How many pizzas for 17 people?
For 17 people, order 8 large pizzas. That’s 64 slices, about 3 each with 13 to spare.
plus 0 small pizzas, gluten-free
64 slices for 17 grown-ups. That’s about 3 each, plus 13 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 8
17 grown-ups at 3 slices each need 51 slices. We add 10% so nobody’s left eyeing the last one, which makes 57. A large pizza has 8 slices, which is what Pizza Hut and Papa John’s cut theirs into, so 57 ÷ 8 = 7.13, and we round up to 8.
How to split 8 pizzas
We’d go 3 cheese, 3 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 17 people by size
| Size | Slices in one | Pizzas for 17 | Slices in all |
|---|---|---|---|
| small | 6 | 10 | 60 |
| medium | 8 | 8 | 64 |
| large | 8 | 8 | 64 |
| extra-large | 12 | 5 | 60 |
The same 57 slices, divided by what each size holds and rounded up. Pick a size in the calculator above and the answer follows.
17 people, if some of them are kids
| Who’s coming | Grown-ups | Kids | Large pizzas |
|---|---|---|---|
| All grown-ups | 17 | 0 | 8 |
| A quarter kids | 13 | 4 | 7 |
| Half kids | 8 | 9 | 6 |
| Three-quarters kids | 4 | 13 | 6 |
Kids under 12 count 2 slices each, grown-ups 3. 17 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 17 grown-ups down to 6 large pizzas. Tick “Also serving wings, salad or other food” above to see it.
What 8 pizzas might cost, at example prices
| If a large cost (example) | 8 pizzas | For each of 17 |
|---|---|---|
| $12 | $96.00 | $5.65 |
| $16 | $128.00 | $7.53 |
| $20 | $160.00 | $9.41 |
| $24 | $192.00 | $11.29 |
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 an after-school club, a choir rehearsal or a robotics team
A robotics team works through dinner, so order for when the build pauses and keep the boxes well away from the soldering iron. Pizza and electronics share one rule: wipe your hands first.
A choir rehearsal eats on the break, so time the delivery for it and put water out with the pizza. For an after-school club, the kids will go for the cheese first, so put the 3 cheese pizzas at the front of the table and count the kids in the Kids box above.
Questions people ask
How many large pizzas do I need for 17 people?
8 large pizzas for 17 grown-ups with normal appetites. That’s 64 slices, about 3 each plus spares. If they’re nibblers, 5 will do; if they’re starving, get 10.
Why do 17 people need 8 pizzas when 16 need 7?
Because the 17th guest tips the order over a box. 16 people need 53 slices with our extra, which 7 large pizzas (56 slices) cover; 17 need 57, 1 slice more than 7 hold. So one more guest means a whole pizza more, and 13 slices to spare. If there’s other food, tick that box above and 17 people need 6.
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 17 kids?
5 large pizzas for 17 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 17 people cost?
Multiply 8 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.