Calculate how many pizzas to order for any group size, plus scale pizza dough recipes with baker’s percentages by style and hydration.
Pizza Formula
This calculator works in two modes. The first estimates how many pizzas to order for a group. The second scales a pizza dough recipe using baker’s percentages.
To find how many pizzas to order:
Base Slices = (Adults * Adult Slices) + (Children * Child Slices)
Target Slices = Base Slices * (1 - Reduction) * (1 + Buffer)
Pizzas = ceil( Target Slices / Slices Per Pizza )
- Base Slices is the raw number of slices the group will eat before any adjustments.
- Adult Slices and Child Slices are the slices eaten per person at the chosen appetite level (light, average, hungry, or custom).
- Reduction is the fraction trimmed off when sides or other food are served (0, 0.15, or 0.25).
- Buffer is the extra fraction added so you do not run short.
- Slices Per Pizza is the cut count for the size you select, and the result is always rounded up to a whole pizza.
To scale a dough batch:
Total Dough = Number of Pizzas * Dough Ball Weight
Flour = Total Dough * 100 / (100 + Hydration + Salt + Yeast + Oil + Sugar)
Ingredient Weight = Flour * Ingredient Percent / 100
- Total Dough is the combined weight of every dough ball in the batch.
- Hydration, Salt, Yeast, Oil, and Sugar are baker’s percentages, each measured relative to the flour weight.
- Flour is always the 100% basis, so its weight is the total divided by the sum of all percentages.
- Ingredient Weight is each component scaled from the flour weight, and the style preset fills these percentages for Neapolitan, New York, or pan dough.
How Many Pizzas to Order by Group Size
The figures below assume an average appetite of about three slices per adult and a standard pizza cut into eight slices, rounded up to whole pizzas. Use them as a quick check against the calculator.
| People | Average appetite | Hungry / main meal |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 pizza | 1 pizza |
| 4 | 2 pizzas | 2 pizzas |
| 6 | 3 pizzas | 3 pizzas |
| 10 | 4 pizzas | 5 pizzas |
| 15 | 6 pizzas | 8 pizzas |
| 20 | 8 pizzas | 10 pizzas |
For dough, the table below lists the baker’s percentages behind each style preset. Flour is always 100%.
| Style | Hydration | Salt | Yeast | Oil |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolitan | 62% | 2.8% | 0.2% | 0% |
| New York | 65% | 2.5% | 0.5% | 2% |
| Pan | 70% | 2.5% | 0.7% | 3% |
Example Problems
Example 1: Ordering for a group. You have 10 adults and 5 children with average appetites, and pizza is the main meal. Base slices are (10 * 3) + (5 * 2) = 40 slices. With no reduction and a 10% buffer, target slices are 40 * 1.10 = 44. Ordering medium pizzas cut into 8 slices gives ceil(44 / 8) = 6 pizzas, which is 48 slices.
Example 2: Scaling dough. You want 4 New York-style dough balls at 250 g each, so total dough is 4 * 250 = 1000 g. The percentages sum to 100 + 65 + 2.5 + 0.5 + 2 + 1 = 171. Flour is 1000 * 100 / 171 = 584.8 g. Water is 584.8 * 0.65 = 380.1 g, salt is 584.8 * 0.025 = 14.6 g, and so on for the remaining ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many slices should I plan per person? A common rule is about three slices per adult and two per child for an average appetite. Light eaters take roughly two adult slices, and hungry guests or a pizza-only meal can push that to four. The calculator lets you choose a preset or enter your own slice counts.
Why does the result always round up? You cannot order a fraction of a pizza, so the calculator rounds up to the next whole pizza. This is also why a small buffer is built in: it is safer to have a few leftover slices than to come up short.
What does hydration mean in the dough mode? Hydration is the weight of water as a percentage of the flour weight. A 65% hydration dough uses 65 g of water for every 100 g of flour. Higher hydration produces a wetter, more open crumb, while lower hydration makes a stiffer dough that is easier to handle.
