Working out case quantities for a catered event
Ordering for a hundred people is not ordering a hundred of everything. Each category has its own multiplier, and getting them wrong in either direction is expensive — short on napkins is a problem during the event, long on plates is a cupboard full of plates for two years.
The multipliers
Plates: 1.5 to 2 per head
One for the main, one for dessert or a second visit. At a buffet where people return, closer to 2. At a seated single-course meal, closer to 1.2.
Cups: 2 to 3 per head
The highest multiplier on the list and the one most often underestimated. People put cups down and lose them. A four-hour event with a bar runs closer to 3.
Cutlery: 1.5 to 2 pieces per head, weighted to forks
Forks do most of the work, spoons follow if there is dessert, knives are used least unless something needs cutting.
Napkins: 2 to 3 per head
Cheap, always used, and the one place where over-ordering costs almost nothing.
A worked example: 100 guests, buffet, dessert, drinks
- Plates: 200 (a mix of dinner and dessert sizes)
- Cups: 250
- Forks: 200 · Spoons: 120 · Knives: 60
- Napkins: 250
In case terms that is roughly two 100-packs of plates in each size, three 100-count cup sleeves, one 360-piece combo plus a fork top-up, and a 200-count napkin pack with a second in reserve.
Where the multipliers change
Children push every number up, particularly cups. Outdoor events push cups up further because they get put down on the ground and abandoned. Long events push everything up roughly in proportion to the number of hours.
Conversely, a seated, served meal with a fixed menu pushes everything down, because nobody is making a second trip and nothing gets mislaid.
Buying in cases rather than packs
The reason case quantities are cheaper per piece is packaging and handling, not quality. The reason to buy them anyway, even for a one-off, is that sealed surplus keeps indefinitely.
Plain white and clear items are the ones worth over-ordering. They suit any occasion, so a surplus becomes stock. Anything with a seasonal print does not.
Reading a pack description properly
Two things trip people up. The first is combo splits: a “360 count” cutlery set is not 120 of each unless it says so, and most are weighted to forks. The second is service counts: a “party set for 50” usually means 50 guests, not 50 pieces, and the piece breakdown is separate.
Both are written out on the listings here for exactly this reason.
What to have spare on the day
Keep one unopened pack of cups and one of napkins somewhere accessible. They are the two things that run out, and they are the two things you cannot improvise.
Practical checks before ordering
- Apply a different multiplier to each category rather than one number across the board.
- Weight cutlery towards forks.
- Count cups generously — they are the most-lost item.
- Read combo splits and service counts rather than assuming.
- Over-order in plain and clear so the surplus stays useful.
Splitting an order between delivery and collection
Cases are bulky rather than heavy, and the awkward part of a large order is usually getting it into the room rather than paying for it. For an event in a rented space, it is worth checking two things before ordering: whether the venue will accept a delivery in advance and store it, and whether there is a lift.
Where a venue will not hold a delivery, splitting the order helps — the bulky, light items brought in early by hand, and the rest delivered on the day.
Keep the packing list
Photograph the packing list or the boxes before the event starts. When something runs out mid-service, the useful question is what exactly was ordered, and nobody can answer it once the boxes are flat and in a corner.
It also makes the next event trivial to order for: the list of what was used, plus a note of what ran short, is a better basis than doing the arithmetic again from scratch.
Where this sits in the shop
Everything discussed above comes back to one part of the shop: Cups and Drinkware, which currently holds 2 listings between $11.24 and $22.99. The whole of it is picked and packed at Paper House, 73 W 74th St, New York, NY, during Mon–Sat 9:30am–6:30pm, Sun 9:30am–5pm — so anything written here can be checked by phoning the counter on ((212) 724-8085.
From our shelves
- Lilymicky 300 Pack 12 oz Clear Plastic Cups, Cold Disposable Plastic Drinking Cups for Parties, Picnic, BBQ, Travel, and Events — $22.99
- Hefty Party On Disposable Plastic Cups, Assorted, 16 Ounce, 100 Count — $11.24
What we get asked about this
How long will my order take?
Handling takes 1–2 business days and carrier transit is normally 3–7 business days, so most orders land in 4–9 business days. Tracking is emailed as soon as the label scans.
How much is shipping?
Orders of $49.00 or more ship free inside the United States. Below that, a flat $5.99 covers packing and carrier handling, whatever the box weighs.
Read next
- Compostable, recyclable or plastic: choosing tableware
- Heavy duty versus standard plastic cutlery
- Plate sizes and what each one is for
Ordering from Paper House
Orders of $49.00 or more ship free anywhere in the United States, and a flat $5.99 covers everything below that. Handling takes 1–2 business days and carrier transit is normally 3–7 business days. Unused items can go back within 30 days, and if the mistake was ours we pay the return postage.
Questions about anything above go to [email protected], answered within 1 business day, or call (212) 724-8085. Full detail is on the Shipping Policy and Refund and Returns pages.
