How Much Pizza Do You Need for a Party? A Planning Guide

Short answer: an 18-inch New York-style pie has 8 slices, and most adults eat 2 to 3 slices at a party. That means about 3 to 4 pies for 10 people, 7 to 10 pies for 25 and 13 to 19 pies for 50. The rest of this guide covers how to adjust those numbers and what to order.

Start With Slices, Not Pies

At East Village Pizza, every 18-inch pie is cut into 8 wide slices, the classic New York size you can fold. Count slices first, then divide by 8:

• Light eaters, or when there's other food: 2 slices per adult
• A regular party or office lunch: 2 to 3 slices per adult
• Teenagers, sports teams, late nights: 3 slices or more
• Younger kids: 1 to 2 slices

Then round up. A spare pie costs less than running out halfway through the party, and leftover pizza is never a problem.

How Many Pies for Your Group

• 10 guests: 20 to 30 slices, about 3 to 4 pies
• 15 guests: 30 to 45 slices, about 4 to 6 pies
• 25 guests: 50 to 75 slices, about 7 to 10 pies
• 50 guests: 100 to 150 slices, about 13 to 19 pies
• 100 guests: 200 to 300 slices, about 25 to 38 pies

For a group this size, tell us your headcount when you book and we'll suggest a mix. See our pizza catering page for how it works.

How to Mix the Flavors

A simple split works for most groups: about half plain cheese and pepperoni, which almost everyone eats, and the rest specialty and vegetarian pies. For a group of 25, that could look like:

• 3 cheese pies
• 2 pepperoni pies
• 1 Margherita and 1 vegetable pie
• 1 or 2 specialty pies, like Buffalo chicken or BBQ chicken

Want a centerpiece? The double-stacked pizza is two full pies baked as one, and a heart-shaped pizza is made for birthdays and anniversaries. Both are East Village Pizza originals. Order heart-shaped pies ahead; each takes about 20 to 25 minutes to make.

Plan for Every Diet

• Vegetarian: cheese, Margherita, white, mushroom and vegetable pies have no meat.
• Gluten-free: we make 12-inch gluten-free pizzas. The crust is gluten-free, but our kitchen isn't, so they're not recommended for guests with celiac disease.
• No pork: our pepperoni and sausage are beef.
• Picky eaters: order half-and-half pies so one pie covers two preferences.

Don't Forget the Sides

Garlic knots and cheesy garlic knots go fast at parties, and calzones are easy to cut and share. Add blue cheese, ranch or marinara on the side for dipping, plus a few sodas and bottles of water. For dessert we have tiramisu and cheesecake. Everything is on our menu.

Timing and Keeping Pizza Warm

• Book early for big orders, and tell us exactly what time you want to eat.
• Keep the boxes closed until you serve. Stacked boxes hold heat longer than open ones.
• If pizza cools down, reheat slices on a baking sheet in a hot oven for a few minutes. It brings back the crisp crust better than a microwave.

Ordering for a Party in Manhattan

We've made pizza at 145 1st Avenue, on the corner of East 9th Street, since 1997. To book catering, call (212) 529-4545 or email info@eastvillagepizza.net with the date, time, headcount and address. For smaller orders, you can also order delivery through Grubhub, Seamless, Uber Eats or DoorDash; check your address in the app. And if the party runs late, we're open until 4am, and 5am Thursday through Saturday.