Plates, cups and napkins calculator
Plates, dessert plates, cups, napkins and forks for your guest count, in the packs stores sell. For 20 guests: 40 plates, 50 cups and 60 napkins.
Festidy's plan counts plates, cups and napkins from your RSVPs, so the shopping list changes when guests reply.
Make my party planHow we calculate
- Plates: 2 a guest, the planner's rule. We split them into 1 dinner plate and 1 dessert plate a guest (the split is ours).
- Cups: 2.5 a guest, the planner's rule. It covers refills and the cup someone sets down and forgets.
- Napkins: 3 a guest, the planner's rule. Napkins go fast with cake, pizza and little hands.
- Forks: 1 a guest, for cake and any food that needs one. This is a rule of thumb, not a planner number.
- Long party with 2 meals: add 1 dinner plate, 1 fork, 1 cup and 1 napkin a guest for the second meal. A rule of thumb.
- Reusable: 1 piece a guest for each of dinner plates, dessert plates, cups and forks, plus 20% so you can wash between rounds. A rule of thumb. We keep napkins paper, at the planner's 3 a guest.
- Packs we assume: plates 8, 16 and 50; cups 8 and 50; napkins 20, 50 and 100; forks 24, 48 and 100. Stores vary, so check yours. We pick the cheapest mix of packs that covers your count.
- Cost: a rough range from our guess at shelf prices for paper tableware in a US store, per pack: plates 8 for $2 to $5, 16 for $3 to $7, 50 for $7 to $14; cups 8 for $2 to $5, 50 for $7 to $13; napkins 20 for $2 to $4, 50 for $3 to $6, 100 for $5 to $9; forks 24 for $2 to $4, 48 for $3 to $5, 100 for $4 to $7. Themed packs sit at the top of the range, plain white at the bottom. Reusable plates and cups cost nothing to buy if you own them.
Last updated October 21, 2026. Free, no sign-up.
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Tips for plates, cups and napkins
- Pick one theme pattern, then go plain. Put the pattern on the dessert plates and napkins, the pieces that show in photos, and buy plain white or a solid color for dinner plates and cups. It costs less and looks planned.
- Write names on the cups. Keep a marker by the drinks and put a name on each cup. Guests stop grabbing a fresh cup each time, and the 2.5 a guest goes further.
- Buy extras for spills. Keep one spare pack of napkins and one of cups in a cupboard, not on the table. Rounding up to full packs usually leaves some, and spills use them.
- Put napkins in two places. One by the food and one by the cake, so nobody carries sticky hands across the room.
- Match the plate to the food. Thin plates bend under pizza and a slice of cake. Buy a sturdier plate for dinner and a thin one for dessert.
Questions
How many plates do I need for a party?
2 a guest: 1 dinner plate and 1 dessert plate. For 20 guests that is 40 plates, so 20 dinner plates and 20 dessert plates, or a 16-pack and a pack of 8 for each kind.
How many cups do I need per person?
2.5 cups a guest, which covers refills and forgotten cups. For 20 guests that is 50 cups, one pack of 50. Writing names on cups helps them go further.
How many napkins do I need for a party?
3 a guest. For 20 guests that is 60 napkins, so one pack of 100, or a pack of 50 and a pack of 20. The bigger pack costs about the same and covers cake and pizza.
How many plates for 50 guests?
100 plates: 50 dinner plates and 50 dessert plates, one pack of 50 of each. You also need about 125 cups and 150 napkins.
How many forks do I need?
One a guest is a good start, for cake and any food that needs one. For a long party with 2 meals, plan 2 a guest. Pizza does not need a fork, but cake usually does.
Is it cheaper to use reusable plates and cups?
It costs nothing to buy if you own enough, but you need about 20% more pieces than guests so you can wash between rounds. Paper is easier for a crowd, and for 20 guests all the tableware costs roughly $25 to $50.