This page will help you calculate how many pizzas to order for a given number of people.
Enter the number of guests and the number of slices needed per guest. For example, if you have five people who want three slices each and four people that want two slices each, you can provide that information below.
Next, select two options of pizza sizes to compare. If you'd like to evaluate the total cost and average cost per guest for different orders, adjust the cost per pizza values.
| Results: | ||
| Total # of guests: | 9 | |
| Total # of slices required: | 23 | |
| Required average # of slices per guest: | 2.56 | |
| Option #1 | Option #2 | |
| Pizza size: | Large 14" | Jumbo 18" |
| Number of pizzas: | 3 | 2 |
| Average # of slices per guest: | 3.33 | 3.67 |
| Total cost: | 42.72 | 41.48 |
| Average cost per guest: | 4.75 | 4.61 |
More details:
Pizza comes in many different sizes, the most popular are: Small - 10" in diameter, Medium - 12", Large - 14", X-large - 16", and XX-large or Jumbo - 18". Furthermore, there is no common practice around the number of slices a pizza is cut onto. For example, a Large 14" pizza can be cut into 8, 10 or 12 slices, depending on vendor's preference.
Let's take a look at the table below which compares areas of different pizza slices. As we can see, the slice sizes (areas) may differ quite significantly - a slice (1/12) of a X-large 16" pizza is 18.5% larger that a slice (1/8) of a Medium 12" pizza.
Therefore, the number of slices alone may not provide an accurate comparison between deferent pizza orders.
Our approach is to use one of the slice sizes, defined by the Basic slice size parameter, as the base value for calculations. Then, knowing the area of the slice, the number of guests, and the required number of slices per guest, we can determine the overall amount (the total area) of pizza that would be required. Comparing this number to the areas of each pizza we can find out the number of pizzas that needs to be ordered.
To simplify the process of dividing pizza between guests, you may want to check with your vendor and ask to cut pizzas into smaller slices or use "party cut".
...and remember, as someone has said, "There is never too much pizza!"
Pizza slice size/area comparison table
| Slice size | compare to → | 1/6 of Small 10" | 1/8 of Medium 12" | 1/10 of Large 14" | 1/12 of X-large 16" | 1/8 of Large 14" | 1/10 of X-large 16" | 1/12 of Jumbo 18" |
| base ↓ | Slice area (sq in) | 13.09 | 14.14 | 15.39 | 16.76 | 19.24 | 20.11 | 21.21 |
| 1/6 of Small 10" | 13.09 | 100.0% | 92.6% | 85.0% | 78.1% | 68.0% | 65.1% | 61.7% |
| 1/8 of Medium 12" | 14.14 | 108.0% | 100.0% | 91.8% | 84.4% | 73.5% | 70.3% | 66.7% |
| 1/10 of Large 14" | 15.39 | 117.6% | 108.9% | 100.0% | 91.9% | 80.0% | 76.6% | 72.6% |
| 1/12 of X-large 16" | 16.76 | 128.0% | 118.5% | 108.8% | 100.0% | 87.1% | 83.3% | 79.0% |
| 1/8 of Large 14" | 19.24 | 147.0% | 136.1% | 125.0% | 114.8% | 100.0% | 95.7% | 90.7% |
| 1/10 of X-large 16" | 20.11 | 153.6% | 142.2% | 130.6% | 120.0% | 104.5% | 100.0% | 94.8% |
| 1/12 of Jumbo 18" | 21.21 | 162.0% | 150.0% | 137.8% | 126.6% | 110.2% | 105.5% | 100.0% |
The table above shows different pizza slice sizes listed as the rows and columns headers, corresponding area values, and what percent the area of one slice is of the area of another.
To compare areas of two slices locate the row in the table matching the first slice and then locate the column corresponding to the second slice. The number located at the intersection will show the percentage value of the area of the first slice compared to the area of the second one.
See also:
Pizza Area Calculator
Food Supply Calculator