How many pizzas for 16 people?
For 16 people, order 7 large pizzas. That’s 56 slices, about 3 each with 8 to spare.
plus 0 small pizzas, gluten-free
56 slices for 16 grown-ups. That’s about 3 each, plus 8 spare for whoever said “I’m not that hungry.”
Suggested delivery tip (15%, at least $5):
Feeding the whole office?
Past 20 people, compare catering on cost per head before you order a tower of pizza boxes. Someone else brings the plates.
Same crowd, different appetites
These follow the calculator above, so they change with the size and the headcount.
How we got to 7
16 grown-ups at 3 slices each need 48 slices. We add 10% so nobody’s left eyeing the last one, which makes 53. A large pizza has 8 slices, which is what Pizza Hut and Papa John’s cut theirs into, so 53 ÷ 8 = 6.63, and we round up to 7.
How to split 7 pizzas
We’d go 3 cheese, 2 pepperoni and 2 veggie or specialty. Cheese is the safe bet for kids and picky eaters, and the veggie pizzas cover anyone who skips meat. If you know your crowd, move pizzas between the three; the total stays the same.
Pizzas for 16 people by size
| Size | Slices in one | Pizzas for 16 | Slices in all |
|---|---|---|---|
| small | 6 | 9 | 54 |
| medium | 8 | 7 | 56 |
| large | 8 | 7 | 56 |
| extra-large | 12 | 5 | 60 |
The same 53 slices, divided by what each size holds and rounded up. Pick a size in the calculator above and the answer follows.
16 people, if some of them are kids
| Who’s coming | Grown-ups | Kids | Large pizzas |
|---|---|---|---|
| All grown-ups | 16 | 0 | 7 |
| A quarter kids | 12 | 4 | 7 |
| Half kids | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| Three-quarters kids | 4 | 12 | 5 |
Kids under 12 count 2 slices each, grown-ups 3. 16 kids on their own need 5.
Serving other food too?
Serving wings, salad or sides? We count 75% of the usual slices when there’s other food, which brings 16 grown-ups down to 5 large pizzas. Tick “Also serving wings, salad or other food” above to see it.
What 7 pizzas might cost, at example prices
| If a large cost (example) | 7 pizzas | For each of 16 |
|---|---|---|
| $12 | $84.00 | $5.25 |
| $16 | $112.00 | $7.00 |
| $20 | $140.00 | $8.75 |
| $24 | $168.00 | $10.50 |
Example prices only, to show the sum; a large costs whatever your pizzeria charges, before tax, delivery and tip. Switch the calculator to Office lunch and type in your price for the real total.
Ordering for a sweet sixteen, a dance team or a Sunday dinner
A sweet sixteen is a teenage crowd with a few parents hovering, so lean the toppings toward what the birthday person likes. We’d start at 3 cheese, 2 pepperoni and 2 veggie, and nobody minds if you trade one for their favorite.
A dance team after practice is hungry and in a hurry, so have the boxes open before practice ends. For a Sunday dinner of 16, put the boxes on the counter buffet-style and send the kids through first; the grown-ups go second, by which time the cheese is gone and nobody minds.
Questions people ask
How many large pizzas do I need for 16 people?
7 large pizzas for 16 grown-ups with normal appetites. That’s 56 slices, about 3 each plus spares. If they’re nibblers, 5 will do; if they’re starving, get 9.
Is one large pizza for every 3 people enough for 16?
Only just. One for every 3 people is 6 large pizzas, 48 slices: 3 each, with nothing to spare. We’d get 7, which leaves room for seconds. One for every 2 people is 8, 64 slices or 4 each: generous for a hungry crowd, with leftovers for everyone else.
How many slices of pizza per person?
Plan on 3 slices for a grown-up, 2 for a light eater or 2 for a kid, and 4 for a hungry crowd. Those are the numbers our calculator uses, before the 10% extra.
How many pizzas for 16 kids?
5 large pizzas for 16 kids under 12, at 2 slices each plus a little extra. Add the grown-ups in the calculator if they’re eating too.
How much does pizza for 16 people cost?
Multiply 7 by what a large pizza costs where you’re ordering; the table above shows the sum at a few example prices. Switch the calculator to Office lunch and type in the price to see the order total and the cost per person.