Whether you have a group of friends over or a big event coming up, pizza is the perfect food to feed your guests. It’s easily shareable, portable, and a crowd favorite. It can be difficult to estimate how much you’ll need, though. Instead of taking a wild guess, let the following guide help you order the perfect amount.

How to Order Pizza for Your Group

How Many Pies Should You Order?

Nobody wants their guests to go hungry, but you don’t want an excess of leftovers either. So how do you calculate the correct amount of food? First, count how many guests—including you—will be in attendance. Adults typically eat about two or three slices each. Using that average, multiply 2.5 by the number of diners. This will give you the total number of slices you should shoot for. Of course, pizzerias don’t deliver by the slice. Most restaurants cut their pies into eight pieces. Divide your total number of slices by eight, and you’ll have the approximate number you should order. 

Keep in mind that young children might eat less, and teens and young adults may take a few extra slices. If you’re hosting a kids’ party, for instance, you can generally assume they’ll each eat two slices. In general, it’s always better to have too much rather than too little, so consider ordering extra to be safe. Go with larger sizes to get a better deal on your purchase.

What Toppings Should I Get?

Choosing toppings will be more of a challenge. Dietary restrictions and preferences vary among every crowd, so hosts will need to either poll their guests or strategize. If you don’t know or can’t contact all of your guests, it’s best to pick the most popular pies—with an emphasis on variety.

Always order a few cheese pizzas. If your guests don’t like the other options, cheese is a safe choice to fall back on. Most children will be perfectly content with just pepperoni and cheese. Unless you know there are some fans in the group, avoid contentious toppings like anchovies and pineapple. Order an all-meat and a veggie option to please the meat lovers and vegetarians in attendance. You might not be able to satisfy everybody, but remember that in most cases, guests can simply pick off the toppings they don’t like.

Rather than toiling away in the kitchen for hours before your party, order from Crico’s Pizza & Subs. Serving the Gulf Shores, AL, area, this pizza place delivers delicious food right to your door. Whether you want a hot sub for lunch or a few pepperoni pies for your next event, they have a variety of options for every taste. Check out their full menu online. To place a dine-in order or request delivery, call (251) 948-3100.