How many pizzas for 20 kids?
Twenty children is where guessing starts to cost real money, because one pizza either way is a whole order. The figure below is for school age children at a party that runs through lunch, and it counts the parents who stay separately, since they eat like adults.
The answer
20 children aged 6 to 9 and 6 adults, 12:00 PM for 2 hours.
8large pizzas
58 slices at 2 per child and 3 per adult, rounded up to whole pizzas. Two slices is the standard for school-age kids at a party.
SourcedSalerno's
The parents are half the order
Six adults at three slices each is most of two extra pizzas. Lists that quote a per child figure and stop are the reason people run short. If the parents at your party drop off and leave, take them out on the calculator and the count falls. That single field moves this number more than the age band does.
This party runs through lunch, so plan a real meal.
The rest of the list for this party
| Amount | Item | Part of the party | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | Prepared fruit | Food | Sourced |
| 25 | Cupcakes | Cake | Our rule |
| 10 | Round cake (instead of cupcakes) | Cake | Sourced |
| 54 | Juice boxes and soft drinks | Drinks | Sourced and our rule |
| 26 | Water bottles | Drinks | Our rule |
| 49 | Plates | Table | Our rule |
| 78 | Napkins | Table | Our rule |
| 22 | Goodie bags | Favors | Our rule |
Your party is not this party
Change the guest count, the ages, the start time or the weather and the whole list moves. The calculator opens on the party above, so you can adjust it rather than start again.
Worth knowing
- Laying food out rather than plating it costs 10 to 15% more.
Where these numbers come from
- Planning the quantity food occasion, University of Minnesota Extension. Checked 2026-09-27.
- How much pizza do I need to order?, Salerno's Pizza. Checked 2026-09-27.
- Ultimate cake serving chart, Wilton. Checked 2026-09-27.
- Beverage math: how much to serve at your event, Plum Deluxe. Checked 2026-09-27.
- Accurate food and beverage quantity guide for your guests, Occasional Occasions Catering. Checked 2026-09-27.
Anything marked our rule is our own judgement rather than a published figure. We say which is which so you know which numbers to argue with.
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