signature pizza sauce

Elevate your gathering by making a batch of this signature pizza sauce. Not only is it easy to make, but it only requires a few ingredients. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have a savory red sauce for the base of your pie.

Classic Margherita pizza

Satisfy your craving by whipping up this classic Margherita pizza, perfect for all occasions. In 30 minutes, you’ll have a restaurant-quality pizza with crispy crust, tangy sauce, creamy cheese and fresh basil.

How to keep your pizza fresh

Cold pizza isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Satisfy the whole crew with these tips to keep your pizza fresh.

• Reheat it: You can use an oven, skillet, air fryer, grill or microwave to reheat pizza perfectly. If you’re heating up an entire pie, opt for an oven, but if you’re reheating a slice or two, any of these methods will work.
• Separate the toppings: Before storing your pie, separate the different toppings to prevent mixing flavors when reheating. You can also wrap up each slice individually to save time and maintain freshness.
• Store it properly: Use an airtight container or wrap slices tightly with plastic wrap or foil.

Additional cooking guides

Looking for more cooking guides to improve your skills? Check out these conversion charts, calculators and other generators.

• Oven temperature guide
• Cooking measurement conversion
• Serving size calculator
• Leftover recipe generator 
• Turkey cooking time calculator
• Ham cooking time calculator
• Meat cooking time calculator

Pizza calculator FAQ

Find answers to common questions about ordering the right amount of pizza for any group size. Whether you’re hosting a party, a work event or a family gathering, this information will ensure you have enough pizza to keep everyone happy.

The last slice to savor

Now that you’ve played around with our pizza calculator, you’re ready to kick off your party. Remember to consider the number of people, hunger level and size of pizza. 

You can order your pizzas or buy all the ingredients with Instacart to make your own pies. Receive the ingredients you need at your doorstep without the hassle of leaving your home. After a few clicks, you’ll be on your way to hosting the ultimate pizza party.

Instacart

Author

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.